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宋代筆記 Vol.92 宋仁宗、宋高宗9500萬轉身,臨蘭亭序合卷未能成交:小聽風樓潘氏家族收藏 - Emeperor Rezong, Gaozong’s Preface to Lantingxu Scroll, the Heirloom Treasures from the Poon Family.



5200萬起拍,爭奪激烈。這張依然是十分重要的長卷,書法的精髓在於精神,而不是在於是否為本人書寫。王羲之並無真跡傳世,但是蘭亭八柱依然聞名天下。哪怕是否仁宗本人,都不會影響這件作品的藝術價值。高宗本人的書法造詣在趙孟頫之上,更是不在話下。這是對中國書法精神理解的一次對抗。

9500萬最後落槌!抱憾流拍。



宋仁宗趙禎及宋高宗趙構 臨王羲之《蘭亭序》

水墨紙本及絹本 手卷


“In his leisure time from the myriad affairs of the state, Emperor Renzong had no other pursuitsbut the brush and ink, and his feibai work was marvelous.”


「仁宗萬機之暇,無所玩好,惟親翰墨,而飛白尤為神妙。」 Ouyang Xiu 歐陽修 (1007-1072)



“As for the Preface to the Poems Composed at theOrchid Pavilion, the more I examine it, the deeperits meaning becomes, and the more rigorous my emulation. Its spirit is strong, but its originality cannot be perfectly imitated. By carefully observing the brushstrokes, one can recite it from memory without losing its essence.”


「至若《稧帖》,則測之益深,擬之益嚴。 姿態橫生,莫造其原,詳觀點畫,以至成誦,不少去懷也。」


Emperor Gaozong of Song 宋高宗 (1107-1187)


Portrait of Emperor Renzong and Portrait of Emperor Gaozong, Palace Museum, Taipei, accession nos zhong hua 270 and 278 《宋仁宗坐像》及《宋高宗坐像》 台北故宮博物院 藏品編號:中畫270及278





蘭亭絕唱逸少風、墨韻神存二帝書

一「小聽颿樓」藏《宋仁宗高宗臨蘭亭卷》

Rare Imperial CalligraphyPreface to the Poems Composed at the Orchid Pavilionby Song Dynasty Emperors Renzong and Gaozong from the Canton Collection


「蘭亭雅集」為歷代文人仰慕,王羲之《蘭亭序》其文膽炙人口,其書被奉為法書至高經典,有「天下第一行書」之稱,歷代書家無不精誠研學。而《蘭亭》之流傳,歷代聚訟,見仁見智。



至宋代,趙宋帝王崇尚藝文,尤擅丹青,對《蘭亭序》更加重視並勤於臨習。本卷宋仁宗與宋高宗臨寫的《蘭亭序》即為兩宋宮廷藝事之證。

Writers and artists have long admired the Orchid Pavilion Gathering, and Wang Xizhi’s Preface to the Poems Composed at the Orchid Pavilion is universally appreciated as a brilliant piece of prose and a crowning achievement in calligraphy. Considered an unparalleled example of running script, calligraphers through the ages have studied and emulated this piece. Over the centuries, writers, collectors, and connoisseurs have formed their own opinions of the work. During the Song dynasty, emperors held the arts in high esteem and personally excelled in painting and calligraphy. They were particularly interested in the Preface to the Poems Composed at the Orchid Pavilion, working diligently to study and practice it. These versions of the Preface to the Poems Composed at the Orchid Pavilion by Emperor Renzong of Northern Song and Emperor Gaozong of Southern Song bear witness to the cultural milieu of their courts.


全卷包括〈宋仁宗臨蘭亭序〉、〈宋高宗臨蘭亭序〉,及南宋至清道光的題跋三個部分組成,為清代廣東著名鑑藏家潘正煒「聽颿樓」舊藏,著錄於《聽颿樓書畫記》。潘正煒(1791—1850),字榆庭,號季彤,廣東番禺人,同孚洋行第三代承業者。潘正煒稟承家學,鍾愛收藏書畫碑帖。其書齋「聽帆樓」庋藏的古代書畫珍品為一時之盛。潘正煒將所藏書畫中的精品著錄成書並付諸刊印,有《聽颿樓書畫記》、《古銅印匯》、《聽颿樓集帖》等傳世。本卷百餘年來秘藏於潘氏家族,從潘正煒之「聽颿樓」一直傳至潘祖堯先生之「小聽颿樓」。

This scroll includes Emperor Renzong’s version of the Preface to the Poems Composed at the Orchid Pavilion, Emperor Gaozong’s version of the Preface to the Poems Composed at the Orchid Pavilion, and inscriptions spanning the Southern Song to the Daoguang era of the Qing dynasty. The scroll is part of late Qing, Guangdong collector Pan Zhengwei’s Tingfanlou Collection, and it was included in Tingfanlou shuhua ji (A Record of Paintings and Calligraphy at Tingfanlou). Pan Zhengwei (1791–1850), also named Yuting, with the sobriquet Jitong, was a native of Panyu, Guangdong, and the third-generation successor of the Tongfu Hang.Pan followed the family tradition and collected paintings, works of calligraphy, and stele rubbings. He was renowned for the collection of classical paintings and calligraphy housed in his pavilion, Tingfanlou. Pan compiled and produced compendiums of the best calligraphies, paintings, and other artworks in his collection. Of these volumes, Tingfanlou shuhua ji (A Record of Paintings and Calligraphy at Tingfanlou), Gutong yin hui (The Collection of Ancient Bronze Seals), and Tingfanlou ji tie (The Collection of Calligraphy in Tingfanlou) are still extant. For more than a century, the scroll was privately held by the Pan family, from Pan Zhengwei’s Tingfanlou Collection to Ronald Poon Cho Yiu’s Canton Collection.



