Poems Dedicated to Sichuang and Xuelin

CHINA; Yuan dynasty

This undated scroll of poetry was written by Tang Di for the monks, Xuelin and Sichuang. The five poems that comprise the scroll describe Buddhist monastic life. Reflections on inspiring lectures given by eminent monks and glimpses of quotidian matters within the monastery permeate the verses. One particular line, “practicing the Yellow Court Classic on paper,” provides a vivid insight into the conditions of monastic study at that time.
Tang Di, also known as Zihua or Dunzhai, was an important artist of the Yuan dynasty (1271–1368). He was greatly influenced by Zhao Mengfu, and the writing techniques and character form seen in this particular scroll are reminiscent of Zhao’s style. The structure could be further improved, but his aptness to exaggerate certain vertical strokes is an aesthetically intriguing feature in and of itself.