Old Chinese calligraphy feast of daring pictorials of human experiences
Chinese calligraphy echo and resonate as centuries ago
Ci-poem for Xu Lin in Running Script, Wen Zhengming (1470-1559), after 1528, Bei Shan Tang Collection
Timeless Chinese calligraphy
Old Chinese calligraphy paintings offer more than just historical beauty; they are timeless dialogues with universal human experiences.
Through intricate brushwork and profound compositions, these artworks echo concerns, joys, and meditations that resonate as strongly today as they did centuries ago.
Preserving artworks like these became a passion for three Hong Kong collectors.
The exhibition The Pride of Hong Kong: Three Preeminent Collections of Ancient Paintings and Calligraphies at the Hong Kong Museum of Art showcases ninety-three sets of masterpieces from the priceless collections of Low Chuck-tiew, Ho Iu-kwong, and Lee Jung-sen.
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Each collector’s section is named as a studio. This reflects a common practice among traditional Chinese literati and collectors, where their collections often adopted the names of their private studies or residences that housed these artworks.
Illustrations for the Odes of Qi Ma Hezhi (active circa 1130-circa 1170) (attributed), Song dynasty handscroll, with calligraphy by Emperor Gaozong of Song (1127-1162; r. 1127-1162) (attributed), Xubaizhai Collection
Low Chuck-tiew (1911-1993) named his studio and collection Xubaizhai, after a plaque in clerical script by Yi Bingshou (1754-1815), reading “xu bai.”
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This idea emphasises keeping one’s mind and heart uncluttered.
Low Chuck-tiew’s upbringing involved traditional Chinese culture. He pursued Chinese art and literature, studying painting and connoisseurship in Shanghai.
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After graduating, he returned to Singapore to assist his father in managing the family business. In 1949, he arrived in Hong Kong as the manager of Four Seas Communications Bank Ltd.
Xubaizhai collection
It was through banking and his family’s business endeavours that he accumulated resources for his collecting.
He observed many ancient Chinese artworks moving into Hong Kong or being lost to foreign countries. He resolved to acquire canonical masterpieces to keep them on home soil, dedicating nearly fifty years to this effort.
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His collection comprises several hundred Chinese paintings and calligraphy works from the fifth to the twentieth centuries. Its strength lies in masterpieces from the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties.
In 1989, Low Chuck-tiew donated his entire collection to the Hong Kong Museum of Art (HKMoA) to ensure its preservation and public access, promoting Chinese art and culture.
Three Fruits, Aisin Gioro Hongli (Emperor Qianlong) (1711-1799; 1736-1796), 1760, Handscroll, ink on paper, Xubaizhai Collection
The HKMoA built the Xubaizhai Gallery of Chinese Painting and Calligraphy in 1992 for the collection.
The Xubaizhai collection is considered one of the preeminent collections of ancient Chinese paintings and calligraphy in Hong Kong.
Chinese calligraphy & landscape painting
A notable work here is Dong Qichang’s Landscape and Calligraphy in Running Script (1610).
This work exemplifies his influential approach to landscape painting, synthesising earlier masters like Wang Wei and Dong Yuan to create layered forms with a moist effect, often featuring desolate cottages that evoke a sense of quietude.
Landscape and Calligraphy in Running Script, Dong Qichang (1555-1636), 1610, Xubaizhai Collection
Also present is Ma Hezhi’s painting, Illustrations for the Odes of Qi (Song dynasty), with calligraphy by Emperor Gaozong of Song.
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This handscroll, created at Gaozong’s court, pairs poetic text from the Book of Odes with illustrations, conveying moral values and showcasing Ma Hezhi’s distinctive orchid-leaf brushstroke.
Scholar by an Old Tree, Zhang Feng (active 1628-1668), 1649 handscroll section ink on paper Xubaizhai Collection
Zhang Feng’s Scholar by an Old Tree (1649) is a handscroll section, ink on paper.
Luo Pin’s The Realm of Ghosts (1797) is a handscroll, ink and colour on paper.
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Many of these artworks bear chops or seals, a common practice in Chinese art history.
These seals are typically applied by the artist themselves to sign and authenticate their creation, by collectors to denote ownership and appreciation, by renowned appraisers or connoisseurs to signify authentication, and sometimes by imperial institutions for works entering royal collections.
