張即之是宋代最後一位重要的書法家，他是一位虔誠的佛教徒，經常抄寫佛教經典作為修行的一部分。他取得了進士學位，這是中國古代最高的科舉文官考試成就，但並未擔任高官。
作為書法家，張即之的名聲遠播，超越了宋朝的疆界，傳至金朝以及日本，尤其在日本，他的書法受到禪宗僧侶的高度推崇。
張即之以其剛勁有力的大字篆書著稱，筆劃的粗細對比鮮明，線條既粗獷又曲折。這件作品，幾個世紀前在日本重裝裱掛於床間，原本是一幅長卷，抄寫了唐代詩人杜甫（712–770）所作的《樂遊原》詩，由於長卷被剪裁，導致詩意完全被打亂。
完整的詩句為：“曲江翠幕排銀牓。拂水低徊舞袖翻。”
南宋 張即之 行書杜甫《樂遊原詩》殘卷軸
《樂遊原詩》選段
南宋（1127–1279）
原詩的兩句可意譯為：
天門開闊映晴空，波光蕩漾隨風動；曲江翠幕排銀牓，拂水低徊舞袖翻。雲上高升聲歌起。（譯者：Jonathan Chaves）
材質：手卷的部分，重新裝裱為掛軸；紙本墨書
尺寸：畫面：12 3/4 x 30 1/4 英寸（32.4 x 76.8 厘米）整體（含裱裝）：48 1/2 x 35 1/2 英寸（123.2 x 90.2 厘米）整體（含鈕扣）：48 1/2 x 37 1/2 英寸（123.2 x 95.3 厘米）
資金來源：Sylvan Barnet 和 William Burto 於2000年贈送，為了紀念田島光男
物品編號：2000.325
來源：Sylvan Barnet 和 William Burto，來自美國麻省劍橋（2000年之前，捐贈給大都會博物館）
文字內容：4列大篆篆書
[曲江旁]翠幕排銀牓。拂水低徊[舞袖翻]。
…..
[1] 來自 Maxwell K. Hearn，《大都會博物館公報：最近收藏展覽選集，2000-2001年》。紐約：大都會博物館，第59卷第2期，第77頁。
[2] 完整的詩句為：“曲江翠幕排銀牓。拂水低徊舞袖翻。”
展覽歷史：
紐約，大都會博物館，“新中國館：開幕展覽”，1997年。
紐約，大都會博物館，“具象的圖像：約翰·B·艾略特收藏中的中國書法”，2000年9月15日至2001年1月7日。
紐約，大都會博物館，“書寫圖像：大都會博物館 Sylvan Barnet 和 William Burto 典藏的日本書法與畫作”，2002年10月1日至2003年3月2日。
紐約，大都會博物館，“筆墨：中國書法與畫作”，2005年3月12日至8月14日。
紐約，大都會博物館，“書法與墨跡：中國書寫藝術”，2006年9月2日至2007年1月21日。
上海博物館，“美國藏唐宋元時期中國畫作經典”，2012年11月3日至2013年1月3日。
紐約，大都會博物館，“重塑過去：中國青銅器藝術，1100–1900”，2025年2月27日至9月28日。
杜甫
杜甫（712–770年），唐代偉大的詩人之一，被尊稱為“詩聖”。他的詩作具有深厚的歷史背景和情感表達，尤其在描寫社會動盪和人民疾苦方面表現得尤為突出。
《樂遊原詩》是杜甫在晚年時創作的一首詩，描繪了他對樂遊原這一自然景觀的景仰以及由此引發的深刻思索。這首詩包含了他對山水的描繪，也渗透了他對人生、政治與時代的感慨。
詩中的“曲江翠幕排銀牓，拂水低徊舞袖翻”兩句，具體描寫了曲江（今長安的西北）景區的水波蕩漾與舞者的輕盈姿態。這兩句充滿了靜謐與動感的對比，既表現了水面波動的自然美，也映照出人的生活與心境的起伏。
張即之
張即之（1186–1266年），南宋末期的書法家，因其筆力雄渾、風格獨具而著名。他是宋代最後一位大書法家之一，尤其以行書和草書聞名。
張即之的書法深受禪宗影響，他的筆法剛健有力、筆劃間有鮮明的對比，彷彿能夠表達情感的波動。這幅作品所展現的行書，正是張即之筆法的代表。他在書法創作中將詩句以行書形式表現出來，使原本靜謐的詩句與筆觸的動態相輔相成，將文字與情感的節奏交織在一起。
尤其是“曲江翠幕排銀牓，拂水低徊舞袖翻”兩句，張即之的行書不僅表現出詩句中的景象，還將詩意與書法的筆觸進行了深刻的融合。這幅書法作品透過他的筆法，讓觀者感受到水波的律動與舞者的輕盈動作，如同身臨其境。
這件作品的價值不僅在於它是一件書法藝術品，更是杜甫詩意與張即之書法風格的完美結合。這樣的書法作品，讓人不僅欣賞到文字本身的美感，也能從筆劃的起伏中品味到詩句的深遠意境。
Excerpt from “Song of Leyou Park”
Southern Song dynasty (1127–1279)
Zhang Jizhi, the last important calligrapher of the Song period, was a devout Buddhist who often transcribed religious texts as an act of devotion. He obtained his jinshi degree, the highest rank in the civil service examination, but never rose to high office. As a calligrapher, however, his fame spread beyond the borders of the Song to the Jin empire in northern China as well as to Japan, where his handwriting was particularly prized by Zen monks. Zhang was noted for his forceful large-character standard script, with its boldly contrasting blunt and sinuous brushstrokes. This piece, remounted centuries ago in Japan for display in a tokonoma, was cut from a long handscroll transcribing a poem by Du Fu (712–770) in such a manner that the poetic phrasing of the original is completely fragmented. The original two couplets may be translated as follows (the text of this scroll is on the fourth and fifth lines):Heavenly gates open in clear skies,ripples vastly trembling;By the Serpentine, kingfisher curtainshang arrayed with silver plaques.Brushing the water, hovering,dancing sleeves flutter;Climbing to the clouds, crisp and clear,the sounds of songs arise.(Translated by Jonathan Chaves)
Title: Excerpt from “Song of Leyou Park”
Artist: Zhang Jizhi (Chinese, 1186–1266)
Period: Southern Song dynasty (1127–1279)
Culture: China
Medium: Section of a handscroll mounted as a hanging scroll; ink on paper
Dimensions: Image: 12 3/4 x 30 1/4 in. (32.4 x 76.8 cm)Overall with mounting: 48 1/2 x 35 1/2 in. (123.2 x 90.2 cm)Overall with knobs: 48 1/2 x 37 1/2 in. (123.2 x 95.3 cm)
Classification: Calligraphy
Credit Line: Gift of Sylvan Barnet and William Burto, in honor of Tajima Mitsuru, 2000
Object Number: 2000.325
Provenance: Sylvan Barnet and William Burto , Cambridge, MA (until 2000; donated to MMA)
Inscription: Artist’s inscription (4 columns in large semi-cursive/standard script)