關於本卷的遞藏和流傳,需要指出的是,在道光之前,是和《定武蘭亭唐榻本》(圖一,亦稱「韓珠船本」,實為宋拓,現藏於日本東京台東區立書道博物館)合裝為一卷,並有宋人何端禮所繪《修禊圖》。


道光丙申(1836)之後,被分拆成二卷。元明清之際見於各種文獻著錄,從中可知其流傳經過,以及當時鑑藏家對其的接受與認知。

Prior to the Daoguang era, this piece was combined with the Tang Rubbing of the Dingwu Preface to the Poems Composed at the Orchid Pavilion (also known as the Han Zhuchuan version, which was actually a Song rubbing, currently heldin Taito City Calligraphy Museum in Japan, fig. 1), as well as Xiuxi tu (Purification Ceremony) by Song painter He Duanli. After 1836, it was divided into two scrolls. The work was documented in the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties, tracing its provenance over the centuries, as well as its reception by collectors over time.



本卷在入藏「聽颿樓」之前歸韓榮光所有。韓榮光(1793-1860),字祥河,又字珠船,晚稱黃花老人。清博羅縣人。二十歲拔貢,以吏部小京官升文選司。道光八年(1828)於順天中舉人。


擢郎中,轉監察御史,署刑科給事中。於四十歲歸鄉不仕,在博羅主講登峰、龍溪兩書院二十餘年。擅長詩、書、畫,人稱「三絕」。本卷與《定武蘭亭唐榻本》被分拆成兩卷是在道光丙申(1836),韓榮光售出之後。在清代先後被刻帖傳世,如鮑漱芳《安素軒石刻》(圖二),尤其道光時期,本卷流傳於廣東地區的鑑藏家之中,也多次摹刻成帖,如孔廣陶《嶽雪樓鑑真法帖》、潘正煒《聽颿樓法帖》和葉應暘《耕霞溪館集帖》等。


全卷第一段為〈宋仁宗臨蘭亭卷〉。宋仁宗名趙禎(1010-1063), 初名趙受益 ,宋代第四位皇帝,在位四十二年,為宋代在位時間最長的一位皇帝。史書評其「為人君,止於仁。帝誠無愧焉」,並有「仁宗盛治」之譽。歐陽修稱其「仁宗萬機之暇,無所玩好,惟親翰墨,而飛白尤為神妙。」 宋仁宗法書在歷代著錄中幾不現蹤, 而傳世書法作品更是難得一見!



Before it entered the Tingfanlou Collection, Han Rongguang owned the piece. Han Rongguang (1793-1860), who used the style names Xianghe and Zhuchuan, was a native of Boluo County in Guangdong. In his later years, he called himself huanghua laoren (which translates to Yellow Flower Old Man). At the age of 20, he was selected for national-level study, following which Han rose through the ranks from a minor official in the Ministry of Personnel to the Bureau of Appointments. In 1828, he passed the provincial civil service examinations. Han was promoted to secretary general before he became an investigating censor, and then supervising censor in the Office of Scrutiny for Justice. At age 40, Han retired from service and returned to his hometown, and

he spent the next two decades teaching at Boluo’s two classical academies: Dengfeng and Longxi. He excelled in poetry, painting, and calligraphy, collectively called the “three perfections”. This scroll and the Rubbing of Dingwu Lanting were separated in 1836, after Han sold them. During the Qing dynasty, stone rubbings of the calligraphy circulated, and particularly during the Daoguang era, the scroll passed through the hands of several Guangdong collectors. Stone rubbings were frequently taken during the Qing dynasty, such as Bao Shufang’s Ansu xuan shike (Stone Inscriptions of the Ansu Studio, fig. 2); Kong Guangtao’s Yuexuelou jianzhen fatie, Pan Zhengwei’s Tingfanlou fatie and Ye Yingyang’s Gengxiaxi guan jitie.


In the present scroll, the first section is Emperor Renzong’s version of the Preface to the Poems Composed at the Orchid Pavilion. Emperor Renzong (1010-1063) used the givenname Zhao Zhen, but he was born Zhao Shouyi. He was the fourth emperor of the Song dynasty, reigning for 42 years, the longest of any Song emperor. He is remembered in the history books as a benevolent leader who governed well, and “his conduct as an emperor was beyond reproach.” Ouyang Xiu wrote, “In his leisure time from the myriad affairs of the state, Emperor Renzong had no other pursuits but the brush and ink, and his feibai work was marvelous.” Few written descriptions of Emperor Renzong’s calligraphy have survived, and an extant example of his work is even rarer.


御書之寶」和「寶翰之章


本幅臨《蘭亭序》,為絹本,行筆流暢,遒勁高古。卷首有 「御書之寶」和「寶翰之章」二璽,卷首右上角隱約可見瘦金書「仁祖御筆」四字,卷末鈐有「宣和」與「政和」二璽,及 「御前之印」。

The present scroll was written on silk in powerful yet elegantly fluid brushwork. The scroll opens with two imperial seals reading “Treasure of imperial calligraphy” (Yushu zhi bao) and “Stamp for precious calligraphy” (Baohan zhi zhang). The characters for “From the imperial brush of Renzong” (Renzu yubi) in slender gold script are faintly visible at the beginning of the scroll in the upper right corner, while the Xuanhe and Zhenghe imperial seals, as well as a seal reading “Treasure before the emperor” (Yuqian zhi yin), were affixed to the end of the piece.


御前之印

宣和」與「政和」二璽


此外,還有「米芾」之印,以及清代鑑藏家曹溶、梁清標、韓榮光、潘正煒等鑑藏印。對於本幅之所以歸於宋仁宗名下,卷後陳其錕與韓榮光的題跋作了說明。陳氏題記稱 「卷端有瘦金書仁祖御書四字,定為仁宗。」韓榮光跋語中說: 「是卷仁宗一段復有米芾名印,當是米老書畫船中物。後入宣和內府,有『宣和』、『政和圖書』及『御前之印』。卷首又有徽宗瘦金題『仁祖御書』四字,隱隱可見。

In addition, the work bears a seal reading Mi Fu, along with seals from Qing collectors Cao Rong, Liang Qingbiao, Han Rongguang, and Pan Zhengwei.


