Lanting Preface

A book by Wang Xizhi of the Eastern Jin Dynasty in China. On March 3, 353, the 9th year of the Yonghe era (353), Wang Xizhi, the Right General and Internal History Officer of Kaiji, invited Xie An, Xu Xun, Sun Zhuo and other notables to the famous Lanting Pavilion in Shanyin County, Kaiji County (Shaoxing City, Zhejiang Province), and held a banquet for a total of 42 people, including his sons Xuanzhi and Xianzhi and their families. The people held sake cups that flowed down a meandering stream and recited their own poems. The 27 poems compiled at this time became the "Lanting Collection," and the preface attached to it is the "Lanting Preface." Wang Xizhi wrote the calligraphy himself on silkworm cocoon paper with a mouse brush, totaling 28 lines and 324 characters. Many attempts were made to copy it later, but it is said that none came close to the first improvised attempt. It was passed down from generation to generation, and eventually passed to Benzai, a disciple of the seventh generation grandson, Zhiyong, and then to Taizong, who was an avid collector of Wang Xizhi's calligraphy. This process is known as the "Tanrantei" (the pavilion at the Pavilion of Lanting), but it was tantamount to plundering at the end of a conspiracy. After Taizong's death, he was buried with the king in his mausoleum, as per his will. The ones that have been passed down to us today are copies ordered by Ouyang Xun, Yu Shinan, Chu Suiliang and others during the reign of Emperor Taizong, or copies made by calligraphers. There are a great many of them, including the "Teibu version," the "Choukinkainu version," and the "Shenlong half-seal version."

[Tamiko Oshita]

“Rantei Jo Sanshu” edited by Yukison Uno (1981, Yuzankaku Publishing)” ▽ “Calligraphy Masterpieces Series 22 Rantei Jo Shichishu” (1959, Nigensha) supervised by Kiichiro Kanda and Nishikawa Yasushi (1959, Nigensha) ▽ “Genshoku Hocho Selection 5 Rantei Jo Goshu” (1985, Nigensha)”

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

中国、東晋(とうしん)の王羲之(おうぎし)の書。永和9年（353）3月3日、会稽(かいけい)内史であった右将軍王羲之は、謝安、許詢(きょじゅん)、孫綽(そんしゃく)らの名士を会稽郡山陰県（浙江(せっこう)省　紹興(しょうこう)市）の名勝蘭亭に招き、子の玄之・献之ら一族も加え、総勢42名で宴を催した。人々は曲水を流れ下る觴(さかずき)を手に、自作の詩を朗詠した。このときの詩27編を編んだものが『蘭亭集』であり、それに付された序が「蘭亭序」である。蚕繭紙(さんけんし)に鼠鬚筆(そしゅひつ)を用いて、王羲之自らの揮毫(きごう)になる28行、324文字。後日、何度も清書が試みられたが、即興で筆をとった最初のものには、はるかに及ばなかったという。子々孫々に伝えられ、やがて7代の孫・智永(ちえい)の弟子弁才から、王羲之書跡の熱狂的収集家であった太宗の愛蔵となる。この経過は「賺蘭亭(たんらんてい)」として有名であるが、陰謀の果ての略奪に等しいものであった。太宗の死後は、遺命によってその昭陵に陪葬されたという。現在伝えられるものは、太宗在世中に欧陽詢(おうようじゅん)、虞世南(ぐせいなん)、褚遂良(ちょすいりょう)らに下命した臨書、あるいは搨書人(とうしょにん)による模本である。「定武本」「張金界奴本」「神龍半印本」など、その数はきわめて多い。

［尾下多美子］

『宇野雪村編『蘭亭叙三種』（1981・雄山閣出版）』▽『神田喜一郎・西川寧監修『書跡名品叢刊22　蘭亭叙七種』（1959・二玄社）』▽『『原色法帖選5　蘭亭叙五種』（1985・二玄社）』

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