Wang Xizhi: Master Calligrapher
Wang Xizhi: Master Calligrapher / Heiseikan Special Exhibition Galleries January 22, 2013 (Tue) - March 3, 2013 (Sun)

Active in 4th-century China during the Eastern Jin dynasty, Wang Xizhi (303?-361?) greatly advanced conventional calligraphy styles, with his calligraphy treasured by successive Chinese emperors. Focusing on important materials related to Wang Xizhi’s calligraphy, this exhibition searches for the true image of the work of this master calligrapher, and attempts to reevaluate the roles that he played, for example through his influence on later generations.
General Information |
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Period | Tuesday, January 22 - Sunday, March 3, 2013 | |||||||||||||
Venue | Heiseikan, Tokyo National Museum (Ueno Park) | |||||||||||||
Hours | 9:30 - 17:00 (Last entry 30 minutes before closing) Friday, March 3 open until 20:00 |
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Closed | Mondays (Except for Monday, February 11) |
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Admission | Adults: 1500 (1300/1200) yen University students: 1200 (1000/900) yen High school students: 900 (700/600) yen Junior high school students and under: Free
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Access | 10 minutes' walk from JR Ueno Station (Park exit) and Uguisudani Station 15 minutes' walk from Keisei Ueno Station, Tokyo Metro Ueno Station and Tokyo Metro Nezu Station |
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Organizer | Tokyo National Museum, The Mainichi Newspapers, NHK, NHK Promotions Inc. | |||||||||||||
With the Special Assistance of | The Asahi Shimbun | |||||||||||||
With the Support of | Ministry of Foreign Affairs | |||||||||||||
With the Special Sponsorship of | Daiwa House Industry Co.,Ltd. | |||||||||||||
With the Sponsorship of | Aioi Nissay Dowa insurance Co., Ltd., TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION, Nissha Printing Co., Ltd., Japan Post Bank Co., Ltd. | |||||||||||||
With the Assistance of | UCHIDA YOKO Co.,Ltd., All Nippon Airways Co., Ltd., China Cultural Center in TOKYO, Nishogakusha University, The Mainichi Shodo Association | |||||||||||||
General Inquiries | 03-5405-8686 (Hello Dial) | |||||||||||||
Exhibition Website | http://o-gishi.jp/ (In Japanese) The website has closed with the end of the exhibition. |
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Highlight of the Exhibition
Part 1: Discerning the True Appearance of Wang Xizhi’s Calligraphy
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Letter to Kong (Kong shi zhong tie) (detail) Original: by Wang Xizhi, Copied in Tang dynasty, 7th–8th century National Treasure The Maeda Ikutokukai Foundation, Tokyo [on exhibit from February 19 to March 3, 2013] |
Note of Distress and Indignation (Sang luan tie)
Original: by Wang Xizhi, Copied in Tang dynasty, 7th–8th century The Museum of the Imperial Collections, Sannomaru Shozokan, Tokyo [on exhibit from January 22 to February 11, 2013] |
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Ritual to Pray for Good Harvest (Xingrang tie) (detail) Original: by Wang Xizhi, Copied in Tang dynasty, 7th–8th century Princeton University Art Museum, New Jersey. Bequest of John B. Elliott, Class of 1951 |
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Sister's Arrival (Meizhi tie) Original: by Wang Xizhi, Copied in Tang dynasty, 7th–8th century Private collection [on exhibit from February 13 to March 3, 2013] |
Rubbing of Essay on Yue Yi (Yue yi lun), Yuezhou Shi family version
By Wang Xizhi, Original: Eastern Jin dynasty, dated 348 (Yonghe 4) Tokyo National Museum |
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Part 2: Myriad Variations on the Preface to the Poems of the Orchid Pavilion Gathering
Preface to the Poems of the Orchid Pavilion Gathering, Dingwu version, Xu Yanxian edition (detail) By Wang Xizhi, Original: Eastern Jin dynasty, dated 353 (Yonghe 9) Tokyo National Museum |
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Preface to the Poems of the Orchid Pavilion Gathering, Dingwu version, Du Gu edition By Wang Xizhi, Original: Eastern Jin dynasty, dated 353 (Yonghe 9) Tokyo National Museum [on exhibit from January 22 to February 11, 2013] |
Preface to the Poems of the Orchid Pavilion Gathering, Dingwu version, Han Zhuchuan edition
By Wang Xizhi, Original: Eastern Jin dynasty, dated 353 (Yonghe 9) Taito City Calligraphy Museum, Tokyo |
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Illustrated Scroll of the Orchid Pavilion Gathering, Wanli version (detail) By Wang Xizhi et al., Compiled: Ming dynasty, dated 1592 (Wanli 20) Tokyo National Museum |
Couplet of seven-character phrases in standard script
By Emperor Xuantong, Qing dynasty, 20th century Tokyo National Museum |
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Part 3: Reception and Transformation of the Wang Xizhi Style
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Thirteen colophons for the Preface to the Poems of the Orchid Pavilion Gathering in running script By Zhao Mengfu, Yuan dynasty, dated 1310 (Zhida 3) Tokyo National Museum [on exhibit from February 13 to March 3, 2013] |
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Thousand-character Essay in regular and cursive script By Zhi Yong, Sui dynasty, 7th century National Treasure Private collection [Exhibited pages will change from February 5 and February 19, 2013] |
Copy after the Two Wangs' various rubbings
By Wang Duo, Qing dynasty, dated 1651 (Shunzhi 8) Seikado Bunko Art Museum, Tokyo [on exhibit from February 13 to March 3, 2013] |
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