在孔廣陶《嶽雪樓鑑真法帖》的題跋中,有關於本卷的敘述: 「仁宗最精飛白,而點畫象形能制六點,出李唐卿所進三百點外, 宜其筆法矯矯自異也。此跡與思陵臨本同裝唐拓《蘭亭》帖尾,為 韓珠船侍御所寶,其後臨本歸盧氏,帖則入餘齋。聚散有數,尚能作延津之合否?」可知孔廣陶見過本卷,其時已由韓榮光售出, 並被分拆成兩卷,他得到另一卷定武蘭亭的拓本,而本卷則被廣東一位盧氏藏家所有。



值得一提的是,陳其錕在孔氏《嶽雪樓鑑真法帖》題跋中也對宋仁宗臨本做了闡述,指出《安素軒石刻》誤將此作歸為宋高宗, 並肯定為宋仁宗所書,更特別指出臨本中「朗」字缺兩筆,實為對宋始祖的避諱:


「此臨《蘭亭》,卷端有瘦金書『仁祖御筆』四字,定為宋仁宗書。篇中『朗』字闕兩筆,避始祖元朗諱也。書法盤郁古勁,如介胄之士,懍然有不可犯之色。曾刻入《安素軒》,題做『思陵書』,誤矣。辛卯四月,陳其錕題于宣南寓所。」



全卷第二段為〈宋高宗臨蘭亭卷〉。宋高宗趙構(1107-1187), 字德基,號損齋,宋朝第十位皇帝、南宋第一代皇帝,在位三十 五年。他是宋仁宗第六代後裔,宋徽宗第九子,宋欽宗之弟。


The second section in the scroll is the Preface to the Poems Composed at the Orchid Pavilion by Emperor Gaozong of Song. His given name was Zhao Gou (1107-1187), and he used the style name Deji and the sobriquet Sunzhai. Reigning for 35 years, he was the tenth emperor of the Song dynasty

and the first emperor of Southern Song. He was a sixth- generationdescendant of Emperor Renzong, the ninth son of Emperor Huizong, and the younger brother of Emperor Qinzong.


「靖康之變」後,趙構南渡,建立南宋,定都臨安。和宋徽宗一樣,他也十分熱忱熱衷書畫,尤其在書法上成就最高。在趙構所撰的《翰墨志》中,特別提到他醉心于魏晉書法,尤其對於王羲之、王獻之的書跡更是追摹不輟,不忘於心手,「凡五十年間, 非大利害相妨,未始一日捨筆墨。」而《蘭亭序》則為他最爲用功研習的法書:「至若《稧帖》,則測之益深,擬之益嚴。姿態橫生,莫造其原,詳觀點畫,以至成誦,不少去懷也。」 趙構的書法對元代趙孟頫有著深刻的影響。


After the Jingkang Incident, he travelled southand established the Southern Song dynasty with its capitalat Lin’an. Like Emperor Huizong, he was passionate about calligraphy and painting, but he was most accomplished in calligraphy. In his Hanmo zhi (Treatise on Brush and Ink), he mentions his passion for calligraphy from the Wei and Jin periods and the joy he found in emulating the work of Wang Xizhi and Wang Xianzhi. “For 50 years, I picked up my brush every day that there were no major events.” The Preface to the Poems Composed at the Orchid Pavilion is the calligraphic model on which he spent the most time: “As for the Preface to the Poems Composed at the Orchid Pavilion, the more I examine it, the deeper its meaning becomes, and the more rigorous my emulation. Its spirit is strong, but its originality cannot be perfectly imitated. By carefully observing the brushstrokes, one can recite it from memory without

losing its essence.” Emperor Gaozong’s calligraphy made a profound impression on Yuan painter Zhao Mengfu.



本幅宋高宗臨《蘭亭序》,為紙本,書風沈厚飄逸,點劃圓潤, 靈動俊秀,深得王羲之蘭亭的形貌意蘊。


所用上下描金繪有行雲遊龍紋樣的白紙,落款處鈐有「御書之寶」。書跡的首尾兩端下方各鈐有「紹興」一印,卷後落款為:「紹興十九年夏五月臨賜 陳康伯」。


Emperor Gaozong wrote his version of the Preface to the Poems Composed at the Orchid Pavilion on paper. His style is profound and elegant, while the dots and strokes are round and full. The wit and delicacy of the work reflectsthe visual tone of Wang Xizhi’s. The work was written on a piece of white paper with cloud and dragon patterns in gold adorning the top and bottom edges. The seal “Yushu zhibao” was affixed in lieu of an inscription. The seal “Shaoxing” was added along the lower edge at both ends of this version,and the following inscription also appears at the end: “Inthe summer during the fifth month of the nineteenth yearof the Shaoxing era (1149), this work was presented toChen Kangbo.” There are many extant examples of Emperor Gaozong’s calligraphy, which we can compare with the brushwork, composition, style, structure, and materials of this scroll. In particular, Ji Kang yangsheng lunjuan (Ji Kang’s Essays on Nourishing Life), in the collection of the Shanghai Museum, is similar to this work in terms of brushwork and overall sensibility.


御書之寶


紹興


宋高宗傳世書法作品有多種,能從行筆、章法、 風格、形制與材質等多方面與本幅做對比,尤其是《嵇康養生論卷》(上海博物館藏),在行筆方式和書法意趣等方面與本卷頗為相似,可資參考。



據歷代著錄記載,宋高宗時常臨寫蘭亭賜予大臣,本幅即此例, 於紹興十九年臨賜給陳康伯。陳康伯(1097-1165),字長卿,一 字安侯,徽宗宣和三年(1121)進士。高宗時期歷任參知政事、 右相、左相、孝宗樞密使、左相兼樞密使。


卷後有陳璠題跋:紹興庚午(1150)九月初五日臣陳璠寶藏,鈐印「陳氏秘玩」。 陳璠其人的資料很少,僅可知為南宋人,官任宿州太守。


Historical records indicate that Emperor Gaozong of Song gave versions of the Preface to the Poems Composed at the Orchid Pavilion that he had written to his senior ministers. This piece is one such example, presented to Chen Kangbo in the nineteenth year of the Shaoxing era. Chen Kangbo (1097-1165), who used the style names Changqing and Anhou, passed the highest civil service examinations in 1121. During the reign of Emperor Gaozong, he held several key positions, including Participant in Determining Governmental Matters, Minister of the Left, Minister of the Right, Military Affairs Commissioner, and the joint position of Minister of the Left and Military Affairs Commissioner. Chen Fan added this inscription to the end of the scroll: “From the treasured collection of Chen Fan on the fifth day of the ninth month of the gengwu year of the Shaoxing era (1150)” and affixed a seal reading “Chen’s personal amusement” (Chenshi miwan). Very little is known about Chen Fan, but he was the governor of Su Prefecture during the Southern Song dynasty.


