Avatamsaka Service Supplication

CHINA; Northern Song dynasty

This supplication was written by Huang Tingjian when he was over 40 years old. It consists of 19 lines, totaling 113 characters. According to the postscript, this work was a result of Master Xun’s request for Huang to contribute in any possible way to the Avatamsaka Service that he was planning to officiate. Huang decidedly assisted by writing this supplication. He began by narrating the intense expressions of the monks in their daily chanting. This commentary was followed by the main subject, which was an appeal for donors to support the proposed ceremony. Huang also mentioned that he offered pieces of his calligraphy as gifts to those who supported the cause.
Huang Tingjian was a Northern Song dynasty (960–1127) poet and calligrapher. He was one of the Four Masters of Calligraphy of the Song dynasty together with Su Shi, Mi Fu, and Cai Xiang. Huang’s calligraphy became matured in his later years and featured characters that are dense in the center, while radially expanding in form. This supplication was one of his early works, and the character style is relatively spacious and broad. While the composition falls short on the dynamism and vibrancy of his later works, the generally subdued tone exudes a quiet dedication and concentration.