Kou Sankoku　黄山谷

KEY WORD :　art history / paintings

Ch: Huang Shangu (1045-1105). One of the best-known calligraphers and poets of the Northern Song dynasty, depicted in several traditions of imaginary portraits. His real name was Tingjian (Jp:Teiken 庭堅), but he also often used the name Luzhi (Jp:Rochoku 魯直). Shangu was yet another pseudonym, an abbreviated form of Shangudaoren (Jp:Sankoku Doujin 山谷道人), which derived from his fondness for visiting the scenic Shangu temple. At first a successful scholar, he was appointed governor of Dapingzhou 大平州, but later was exiled to Xuanzhou 宣州. His exquisite calligraphy led him to be included among the four great disciples of Su Shi (Jp: So Shoku 蘇軾, known in Japan as *So Touba 蘇東坡; 1036-1101). Highly skilled in the gyou 行 (running) and sou 草 (grass) scripts, Huang Shangu developed his own distinctive style of kai 楷 (square) script (see *shin-gyou-sou 真行草). His calligraphy was known in Japan from the late 12c. Huang is also included in the painting subject called Three Tasters *sansan-zu 三酸図. Moreover, Huang Shangus devotion to his mother led his being counted among the 24 Paragons of Filial Piety *nijuushikou 二十四孝. Huang Shangu was fond of wild orchids and this aspect of his personality was favored by painters who created the genre of Huang Shangu Admiring Orchids Sankoku Airan 山谷愛蘭. It also led to his inclusion in the painting theme Four Favorites *Shiai 四愛. Other iconographic type themes include Hung Shangu Viewing Plums Sankoku Kanbai 山谷看梅, and Huang Shangu Riding a Mule Sankoku Kiro 山谷騎驢. Huang Shangu Viewing Seagulls Sankoku Kan'ou 山谷観鴎 may result from confusion with the famous 4c calligrapher Wang Xizhi (Jp:*Ou Gishi 王義之) who is noted for watching waterfowl. Notable Japanese examples include paintings by Souen 宋淵 (late 15c), Ogata Kourin 尾形光琳 (1658-1716), a square plate by Ogata Kenzan 尾形乾山 (1663-1743, Tokyo National Museum), Ganku 岸駒 (1749/56-1839) and Kanou Yasunobu 狩野安信 (1614-85).

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