Tung Chi-Chang [Dong Qichang] Painting
Tung Chi-Chang [Dong Qichang] was one of the great painters and calligraphers
of the late Ming Dynasty.
He was a native of Hua-ting, Siangsu. His familiar-name was Huan-tsai,
his sobriquets Ssu-pai and Hsiang-kuang. Tung Chi-Chang was highly regarded
as a youth by elder members of an elite group of literary men gathered
around Wang Shih-chen, but for some reason Tung was unable to pass the
chu-jen examinations at first. He turned to Chan (Zen) Buddhism and studied
a branch known as "Mad Chan" under the quite eccentric leader
of the school Lu Chih. Tung finally passed his chin-shih examination, and
began a checkered career as an official that reached as high as Minister
of the Board of Rites.
Tung Chi-chang was the principal spokesman and theoretical leader of a tightly knit group of literati who set the underlying critical and theoretical tone of painting and calligraphy for the next three-hundred years. In painting and calligraphy Tung sought and and achieved a return to a style of strong and sometimes even provocative impact. His calligraphy is always full-bodied and rounded, looking backwards to the great calligraphers of the Sung and Yuan periods.
Masterpieces of Chinese Calligraphy in the National Palace Museum
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