Footnotes on the English Translation of “A Narrative on Calligraphy” Part VII
(125,126,127). 粗可髣髴其狀，綱紀其辭 – “髣髴” here means “似乎、好像、近似(approximate)”, “狀” means “情形(situation/general aspects)”, and “辭” is “解說 (explications)”. “辭” is not “principles” as indicated by Chang and Frankel (Chang and Frankel, Two Chinese Treatises on Calligraphy, New Haven & London: Yale University Press, 1995 :9) nor “contents” by DeLaurentis (De Laurentis, The Manual of Calligraphy by Sun Guoting of the Tang, Napoli: Universita degli Studi di Napoli "L'Orientale", 2011:53).
(128,129). 冀酌希夷，取會佳境 – “取” means “選取(highlight/select)” whereas “會” means “聚合(collect)”. Therefore the “取會佳境” is not “they can comprehend the sublime state” as seen in DeLauretis’ translation (De Laurentis:53).
(130). 闕而未逮，請俟將來 - “闕” here means “乏(lacking/left out)”, while “未逮” means “不及詳述(not narrated)”.
“闕” does not mean “shortcomings” nor “failed” in this context for two reasons. First, why would the confident Sun Guoting knowingly write something erroneous in this important narrative? Second, some (including many English and vernacular Chinese interpretations) contend that this is a self-effacing statement, but then why would Sun state so arrogantly that his mistakes can be only corrected in the future but not now (請俟將來)? Therefore, “闕而未逮” cannot be “Where I have failed and missed” (Chang and Frankel:9) nor “If there are shortcomings or something I have not been able to reach” (De Laurentis:53).
(131,132). 今撰執、使、用、轉之由– “由” here means “方式 (means and techniques)”. "由, 式也" , see Kangxi Dictionary《康熙字典》 .
“執、使、用、轉” are Chinese calligraphy terms used to describe the handling and movements of a brush. For further discussions, please see Leung Pai Wan’s (梁披雲)《中國書法大辭典》(廣東: 廣東人民出版社，1991， p.75).
(133). 執謂深淺長短之類是也 – “深、淺、長、短” are Chinese calligraphy terms that refer to how one holds a brush. For further discussions, please see Leung Pai Wan’s (梁披雲)《中國書法大辭典》(廣東: 廣東人民出版社，1991， p.75).
(134). 用謂點畫向背之類是也 – “向背” is a Chinese calligraphy term describing the symmetries within a character. For further discussions, please see Leung Pai Wan’s (梁披雲)《中國書法大辭典》(廣東: 廣東人民出版社，1991， p.84).
(135). 方復會其數法 – Contrary to many vernacular Chinese interpretations, the phrase “會其數法 (collect the many principles of calligraphy)” is actually independent of Lines 153 to 157. Lines 153 to 157 describe “執、使、用、轉” only, whereas Lines 158 to Line 159 involve other broader topics, such as principles of calligraphy.
(136). 貴使文約理贍，迹顯心通 –“貴” means “重要(important/utmost)” and carries the meaning of “my utmost intention” in this context. It is certainly not “precious” as interpreted by De Laurentis (De Laurentis:53).
(137,138,139). 代多稱習- “代” is used here in place of “世(currently in our times)”; see footnote (98,99). It is incorrect to interpret it as “every generation” (Chang and Frankel:10) or “throughout the ages” (De Laurentis: 53).
(140). 取立指歸 – “立” here means “成就(accomplished works)”. Chang and Frankel along with De Laurentis neglected to translate “立” completely.
(142,143,144). 先後著名，多從散落 - The focus of discussion in Line 167 is the models and prints of Wang Xizhi’s works, not other notable calligraphers. Therefore, “先後著名” means “the rankings among renowned models of Wang Xizhi’s works”; “先後” can represent “rankings” in classical Chinese, an example can be seen in Baopuzi - Inner Chapters-Mingben《抱朴子•內篇•明本》:
或問儒道之先後。When asked about the ranking between Confucianism and Taoism.
Source: 葛洪《抱朴子》卷十內篇「明本」。上海: 商務印書館, 1936, p.169。
“多從散落” means “mostly made in accordance to his long lost handwritten originals”. Interpreting “先後著名，多從散落” to a sentence like “Whereas most of the works of other famous calligraphers before and after Wang have been dispersed and diminished” (Chang and Frankel: 10) is incorrect since many works of other famous calligraphers before and after Wang Xizhi, such as Zhang Zhi (張芝), Zhong Yao (鍾繇) and particularly Wang Xianzhi (王獻之) and so on, have certainly also been retained as seen in Chunhua Imperial Archive of Calligraphy Exemplars《淳化閣帖》.
(145). 歷代孤紹，非其効歟?- As noted in footnote (142,143,144), Line 167 focuses on the models and prints of Wang Xizhi’s works. Therefore, “其” refers to the extensive modelling and printing of Wang Xizhi’s work, not Wang Xizhi himself as suggested in many English and vernacular Chinese interpretations.
The proper vernacular Chinese interpretation of the entire Line 167 should then be:
羲之法帖 , 因而摹搨日漸廣泛, 研習者年年增加。諸帖著名摹搨本, 或好或次, 大多依據已散失之羲之原作摹印而來。羲之書法歷代特別得以承傳, 不就是廣泛摹搨的功效麽?(interpreted by Kwok Kin Poon)
(146). 試言其由 – “由” means “創作歷程(artistic evolution)” in this context. “由, 經也, 言所經從”, see Kangxi Dictionary《康熙字典》.
Numerous English and vernacular Chinese interpretations have indicated “由” as “原因/緣由(reason/cause)” due to their misinterpretations of Line 167. See footnote (142,143,144) and footnote (145) for further discussion.
Note also Line 168 is an introductory sentence for Lines 169 to 173, which outlines Wang Xizhi’s artistic evolution by narrating his numerous masterpieces from early to late in his life.
(147). 止如 – "止" is "之" (古"止"與"之"通); "之" is "諸" (之, 猶諸也); both see 中央研究院 搜詞尋字. Therefore, "止如" is "諸如(such as)".
(148). 代俗 -“代” is “世” (see footnote (98,99)), and so “代俗” is “世俗(the society/public in our times)”. It is therefore inaccurate to interpret it as “through the ages”(Chang and Frankel:10) nor “epochs” (De Laurentis:54).