Four Cursive Script Panels — Man Jiang Hong, Poem by Yue Fei (草書四條屏岳飛詞《滿江紅》)

This set of four vertical panels in cursive script features the famous poem "Man Jiang Hong" by Yue Fei, a renowned general of the Southern Song Dynasty in China. The full text is as follows: My hair bristles in anger, pushing off my cap; leaning against the railing, the drizzling rain has ceased. I lift my eyes and howl toward the sky, my heroic spirit surging. Thirty years of fame have turned to dust and earth; Eight thousand miles I have traveled under clouds and the moon. Let us not idly allow our youth to fade, only to regret it in vain! The shame of Jingkang remains unavenged; when will the loyalty of subjects see justice? I will drive a long chariot to break through the enemy's Helan Pass. With lofty ambition, I will feast on barbarian flesh in hunger, And laugh while drinking the blood of the Xiongnu to quench my thirst. Let us then reclaim our lost rivers and mountains, And pay homage once more at the imperial palace! The work is presented in four tall hanging panels. The brushwork is bold and unrestrained, evoking the imagery of clashing swords and galloping horses, perfectly complementing the impassioned tone of the poem. The calligrapher’s strokes flow with agility, with natural variations in thickness; the characters soar or press firmly, resembling charging steeds, aptly reflecting the poem’s fiery patriotism, as in the lines “my hair bristles in anger” and “with lofty ambition, I will feast on barbarian flesh.” In composition, the spacing of the characters is well-balanced and dynamic, creating a rhythmic sense of space. Cursive script emphasizes the flow of energy, and here, the calligrapher extends this momentum throughout the entire piece, imbuing it with deep emotion. The interplay of dense and light ink, along with dry and wet brushwork, gives the characters both a grounded solidity and an airy liveliness, mirroring the poem’s blend of sorrow and fervor. Viewed as a whole, this calligraphy is not only a vivid rendering of "Man Jiang Hong" but also a reflection of the calligrapher’s own spirit and temperament — a masterful integration of poetry and brushwork, rich with vitality.