fig. 2. Bao Shufang’s Ansu xuan shike (Rubbings of the Ansu Studio), Palace Museum, Beijing, accession no. xin159881-2/4 圖二 清拓《安素軒石刻》宋高宗臨蘭亭序,嘉慶元年,歙縣鮑漱芳輯  北京故宮博物院 藏品編號:新159881-2/4


其後,有元代許有壬題跋並附詩,稱宋高宗:「萬機之暇,從事翰 墨,亦聖學遊藝之一端。」許有壬(1287-1364),字可用,號圭塘, 又號洹溪、圭塘散人、可翁老人,河南安陽市湯陰縣人,元代政治家、文學家。


生於至元二十四年(1287)。延祐二年(1315)乙卯進士。 累官參議中書、治書侍御史、奎章閣學士院侍書學士、中書參知政事、知經筵事、樞密副使、中書左丞、翰林學士丞旨、御史中丞、 河南行省左丞、集賢大學士兼太子左諭德等,階至光祿大夫。至正十七年(1357),以老病致仕。卒於至正二十四年(1364),諡 「文忠」。


善筆劄,工辭章。著有《至正集》、《圭塘小稿》、《圭塘欸乃集》等。《至正集》為許有壬的門人所編撰,傳世的只有明清抄本。該集卷十中錄有題跋附詩,原詩的題為「和明初考定武禊帖」。


Xu Youren’s inscription and poem follows this piece, which describes Emperor Gaozong of Song: “When not attending to important affairs of the state, he worked on his calligraphy, one of the facets of sagely learning and art.” Xu Youren (1287-1364) was a native of Tangyin County, part of Anyang, Henan, and a Yuan politician and writer. He used the style name Keyong and the sobriquets Guitang, Huanxi, Guitang sanren, and Keweng laoren. He was born in 1287 and passed the highest civil service examination in 1315. He served as an assistant administration commissioner, a secretarial censor, an attendant academician in the Hall of Literature, and an academician at the Academy of Scholarly Worthies. Xu Youren’s The Zhizheng Collection (Zhizheng ji) was compiled by his followers, but only Ming and Qing copies survive. Volume 10 contains an inscription and poem, but the original poem was titled Reviewing the Dingwu Preface to the Poems Composed at the Orchid Pavilion. He did not write this poem for Emperor Gaozong’s version, but he made the following inscription after viewing the scroll: “[This was written in] the nineteenth year of the Shaoxing era, and what of today? I had feelings about the Preface to the Poems Composed at the Orchid Pavilion, which compounded [after viewing this work].” The ancient literati often felt compelled to write poems about the Orchid Pavilion Gathering inspired by their own feelings about this calligraphy work.


圖一《定武蘭亭唐榻本》(亦稱「韓珠船本」)日本東 京台東區立書道博物館


該詩雖不是為宋高宗臨蘭亭卷所作,但他在獲觀宋高宗臨蘭亭卷之後作題跋,「紹興十九年,此何時也?蘭亭有感,予於是重有感焉。」有感而發,並書自作有關《蘭亭》的詩作,也屬古 代文人中的常見現象。卷中鈐有梁清標、曹溶、韓榮光、潘正煒、 張岳崧等藏印。另有「太丘陳氏」和「陳氏家傳珍玩」二印,或與受賜者陳康伯有關。

The scroll bears the seals of Liang Qingbiao, Cao Rong, Han Rongguang, Pan Zhengwei, Zhang Yuesong and others. The seals “Chen of Taiqiu” (Taiqiu Chenshi) and “Chen family collection of precious playthings” (Chenshi jiachuan zhenwan) may be related to Chen Kangbo, the original recipient of the piece.



在明代的文獻中,明代宣德二年(1427)進士、後為翰林院編修、 國子監祭酒蕭鎡所著的《尚約居士集》(清光緒三十一年蕭氏趣園刻本)中有《題龍氏家藏蘭亭卷後》一文:

According to Ming records, Xiao Zi passed the highest civil service examination in 1427. He subsequently served as a compiler at the Hanlin Academy and the chancellor of the Directorate of Education. He published an essay titled “An Inscription for the End of the Preface to the Poems Composed at the Orchid Pavilion Scroll in the Long Family Collection” in Shangyue jushi ji (Collection of the Shangyue Hermit, see the 1905 edition). The essay describes the state of the scroll in the early Ming dynasty, when it was part of the collection of Long Shiyu; it included the versions from both emperors, the Dingwu Lanting rubbing, and He Duanli’s He Duanli’s Xiuxi tu.



「文選郎中龍君士郁間手,其家藏宋時蘭亭卷示予,屬識其後。蓋
記墨蹟石本各二幅,畫一幅,總之為一通。前墨蹟仁宗御書遒勁高
古,觀之令人肅然起敬。次則高宗臨賜陳康伯者,俊逸清麗逼真可
愛,要之皆非尋常摹擬者可到。畫僅四尺許而蘭亭之景畢具,其山
水樹石人物筆意極工致。題云:「乙酉歲何端禮畫」,考之是歲蓋
徽宗崇寧五年也。石本其一定武所刻,其一唐僖宗乾符初裴綬所
書。卷前後多用『御府之印』,而前一段鈐縫皆『政和』、『宣和
圖書』,豈此卷本徽宗所蓄,至紹興十九年高宗乃襩之以賜康伯,
歟後十年康伯始拜參知政事,是年蓋秦檜當國,康伯奉祠時也。當
是時善類屏斥殆盡,而康伯乃有此賜,其特恩歟。卷末有紹興庚午
陳璠題識。庚午康伯受賜之明年也。璠當是其子,然傳載康伯二子
偉節、安節,無所謂璠者。豈傳所載者其字此其名歟,不可得而知
矣。元太史許有壬既為之跋,又作歌其後,反復歎惋不置讀之使人
可感可悼。蓋有不容複贅者,獨念御府遭靖康之難,此軸猶存而高
宗之賜康伯,之受至今三百餘年,翰墨如新誠希世之寶也。乃為龍
氏所秘豈偶然哉。龍泰和甘溪故家,其先世所藏翰墨甚富此特其一
耳。君之尊府儀制公存時嘗以見示展玩之餘,恍然如昨於以見君克
承其家於先世手澤猶珍襲之不敢失墜,如此況其他乎。此其所以為
賢也君清慎好學,予素所敬愛者,故因其請特識以歸之。龍氏子孫
尚敬嗣守之哉。」

