Letter from Master Dahui Zonggao to Wuxiang

CHINA; Southern Song dynasty

This letter was written by Chan Master Dahui Zonggao and was addressed to the devotee, Wuxiang. It describes his disturbing exile in the disease-plagued region of Meizhou (present day Guangdong), and goes on to thank Wuxiang for his kindness.
The calligraphy of this letter features faultless brushwork, displaying well-proportioned and slightly inclined characters. The fine balance of method and the spontaneity of the scripting style result in an overall impressive work of calligraphy.
Dahui Zonggao was a contemporary of master calligraphers such as Su Shi, Huang Tingjian, and Mi Fu. A master of the Linji school of Chan Buddhism, he was a leading disciple of Chan Master Yuanwu Keqin. Master Dahui dedicated himself to the propagation of “Kanhua Chan,” which can be interpreted as the act of pondering the topic of inquiry over a gong’an, which is meant to elicit emphasis on a doubtful concept and induce deep meditative reflection.