Dongweizi wenji 東維子文集

Dongweizi wenji 東維子文集, also known as Dongweizi ji 東維子集, are the collected writings of Yang Weizhen 楊維楨 (1296-1370; also written 楊維禎), courtesy name Lianfu 廉夫, style Zhongduo 衆多, Tieya 鐵崖, Tiedi Daoren 鐵笛道人, Tieguan Zhanglao 鐵冠長老, Baoyi Daoren 抱遺道人, or Dongxuanzi 東維子. A renowned painter, calligrapher, and poet, Yang became a jinshi in 1327 and was appointed Magistrate (yin 尹) of Tiantai 天臺, Zhejiang. A few years later, he took on the role of Director of the Saltern Office (yanchang siling 鹽場司令) of Qianqing 錢清. In 1350, recommended by friends, he was appointed Head of Confucian Studies (ruxue tizhu 儒學提舉) in Jiangxi. However, due to wartime turmoil, he could not assume the role. Subsequently, he moved to Songjiang 松江, where he chose to withdraw from public life and lead a leisurely, reclusive existence. In 1370, the newly founded Ming dynasty invited him to the capital to help compile books on ritual music and ceremonies. Unfortunately, a few months later, he passed away.

The book of 30 juan and an appendix of 1 fascicle is organised according to literary categories: Juan 1-11 are prefaces (xu 序), juan 12-21 are records (ji 記), volume 22 includes essays (zhi 誌), fascicles 22-26 contain epitaphs (bei mingwen 碑銘文), volume 27 letters (shu 書), explanations (shuo 説) and discussions (lun 論), volume 28 are biographies (zhuan 傳), and juan 29-30 consist of songs (ge 歌), regular poems (shi 詩), and miscellaneous writings (zawen 雜文). The appendix contains poems and writings by Yang Weizhen's students and friends.

Yang Weizhen's theories on calligraphy and painting are dispersed throughout his poetry and prose. They have not been thoroughly compiled, and there is no complete collection of his works. However, some of his lost or fragmentary writings can still be found in various books on calligraphy and painting, epigraphy, and local gazetteers compiled during the Ming and Qing periods. Nevertheless, the Dongweizi ji remains the most comprehensive collection of Master Tieya's works. Although it may have some omissions, it offers a general understanding of his artistic theories. Yang Weizhen emphasised the concept of "calligraphy and painting as one" (shu-hua tongyi 書畫同一), asserting that scholars and literati skilled in painting must also excel in calligraphy, as the painting techniques stem from or draw upon the rules of calligraphic methods. Painting should reflect the temperament of a literatus. Yang Weizhen believed that ordinary individuals could never create outstanding artworks because they lacked cultural qualities, including proficiency in calligraphy and literary cultivation.

In the "Preface to the meaning of silent poetry" Wusheng shi yi xu 無聲詩意序, Yang called poetry "the voice of the heart", and painting the "image of the heart". The two share the same essence (shi zhe, xi sheng; hua zhe, xin hua; er zhe, tong ti ye 詩者，心聲；畫者，心畫， 二者同體也). Poetry expresses emotion, while painting reveals the mind. Yang particularly admired the Jin-period 晉 (265-420) painter Gu Kaizhi 顧愷之 (c. 348-409年) because his paintings conveyed not only the outward form but also the inner spirit.

Painting requires innate talent. While cultural cultivation is essential, individuals with good education and knowledge are not necessarily capable of creating divine and exquisite works. Regardless of whether one is a noble, a royal, a talented scholar, a hermit, a monk, or a woman from a distinguished family, anyone possessing exceptional innate talent, surpassing the ordinary, could be considered one of the greatest of their time and immortalised in history. However, even if they follow the patterns, those who merely imitate will fall short of conveying the spirit and essence that comes from the heart and mind. The quality of painting depends on the artist's insight.

Yang Weizhen believed calligraphy and painting should emulate the masters of the old while seeking the sources and creative principles established by the greats of antiquity. However, this approach to learning does not entail rigidly copying the brushwork of famous artists, nor does it require strictly adhering to painting manuals or established styles. Instead, it starts with following the artistic principles of the ancients: expressing oneself genuinely and without artificial embellishment.

The collection also includes several passages related to materials used in calligraphy and painting, for instance, concisely explaining the criteria for evaluating ink and the history, characteristics, selection, and usage of various types of writing brushes. Brushes differ, just as the people who use them do, meaning that different brushes are suited to different individuals. Naturally, a "master's brush" (dashou bi 大手筆) is unlike any other; it stands apart from the rest.

The text is included in the series Siku quanshu 四庫全書 and Sibu congkan 四部叢刊 (Fu Yuanshu's 傅沅叔 critical edition).