此文描述了本卷在明初的狀況,為龍士郁收藏,二帝書卷與定武 榻本合裝成一卷,並有何端禮《修禊圖》。此外,蕭氏指稱 「陳璠」或為「陳康伯」之子。


清初卞永譽《式古堂書畫會考》(卷五)中著錄有《宋高宗臨蘭亭 序》和許有壬題跋(圖三)。同時,倪濤《六藝之一錄》(卷一百六 十)也收錄了許有壬題跋。安歧在《墨緣匯觀》中記敘了曾經看到 過此卷:「余幼時曾見真定相國家《蘭亭圖》一卷,云是何瑞晝, 宋仁宗臨《序》,末有古帖攝蘭亭一帖。因目力苦短,不敢定其真 偽,未及登錄後,聞維揚一徽友得去。」「真定相國」即為梁清 標,卷上鈐有多處梁氏的鑑藏印,可知當時為其所藏。


In the early Qing, Bian Yongyu noted the Preface to the Poems Composed at the Orchid Pavilion by Emperor Gaozong and Xu Youren’s inscription in Shigutang shuhua huikao (Studies in Calligraphy and Painting from Shigu Studio, vol. 5, see fig. 3). Ni Tao’s Liuyi zhiyi lu (A Compendium of One of the Six Arts, vol. 160) also recorded the Xu Youren inscription. In Moyuan huiguan (Conspectus on the Effects of Ink), An Qi described seeing this scroll in Liang Qingbiao’s home. In his Shuhua ji (Record of

alligraphy and Painting, vol. 4), Wu Qizhen also mentioned the work, but not the collectors. Because he often travelled from Huizhou to Weiyang, he may have seen it in a friend’s collection in Weiyang.


吳其貞《書畫記》(卷四)有記:「宋仁宗〈蘭亭記〉。畫在絹上, 後何端禮繪圖效法李唐。又高宗書〈蘭亭記〉一篇,並其宋榻者, 連附卷尾,有宋元人三題跋。」吳氏並未提及收藏者,但想其往來 於徽州和維揚一帶,或在所謂「維揚一徽友」處得見。


由此可知,明末清初本卷藏于曹溶和梁清標處,此二者皆為當時 書畫收藏翹楚。乾隆時期被為鮑漱芳所藏,鮑氏為兩淮鹽務總 商,富甲一方,其「安素軒」收藏宋元古籍、法帖、繪畫

為一時之盛。本卷與其他所藏法書後被摹勒上石,刻入《安素軒石刻》。

In the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, Cao Rong and Liang Qingbiao, both prominent collectors of painting and calligraphy, owned the scroll. During the Qianlong era, Bao Shufang owned the piece. Bao was one of the wealthiestsalt merchants in China at the time, and his Ansu Studio Collection of Song and Yuan books, calligraphy, and paintings was impressive. This scroll and other calligraphy in his collection were reproduced as stone rubbings and noted in An su xuan shike (Rubbings of the Ansu Studio).


The inscriptions at the end of the scroll from the early Qing onward were made, in order, by Hu Shi’an, Tie Bao, Zhang Weiping, Bao Jun, Chen Qikun, Han Rongguang, Zhu Changyi,and Pan Zhengwei. These inscriptions clearly show the succession of collectors who owned the work from the early Qing dynasty to the Daoguang era.


Xitie zongwen (A Comprehensive Overview of Purification Calligraphy, Zhejiang circuit inspector edition) by Hu Shi’an also mentions Xu Youren’s inscription, along with Cao’s poem at the end of this scroll. The original title was “Cao Qiuyue (Cao Rong) Waiting Upon the Emperors’ Version of the Preface to the Poems Composed at the Orchid Pavilion.” The inscriptions recorded in Hu’s book differ from those on the current piece, so he likely wrote them at different times or places.


The end of this scroll bears two inscriptions by Han Rongguang, added in 1834 and 1835 respectively to Emperor Renzong’s and Emperor Gaozong’s calligraphy. He praised the emperors’ accomplishments in calligraphy, inspired by his viewing experience. Based on Han’s inscription at the end of the Rubbing of Dingwu Lanting (Han Zhuchuan version), we know that he purchased it in 1832 in the capital, where it had been in Tie Bao’s collection. After returning from a trip to the south in 1836, he sold the piece to another collector. Several months later, friends showed him the Rubbing

of Dingwu Lanting and asked him to inscribe it. By thattime, it had already been separated from the versions by Emperors Renzong and Gaozong and the end inscriptions. Pan Zhengwei obtained the Rubbing of Dingwu Lanting (Han Zhuchuan version) in 1841, and his inscription at the end of the piece reads: “In the fourth month of the xinchou year of the Daoguang era, a friend visited with a piece to sell. Upon examination, I was astonished to discover that it was Han Zhuchuan’s Rubbing of Dingwu Lanting..


The present scroll was included in Pan Zhengwei’s Tingfanlou shuhua ji (A Record of Paintings and Calligraphy at Tingfanlou) 本卷著錄於潘正煒《聽颿樓書畫記》



展覽:

敏求精舍銀禧紀念展覽(1985),香港市政局與敏求精舍聯合主辦,香港藝術館,1985年10月25日-1986年1月15日


出版:

《中國文物集珍》(敏求精舍銀禧紀念展覽),第60-63

頁,敏求精舍,1985年



著錄:

  1. 許有壬,《至正集》,(《文淵閣四庫全書》集部五,別集類四)