[By the Serpentine are] kingfisher curtains arrayed with silver plaques.
Skimming the water, back and forth, [the dancers’ sleeves flutter.][1]
…..幕排銀牓。
拂水低佪….. [2]
[1] Translation from Maxwell K. Hearn, MMA Bulletin: Recent Acquisitions, A Selection: 2000-2001. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, vol. 59, no. 2, p. 77.
[2] The complete lines read, “曲江翠幕排银牓。拂水低徊舞袖翻”.Exhibition History:
New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "The New Chinese Galleries: An Inaugural Installation," 1997.
New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "The Embodied Image: Chinese Calligraphy from the John B. Elliott Collection," September 15, 2000–January 7, 2001.
New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "The Written Image: Japanese Calligraphy and Paintings from the Sylvan Barnet and William Burto Collection," October 1, 2002–March 2, 2003.
New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "Art of the Brush: Chinese Painting and Calligraphy," March 12–August 14, 2005.
New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "Brush and Ink: The Chinese Art of Writing," September 2, 2006–January 21, 2007.
Shanghai Museum. "Masterpieces of Chinese Tang, Song and Yuan Paintings from America," November 3, 2012–January 3, 2013.
New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "Recasting the Past: The Art of Chinese Bronzes, 1100–1900," February 27, 2025–September 28, 2025.
Du Fu
Du Fu (712–770) was one of the greatest poets of the Tang dynasty, often regarded as the "Poet Sage." His works are known for their deep historical context and emotional expression, particularly his reflections on societal turmoil and the suffering of the people. "Song of Leyou Park" is one of Du Fu's later poems, depicting his admiration for the natural landscape of Leyou Park and the profound thoughts it inspired. The poem intertwines vivid depictions of nature with Du Fu's reflections on life, politics, and the times. The lines "By the Serpentine, kingfisher curtains are arrayed with silver plaques, brushing the water, hovering, the sleeves of the dancers flutter" describe the serene beauty of the river and the graceful movements of the dancers. These lines contrast the stillness of the water with the dynamic energy of the human form, reflecting both the natural world and the emotional currents of life.
Zhang Jizhi
Zhang Jizhi (1186–1266), a late Southern Song calligrapher, is known for his unique and powerful brushwork. He is one of the last great calligraphers of the Song dynasty, particularly renowned for his running and cursive scripts. Influenced by Zen Buddhism, Zhang's calligraphy is marked by its strong, forceful strokes, with a striking contrast between boldness and fluidity. In this particular piece, Zhang Jizhi's running script brings Du Fu's poem to life, merging the serenity of the words with the dynamic movement of the brushstrokes. His calligraphy serves as a visual rhythm, enhancing the imagery and emotional depth of the poem. The lines "By the Serpentine, kingfisher curtains are arrayed with silver plaques, brushing the water, hovering, the sleeves of the dancers flutter" are rendered in such a way that the fluidity of the water and the graceful flutter of the dancers' sleeves are not only captured in the meaning but also in the very movement of the ink.
The value of this work lies not only in its aesthetic beauty as a calligraphic piece but also in how it seamlessly integrates Du Fu's poetic imagery with Zhang Jizhi's calligraphic style. The work allows viewers to not only appreciate the beauty of the characters themselves but also to experience the rhythm and emotional depth of the poem through the motion of the brushstrokes, bringing the scene to life in a profound and engaging way.
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