The Realm of Ghosts, Luo Pin (1733-1799) 1797 handscroll, ink and colour on paper Xubaizhai Collection
The presence of multiple seals forms a provenance of the artwork’s history.
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Low Chuck-tiew was known to place his chop on the artworks he collected, owning over fifty seals with various inscriptions, such as “viewed by the owner of Xubaizhai” or “heartily appreciated by Chucktiew,” which he used to indicate his appreciation or ownership of a work.
Immortal with Deer, Zhang Lu (ca.1490-ca.1563), not dated, Hanging scroll, ink and colour on silk
Ho Iu-kwong (1907-2006) named his studio Chih Lo, or bliss, expressing pleasure from appreciating masterpieces and performing good deeds.
His collection is called Chih Lo Lou. Ho Iu-kwong’s wealth derived from his role as the Founder of the Fook Lee Group of Companies.
Landscapes, Dong Qichang (1555-1636), Not dated, Album of twelve fans, ink and colour on golden paper, Chih Lo Lou Collection
This financial success allowed him to pursue art collecting on a grand scale. He observed Chinese artworks flowing into Hong Kong and began collecting to prevent these embodiments of Chinese heritage from leaving the country.
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He believed conserving these works would impart moral values and personal integrity to future generations. Righteousness exuded from works by moral men.
Chih Lo Lou collection
His guiding principle was “artist before his art,” prioritising loyalty over artistic merit, making the collection distinct.
Ho Iu-kwong’s Chih Lo Lou collection is renowned for its focus on Ming loyalist artists from the late Ming and early Qing dynasties (roughly mid-seventeenth century).
Landscapes and Flowers, Wang Hui (1632-1717), Yun Shouping (1633-1690), 1685-1686, Album of eight leaves, ink or ink and colour on paper
This was a period of great political upheaval, as the Ming dynasty fell to the Manchu conquest. Many scholars and artists refused to serve the new Qing dynasty.
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Ho Iu-kwong was drawn to these artists, believing their noble character and integrity shone through their work.
Garden after Snow, Anonymous (Southern Song, 1127-1279), circa 12th century, Bei Shan Tang Collection
In 2018, the Ho family generously donated a substantial portion of the Chih Lo Lou collection to the Hong Kong Museum of Art, ensuring preservation and public access.
The HKMoA established the Chih Lo Lou Gallery of Chinese Painting and Calligraphy for these masterpieces.
Journey Searching for My Parents, Huang Xiangjian (1609-1673), Not dated, Chih Lo Lou Collection
The Chih Lo Lou collection is not only artistically valuable but also historically and culturally significant, providing a window into a turbulent period of Chinese history. The collection has gained international recognition and featured in major exhibitions globally.
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Within Chih Lo Lou, one finds Huang Daozhou’s Pines and Rock (1634), a hanging scroll, ink on silk.
Landscapes after Old Masters, Wang Hui (1632-1717), 1675, Album of twelve leaves, ink and colour on paper
This piece is a powerful example of his work, utilising the traditional symbols of pines and rocks to express perseverance and constancy, often reflecting his unwavering loyalty during a turbulent era.
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Zhu Da’s (pen name Bada Shanren) Landscapes (1697) is an album of twelve leaves, ink or ink and colour on paper.
Landscapes, Zhu Da (Bada Shanren, 1626-1705), 1697, is an album of twelve leaves, ink and colour on paper, Chih Lo Lou Collection
Created in his later life, this album demonstrates Bada Shanren’s mastery in the genre, showcasing extraordinary sensitivity to negative space and calligraphic brushwork that conveyed deep emotional responses to the changing world.
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Wu Bin’s Misty River and Piled Peaks (1603) is a handscroll section, ink and colour on silk. Jinshi’s Poems and Essays in Running-cursive Script is an album of thirty-one leaves, ink on paper.
Misty River and Piled Peaks, Wu Bin (active circa 1568-1626), 1603, handscroll section, ink and colour on silk, Chih Lo Lou Collection
The final section showcases the Bei Shan Tang collection. Bei Shan Tang, meaning Hall of the North Mountain, was formerly a residence.
Lee Jung-sen (1915-2007), a lover of Chinese culture, adopted Bei Shan Tang as his studio name for his collection. Lee Jung-sen inherited his wealth from his father, Lee Hysan, a prominent Hong Kong businessman involved in land development.