  2. 蕭鎡,《尚約文鈔》,卷七,見《明代基本史料叢刊-文集卷》(第二輯),線裝書局,2015年6月第325-327頁。

  3. 卞永譽《式古堂書畫會考》,卷五,見《中國歷代書畫藝術論著叢編》(42),中國大百科全書出版社,第191-192貝。

  4. 安岐《墨緣匯觀》,〈法書墨榻卷下十一〉,見《中國歷代書畫藝術論著叢編》(32),中國大百科全書出版社,第334頁。

  5. 吳其貞《書畫記》,卷四,上海人民美術出版社,1962年8月,第404頁。

  6. 倪濤《六藝之一錄》,卷一百六十,見《中國歷代書畫藝術論著叢編》(48),中國大百科全書出版社,第280頁。

  7. 胡世安《禊帖綜聞》,清印本,浙江巡撫采進本

  8. 潘正煒《聽颿樓書畫記》,卷一,見《(增批全本)聽颿樓書畫記、聽颿樓續刻書畫記》,上海古籍出版社,2020年4月,第24-26頁。

  9. 朱家溍《歷代著錄法書目》,紫禁城出版社,1997年

  10. 月,第100-101頁、第106頁。

10. 莊申《蘭亭序與宋代的兩種御臨本》,《明報月刊》第238期,1985年10月,第41-46頁。


刻帖:

  1. 鮑漱芳輯,《安素軒石刻》,嘉慶四年至道光九年刻,原石藏於揚州博物館。

  2. 孔廣陶輯,《嶽雪樓鑑真法帖》,同治五年至光緒六年刻石拓本,廣東省中山圖書館藏,丑冊〈仁宗臨蘭亭序〉。

  3. 潘正煒輯,《聽颿樓法帖》,光緒二十八年刻石拓本,廣東省中山圖書館藏,第二冊,〈宋高宗〉。

  4. 葉應暘輯,《耕霞溪館法帖》,道光間刻石拓本,廣州博物館藏,不分卷,〈宋仁宗〉。

  5. 《宋仁宗臨蘭亭序》,清代刻石拓本,藏於紹興蘭亭古蹟右軍祠。


署簽:

(韓榮光)宋仁宗高宗臨蘭亭真跡。韓榮光書簽。 藏印:(潘祖堯)「小聽颿樓藏」



宋仁宗臨蘭亭序


釋文:

永和九年,歲在癸丑,暮春之初,會於會稽山陰之蘭 亭,修稧事也。群賢畢至,少長咸集。此地有崇山峻 領,茂林修竹;又有清流激湍,映帶左右,引以為流觴 曲水,列坐其次。雖無絲竹管弦之盛,一觴一詠,亦 足以暢敍幽情。是日也,天朗氣清,惠風和暢。仰觀宇 宙之大,俯察品類之盛。所以遊目騁懷,足以極視聽之 娛,信可樂也。夫人之相與,俯仰一世,或取諸懷抱, 悟言一室之內;或因寄所託,放浪形骸之外。雖趣舍萬 殊,靜躁不同,當其欣於所遇,暫得於己,怏然自足, 僧不知老之將至;及其所之旣倦,情隨事遷,感慨係之 矣。向之所欣,俯仰之間,以為陳迹,猶不能不以之興 懷;況修短隨化,終期於盡。古人云:「死生亦大矣。 」豈不痛哉!每攬昔人興感之由,若合一契,未嘗不臨 文嗟悼,不能喩之於懷。固知一死生為虛誕,齊彭殤為 妄作。後之視今,亦由今之視昔,悲夫!故列敍時人, 錄其所述,雖世殊事異,所以興懷,其致一也。後之攬 者,亦將有感於斯文。 鈐印:「御書之寶」、「寶翰之章」


藏印:

〈宋徽宗〉「宣和」、「政和」〈宋高宗〉「御前之印」〈米芾〉「米芾」 〈曹溶〉「曹溶鑑定書畵印」、「曹溶私印」、「古林」、「檇李曹溶」、「曹溶秘玩」 〈梁清標〉「蕉林書屋」、「梁清標印」、「焦林秘玩」、「蒼岩子梁清標玉立氏印章」 〈潘正煒〉「季彤審定」、「潘氏季彤珍藏」

〈韓榮光〉「韓榮光印」(三鈐)、「珠船」 〈張維屏〉「張維屏印」 〈程蓉查〉「程蓉查書畫記」 「文富軒孫」



宋高宗臨蘭亭序


釋文:

永和九年,歲在癸丑,暮春之初,會於會稽山陰之蘭亭,修稧事也。群賢畢至,少長咸集。此地有崇山峻領,茂林修竹;又有清流激湍,映帶左右,引以為流觴曲水,列坐其次。雖無絲竹管弦之盛,一觴一詠,亦足以暢敍幽情。是日也,天朗氣清,惠風和暢。仰觀宇宙之大,俯察品類之盛。所以遊目騁懷,足以極視聽之娛,信可樂也。夫人之相與,俯仰一世,或取諸懷抱, 悟言一室之內;或因寄所託,放浪形骸之外。雖趣舍萬殊,靜躁不同,當其欣於所遇,暫得於己,怏然自足, 僧不知老之將至;及其所之旣倦,情隨事遷,感慨係之矣。向之所欣,俯仰之間,以為陳迹,猶不能不以之興懷;況修短隨化,終期於盡。古人云:「死生亦大矣。 」豈不痛哉!每攬昔人興感之由,若合一契,未嘗不臨文嗟悼,不能喩之於懷。固知一死生為虛誕,齊彭殤為妄作。後之視今,亦由今之視昔,悲夫!故列敍時人, 錄其所述,雖世殊事異,所以興懷,其致一也。後之攬者,亦將有感於斯文。 紹興十九年(1149)夏五月臨賜陳康伯。 鈐印:「御書之寶」、「紹興」(二鈐)


藏印:

〈曹溶〉「曹溶秘玩」(二鈐)、「曹溶審定書畫印」、「古林」 〈梁清標〉「蕉林鑑定」、「棠村」、「子孫世保」 〈韓榮光〉「韓榮光」、「珠船」(二鈐)、「韓榮光印」 〈潘正煒〉「季彤心賞」(二鈐)、「季彤鑑定珍藏」、「季彤翰墨」、「河陽潘氏書畫」、「季彤秘玩」 〈張岳崧〉「張岳崧印」

〈程蓉查〉「程蓉查書畫記」 「甫山」、「蘭溪」、「太丘陳氏」、「▢齋」、「(陳)氏家傳珍玩」



盡善與尊榮: 潘氏家族珍藏 OF REVERENCE AND EXCELLENCE:

THE STORY OF THE POON FAMILY COLLECTION



潘氏家族藏珍,承載的不只是個人傳記,而是從十八世紀肇始歷經沉澱的史詩。家族庋藏,由十九世紀初潘有為奠基,經過潘正煒聽颿樓的擴展,傳到潘祖堯 所立的小聽颿樓,集思博識,是累積兩世紀品鑑、學問的結晶。縱歷中國社會興衰變遷,九代傳承至今, 歷史意義無庸置疑。

The Poon family collection carries the imprints of not just one but many fascinating personalities and histories of the same family, stretching from the beginning of the 18th century up to the present day. At the heart of the Poon family collection - pioneered by Pan Youwei in the early 19th century, followed by the Tingfanlou Collection of Pan Zhengwei and the Canton Collection of his descendent Ronald Poon - are treasures curated over two centuries of scholarly interest and refined connoisseurship. The story of how the collections came into existence and evolved in response to the vicissitudes of social changes in China within one single family, over nine generations, is remarkable to historians in its own right.


