Shangu tiba 山谷題跋

Shangu tiba 山谷題跋 "Colophons by Master Montain Valley" is a collection of notes on calligraphies and paintings of the famous writer and artist Huang Tingjian 黄庭堅 (1045-1105), courtesy name Luzhi 魯直, style Fuweng 涪翁, Shangu Daoren 山谷道人, Qian'an Jushi 黔安居士 or Bagui Laoren 八桂老人 from Fenning 分寧 (today's Xiushui 修水, Jiangxi). His collected writings are called Shangu ji 山谷集.

The authorship and date of completion of this book are unknown. The earliest known printed edition originates from the late Ming period 明 (1368-1644), published by Mao Jin 毛晉 (1599-1659) in his series Jindai mishu 津逮祕書. The book is 9 juan in length (or 4 juan in some editions) and was compiled after Huang Tingjian's lifetime, likely assembled during the Southern Song period 南宋 (1127-1279) by someone who collected and copied his calligraphy works.

The book is a compilation of various inscriptions and colophons (tiyu bawen 題語跋文) by Huang Tingjian. Its content is quite diverse, including inscriptions written for the poetry, calligraphy, and paintings of predecessors and contemporaries and poems and essays composed during visits to historical sites and scenic spots. It also features colophons added to literary works gifted to friends, along with miscellaneous discussions on paper, brushes, and other related topics. Furthermore, it contains Huang Tingjian's reflections and critiques on his calligraphy skills and works.

A significant portion of the book is dedicated to discussions of painting and calligraphy, although the arrangement lacks clear order. Poems and essays related to paintings are primarily found in juan 3, while inscriptions and colophons discussing calligraphy appear sporadically throughout the text. At the end of the book, there are two colophons written by Mao Jin.

The book features numerous inscriptions and colophons that comment on paintings, particularly those dedicated to contemporaries such as Su Shi 蘇軾 (Su Dongpo 蘇東坡; 1037-1101), Li Boshi 李伯時 (1049-1106), Zhao Lingrang 趙令穰 (late 11th cent.), Zhao Lingsong 趙令松, and Huang Binlao 黄斌老. These writings offer valuable insights into Huang Tingjian’s perspectives on the painting scene of his time and his social connections.

Huang Tingjian's calligraphy theory followed the same lineage as his teacher, Su Shi. Both emphasized that studying the calligraphy of the ancients required first mastering their techniques and then transcending them to develop a unique personal style. Huang particularly stressed that true excellence in calligraphy lies in having no fixed method—one should write freely according to one's heart while still adhering to underlying principles. This perspective was a direct response against the post-Tang 唐 (618-907) emphasis on rigid brush techniques and stylistic schools, highlighting his belief that calligraphy should express the artist's intent rather than conform to formal constraints.

Additionally, Huang's techniques, such as the double-hook and suspended wrist method of holding the brush, along with his philosophy that cultivating the mind must precede learning calligraphy, profoundly impacted young scholars of his time. His ideas on vulgarity and elegance in calligraphy also influenced later critics, who began associating an artist's calligraphic style with their character.

The text is included in the series Jindai mishu 津逮秘書, Fenxinge congshu 紛欣閣叢書, and Congshu jicheng chubian 叢書集成初編. In the latter, the Shangu tiba is combined with a similar book, Weigong tiba 魏公題跋 by Su Song 蘇頌 (1020-1101).