Heart Sutra

CHINA; Ming dynasty

The Heart Sutra is the quintessence of the Mahaprajnaparamita Sutra, which emphasizes the emptiness of all phenomena. This manuscript, transcribed by Zhou Tianqiu, consists of characters that were structured with a stable and dense form. The brushwork is firm and the strokes are bold. Articulations such as pressure, turns, and sweeps were executed with strict adherence to calligraphy rules. There is a balanced mix of squared edges and curves in the running script, which was written with vigor and consistency. A keen likeness to Wen Zhengming’s calligraphy, in regard to the character strokes and structure, can be noted. The orderly layout suggests a disciplined and cautious attitude in the writing.
Zhou Tianqiu was also known as Gongxia or Youhai. He was a Ming dynasty (1368–1644) calligrapher from Changzhou (present day Suzhou, Jiangsu) who studied under Wen Zhengming. Zhou was praised by Wen to be skilled enough to match and master his style. Zhou was adept in both large and small seal scripts, ancient clerical script, running script, and regular script. He developed his own style at a late age, and many large steles and tablets during his time were inscribed with his calligraphy.