「余夙有書畫癖;三十年來,每遇名人墨蹟,必購而藏之。」潘正煒 1

“I am addicted to calligraphies and paintings. I have been compelled to acquire all the renowned artists’ works I have ever chanced upon in the past thirty years.”

Pan Zhengwei1


fig. 1. Anon., A portrait of Poankeequa III (1791-1850), hanging scroll, Qing dynasty, 19 Century 圖一 清十九世紀 《潘正煒像》 掛軸


聽颿樓的故事,得從第三代啟官潘正煒(1791-1850 年, 圖一)說起。潘正煒學有所成,授翰林院編修。他又通 法書、擅鑑辨,在潘家大院建聽颿樓庋藏墨蹟、丹青、 銅印等,當中名家書畫罕珍,時人稱絕。莊申列為清末 廣東五家名藏,實不為過。2


fig. 2. A rubbing of the Dingwu-version Orchid Pavilion Preface, Tang dynasty, Taito City Calligraphy Museum, Tokyo 圖二 唐 東晉王羲之《定武蘭亭序》韓珠船本拓片 冊頁 東京台東區立書道博物館


聽颿樓藏珍首推宋仁宗與高宗臨王羲之《蘭亭序》卷 (拍品編號 861),宸翰稀珍。王羲之《蘭亭序》其文膾炙人口,其書被奉為法書至高經典,歷代書家無不 精研臨摹。宋代第四位君主仁宗,在位時間最長,史評「為人君,止於仁。帝誠無愧焉。」雖然日理萬機,閑暇時寄情筆墨。仁宗法書著錄已稀,傳世作品更罕。趙室四代後,宋朝第十位皇帝高宗,又即南宋開國君主, 也臨《蘭亭》。二帝法書合裝一卷,題跋自南宋至清代道光,跨越七世紀。直至道光年間,宋代宸翰乃與《定武蘭亭唐榻本》共裱一卷(圖二),但現已分道揚鑣。 3 潘家珍存此卷,從潘正煒聽颿樓到潘祖堯的小聽颿樓, 逾一百七十寒暑。


The story of the Tingfanlou Collection officially began when Pan Zhengwei (also known as Poankeequa III, 1791-1850, fig. 1) built a pavilion in the family compound to house his exceptional collection of calligraphy, paintings and seals. A discerning connoisseur and renaissance man who excelled in literature and calligraphy, Pan Zhengwei was also editor of the Hanlin Academy, an elite group of scholars attached to the imperial court. He named his beloved pavilion Tingfanlou (the mansion for listening to the sails'). The collection contained an impressive array of artworks, including some of the rarest calligraphies and paintings in Chinese art history, and was named by the Chinese art historian Zhuang Shen as one of the top five art collections in Guangdong in the late Oing dynasty. 3


Chief among the treasures in the Tingfanlou Collection was the Preface to the Poems Composed at the Orchid Pavilion after Wang Xizhi by the Song Emperors Renzong and Gaozong (lot 861), an incredibly rare extant scroll of imperial calligraphy. Universally appreciated as a brilliant piece of prose and an unparalleled example of running script, calligraphers through the ages have studied and emulated Wang Xizhi's Preface to the Poems Composed at the Orchid Pavilion. Emperor Renzong, the fourth and longest-reigning emperor of the Song dynasty, is remembered by history as a benevolent leader whose "conduct as an emperor was beyond reproach." When not preoccupied by the myriad affairs of the state, Emperor Renzong devoted himself to the brush and ink. Written descriptions of his


fig. 3. Shitao (1642-after 1707), Most Spectacular Peaks, Qing dynasty. Ink on paper, handscroll. Courtesy of the Palace Museum, Beijing

圖三 清 石濤(1642-1707年後) 《搜盡奇峰圖》卷 紙本水墨 圖片鳴謝:北京故宮博物院

聽颿樓舊藏書畫,還得須提及石濤(1642-1718 年後) 的《搜盡奇峰圖》卷(圖三),筆墨豪放,峻嶺雄渾,公認乃其頂峰絕作,展中國古代山水繪畫之極至,現藏北京故宮博物院。


潘正煒為所存書畫古物,出版詳細著錄,有《聽颿樓書畫記》、《古銅印匯》 、《聽颿樓集帖》傳世,至今仍 見再版印行,極為難得。前者附價目表,為史家提供了 絕佳的文獻資料,可從中窺視當時廣東文人品味,見證 士紳透過締結姻親、拜師學徒、財政贊助、交朋識友等 組成錯綜複雜的社會網絡。是以藝術史學家官綺雲指, 由文人主導定義的經典,長期向北京和長江下游江南地 區的文化中心傾斜,聽颿樓卻為抗衡此狹隘思路引來一 股重要清流。4

在中國貿易與社會發展的歷史背景下,聽颿樓的故事強調尊榮尚古的傳統。


calligraphic work are incredibly rare, let alone surviving examples. Four generations later, Emperor Gaozong, the tenth emperor of the Song dynasty and the first of the Southern Song, composed his own version of the famed Preface to the Poems Composed at the Orchid Pavilion. The scroll contains inscriptions spanning the Southern Song to the Daoguang era of the Qing dynasty, and before the Daoguang era was in fact mounted together with an ancient rubbing of the Dingwu-version Orchid Pavilion Preface (fig: 2). For more than 170 years the scroll was privately held by the Poon family, from Pan Zhengwei's Tingfanlou Collection to Ronald Poon's Canton Collection.


