Apr 16, 2024 © Ulrich Theobald
Weishuixuan riji 味水軒日記 is a book on calligraphy written during the late Ming period 明 (1368-1644) by Li Rihua 李日華 (1565-1635), courtesy name Junshi 君實 or Jiuyi 九疑, style Zhulai 竹懶 or Chi Jushi 癡居士, from Jiaxing 嘉兴, Zhejiang.
The book of 8 juan is a critique on calligraphies in the collections of artists and connoisseurs like Zhu Cunli 朱存理 (1444-1513), Chen Jiru 陳繼儒 (1558-1639), Xiang Youxin 項又新 (Xiang Dexin 項德新, c. 1571-1623) or Wang Keyu 汪砢玉 (b. 1587). Between 1609 and 1616, Li himself travelled to their residences and thus personally inspected the artworks described. Apart from the critical ratings, Li composed poems of praise for the calligraphies and paintings. He also added some remarkable facts he learned during his journey.
The diary has also been used for climatic studies by using the author's statements on weather.
The text is found in the series Xiaoyuan congshu 嘯園叢書 (abridged), Xiaoyuan congshu 嘯園叢書 and Jiayetang congshu 嘉業堂叢書.
Sources:
Beijing Dongfang Shoucangjia Xiehui 北京東方收藏家協會, ed. (1996). Zhonghua shoucang da cidian 中華收藏大辭典 (Beijing: Beijing Yanshan chubanshe), 31.
Gao Jie 高傑 (2022). "Cong Li Rihua ji qi Weishuixuan riji kan Mingdai wanqi Jiangnan wenren de haogu fengqi: Yi taoci yishu wei zhongxin de guangcha 從李日華及其《味水軒日記》看明代晚期江南文人的好古風氣——以陶瓷藝術為中心的觀察", Dongya wengming 東亞文明, 2022:133-141.
Geng Mingsong 耿明松 (2015). "Weishuixuan riji de xiezuo tedian yu huashi jiazhi 《味水軒日記》的寫作特點與畫史價值", Zhongguo meishu yanjiu 中國美術研究, 2015 (1): 78-83.
Liu Bingtao 劉炳濤, Man Zhimin 滿志敏 (2012). "Weishuixuan riji suo fanying Changjiang xiayou diqu 1609-1616 nianjian qihou lengnuan fenxi 《味水軒日記》所反映長江下游地區1609—1616年間氣候冷暖分析", Zhongguo lishi dili luncong 中國歷史地理論叢, 27 (3): 16-22.
Tao Mingjun 陶明君, ed. (1993). Zhongguo hualun cidian 中國畫論辭典 (Changsha: Hunan chubanshe), 299.
Wan Muchun 萬木春 (2007). "You Weishuixuan riji kan Wanli monian Jiaxing diqu de gudongshang 由《味水軒日記》看萬曆末年嘉興地區的古董商", Xin meishu 新美術, 2007 (6): 13-20.
Wu Xuebin 吳雪杉 (2004). "Weishuixuan riji juanci ji neirong jiantao 《味水軒日記》卷次及内容檢討", Gugong Buwuyuan yuankan 故宮博物院院刊, 2004 (5): 147-153+159.
Wu Xuebin 吳雪杉 (2006). "Cong Weishuixuan riji, Liuyanzhai biji kan li Rihua huihua shiguan zhi zhuanbian 從《味水軒日記》、《六研齋筆記》看李日華繪畫史觀之轉變", Gugong Bowuyuan yuankan 故宮博物院院刊, 2006 (2): 51-62+155.
Ye Kangning 葉康寧 (2011). "Cong Weishuixuan riji kan Ming-Qing shiqi de shuhua jiaoyi fangshi 從《味水軒日記》看明清時期的書畫交易方式", Dongfang shoucang 東方收藏, 2011 (6): 68-70.
