Biography of Master Gaofeng Yuanmiao

CHINA; Yuan dynasty

Consisting of a total of 238 lines, this essay was composed by Hong Qiaozu and written by Zhao Mengfu. It describes the life and achievements of Chan Master Gaofeng Yuanmiao, who was an important figure during the late Song (960–1279) and early Yuan (1271–1368) dynasties. He was a successor of the Linji school of Chan Buddhism, and proposed the concepts of great faith, great resolve, and great doubt as the “Three Essentials of Chan.”
Zhao Mengfu was a renowned calligrapher, painter, scholar, and poet of the Yuan dynasty (1271–1368). His calligraphy was greatly influenced by the Two Wangs (Wang Xizhi and Wang Xianzhi). The orderly turns of his brushstrokes, in addition to the refined and rigorous composition of the characters he scripted, are reflections of his immense skill and diligence in perfecting the art of calligraphy. Zhao was also mentored by the well-known Chan master and calligrapher, Zhongfeng Mingben, who was also a disciple of Gaofeng. This perhaps explains the formality and respect for Gaofeng that is evident in this work. Rendered in running script, each character of this masterful calligraphic piece exhibits a fine balance of energy and steadiness.