Journey for a Family Reunion, Huang Xiangjian (1609-1673), 1656, Bei Shan Tan Collection
Lee Jung-sen continued to build upon this foundation. His collection became world-renowned for its Guangdong art, from the Tang dynasty to the modern period.
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Paintings and Chinese calligraphy alone number more than 1300 items, encompassing sutras, literary works, personal letters, drafts, and manuscripts. Paintings cover landscapes, flowers, bamboos, birds, figures, and religious images. Many are rare, some being the only examples.
Butterflies, Wen Chu (1595-1634), 1630, Handscroll (section), ink and colour on paper
Lee Jung-sen founded the Art Museum at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) and sponsored its activities. He was driven by a mission to retain Chinese cultural treasures on home soil during a period of turmoil in mainland China.
Bei Shan Tang collection
The Bei Shan Tang collection is remarkably comprehensive. While strong in paintings and calligraphies from the Ming and Qing dynasties, it also stands out for its significant holdings in calligraphy, Zisha stoneware, and stele inscriptions and ink rubbings.
Five Pines, Zhu Da (1626-1705), Not dated, Hanging scroll, ink on paper
Much of the Bei Shan Tang collection has been donated to the Art Museum, CUHK. This has been a transformative gift, with nearly half of its collection deriving from Bei Shan Tang’s donations.
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The collection played a crucial role in safeguarding Chinese cultural treasures. Its extensive holdings make it an invaluable resource for academic research and are accessible to the public.
Poems and Essays in Running-cursive Script, Jinshi (1614-1680 ) album of thirty-one leaves, ink on paper, Chih Lo Lou Collection
The Bei Shan Tang collection is often mentioned alongside Low Chuck-tiew’s Xubaizhai and Ho Iu-kwong’s Chih Lo Lou collections as the Three Preeminent Collections of Hong Kong.
Among the Bei Shan Tang highlights is Wen Zhengming’s Ci-poem for Xu Lin in Running Script (c.1528).
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This work is a significant example of classical Chinese calligraphy, showcasing Wen Zhengming’s mastery of the running script style.
Pavilion against Distant Mountains, Tao Xuan (active 14th century), 1345, Bei Shan Tang Collection
Tao Xuan’s Pavilion against Distant Mountains (1345) represents a traditional theme of scholarly retreat within a natural landscape.
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Wang Chong’s Loan Agreement in Running Script (1528), and an anonymous work from the Southern Song, Garden after Snow (c.12th century).
A thread connects these collections: Huang Xiangjian’s (1609-1673) depictions of his reunion journeys.
Loan Agreement in Running Script, Wang Chong (1494-1533), 1528, Bei Shan Tang Collection
Huang Xiangjian lost contact with his father for seven years during the Ming-Qing transition. He set off to find him, covering more than 11,000 li-miles [Chinese miles, approximately 5,500 km] in over 500 days.
He reunited with his parents and brought them home. Upon returning, Huang Xiangjian committed his journeys to a series of paintings, which were well received.
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In such paintings in the three preeminent Chinese calligraphy collections, the painter shares his trepidation with treacherous terrains, his joy bringing his family home, and his pilgrimage to a Buddhist site.
Fifteen Views of the Garden, Wen Boren (1502-1575) (painting), Wen Peng (1498-1573) (calligraphy), 1549, Album of eight leaves (mounted as a handscroll), ink and colour on paper, Xubaizhai Collection
Displayed side by side, these three masterpieces demonstrate how the three collections complement and connect with one another.
This exhibition does more than showcase historical treasures; it reveals Hong Kong’s vital role in preserving traditional Chinese calligraphy and art, ensuring these timeless dialogues continue for future generations.
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The Xubaizhai, Chih Lo Lou and Bei Shan Tang Chinese calligraphy collections are now public treasures, granting anyone access to profound historical narratives and the raw expressions of human spirit from centuries past.
Lady Playing a Flute, Gai Qi (1773-1828), Not dated, Hanging scroll, ink and colour on paper
These artworks demonstrate how ancient Chinese calligraphy and paintings hold stories, reveal cultures, and invite quiet contemplation that can resonate with modern audiences.
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Their international acclaim solidifies Hong Kong’s pivotal place in modern Chinese calligraphy collecting history and its significant impact on traditional Chinese art preservation.
Text and photos Martin Wray