Another noteworthy masterpiece that passed through the Tingfanlou Collection was Shitao's (1642- after 1718) Most Spectacular Peaks (fig: 3), now in the collection of the Beijing Palace Museum. It is widely considered to be the finest surviving work of the legendary Qing dynasty artist.Rather unusually for the time, Zhengwei authored and published a series of detailed catalogues of the best calligraphies, paintings, and other artworks in his collection. Of these volumes, Tingfanlou shuhua ji [A record of paintings and calligraphy at Tingfanloul, Gu tong yin hui [The collection of ancient bronze seals], and Tingfanlou ji tie [The Tingfanlou collection of calligraphies] survive and are still in print to this day. Importantly for historians, Zhengwei included a price list, which provided insights into elite tastes within the Canton region, as well as the complex networks of social identity formed by marriage, mentorship, patronage and friendship. His collection thus came to represent an important counterweight to the "parochialism of a literati-biased canon that favoured the cultural centres of Beijing and Jiangnan (the Lower Yangtze region)," in the words of the art historian Yeewan Koon.4



潘家原藉福建,正煒屬家族立業廣州、定居番禺後的第三代。他的袓父潘振承(1714-1788 年,圖四),洋人以啟官稱之,奠定家族基業,功不可 沒。生於福建,振承少時隨父在呂宋從事貿易生意,在馬尼拉信奉基督教、通曉西班牙語。十八世紀中葉,振承返國定居廣州,乘著「一口通商」之利,與丹麥、法國、 英倫多地均有貿易往來,經營絲綢、茶葉等買賣。


The origin story of the Tingfanlou Collection espouses the classical values of filial honour and reverence for the past, amidst the wider historical backdrop of Chinese trade and societal development. Pan Zhengwei was the third Guangzhou-based generation of a Fujian merchant family that settled in Panyu. His grandfather, Pan Zhencheng (1714-1788, fig. 4), also known as Poankeequa I, laid the foundation of this influential Canton merchant house. Born in Fujian, he worked with his father in the trading business in Manila, where he converted to Christianity and became a fluent Spanish speaker. He returned to China in the mid-18th century and settled in Guangzhou, at the time the only port open to foreign trade in the whole of China. There he traded silk, tea and porcelain with countries such as Denmark, France and England.


潘振承促成公行重設,並出任商總,在廣東叱吒風雲。 公行除了管理貿易事務,還得負責徵收關稅,以及保證外國商人與海員在華操守。公行在滿清政府與外商中間 擔當緩衝的角色,有需要時更暫代外交官員,協助處理與歐州各國關係,負起斡旋、簽約之責。1760 年代, 隨著自家商號同文行(圖五)的成立,以及個別洋行退出競爭,潘氏在貿易 76 份額中便佔了 12。


Zhencheng became a prominent figure in Canton, especially in diplomatic relations with European powers. He initiated the re-establishment of and chaired the Co- Hong, a powerful regulatory body that officially engaged in trade management, collected duties and oversaw the conduct of foreign traders and crews. The body also assumed quasi-diplomatic duties, signing contracts on behalf of the Qing government and mediating on its behalf with Western powers. By the 1760s, with the opening of his own company, Tongwen Hang (fig. 5), and the retreat of some of his major competitors, Zhencheng reportedly controlled 12 out of 76 shares into which the trade was divided.


fig. 5. Anon., The Alexander Hume Scroll Painting of Foreign Factories in Canton, 1772, gouache on silk, handscroll, 91.5 by 276.5 cm. Left detail: Tongwen Hang © Copyrights by Hong Kong Maritime Museum, no. HKMM2015.0020.0001 / 圖五 1772年 《廣州十三行洪氏卷軸》 絹本水粉 手卷 91.5 x 276.5 公分 左圖局部乃同文行舊貎 © 香港海事博物館版權所有 編號HKMM2012.0016.0001


到了 1770- 1780 年代,潘振承同文行的生意蒸蒸日上,尤其在絲綢出口及與西班牙的貿易上獨佔鰲頭。5 在清廷出口限制與 歐洲市場需求之間,面對原材料供給不穩、海難損失等, 潘振承總是沉著應對,在滿清官員之間,更是游刃有餘, 深得外商信賴,備受敬重。


By the 1770s-80s Zhencheng was one of the top players in Chinese maritime trade, dominating the silk trade and business with the Spanish in particular." He was well respected by the Europeans as a trustworthy businessman who expertly navigated the Qing court's export restrictions and the surging demands of European markets, whilst formulating solutions to key issues of the day such as the unpredictable supply of raw materials and long-distance sea voyage casualties.



1788 年潘振承辭世,四子潘有度(1755-1820 年,圖六) 繼承父業,接管同文行。潘有度為人低調,但隨著歲月 增長,他成為行商元老,在海上貿易中的地位無庸置疑, 先後兩回出任商總,廣受尊重。6 然正因如此,即使他後來決心辭退職務、結束經營近半世紀的同文行時,滿 清政府迫使潘有度重返商壇。在 1814 年,退休不過七 年後,潘有度以新商號同孚行續營外貿。7


Zhencheng's fourth son Pan Youdu (Poankeequa II, 1755-1820, fig: 6) inherited Tongwen Hang after his passing in1788. Initially reticent about assuming the limelight, he emerged as an influential player in maritime trade in his own right, serving two tenures as the chief merchant of the Co-Hong.' Such was his success that when he decided to retire and close Tongwen Hang after almost half a century in business, the Qing government urged him to return to the trade. Somewhat reluctantly, just seven years after retiring in 1814, Youdu resumed business under the new banner of Tongfu Hang.7


在潘振承的基礎上,潘有度續為家族子嗣的仕學前途籌 謀。受益於父親潘振承的支持,門第溢書香,潘有度多 名弟兄科舉有成,功名既得,供職清廷。有度在番禺的 宅第潘園中設私塾,積極栽培後代。他的兒子潘正煒, 即前述聽颿樓主人,在他辭世後接管同孚行,經營得道, 同受景仰。


Youdu also continued laying the foundations of his family's future. Many of his brothers had benefited from his father's support in the civil examinations, going on to serve the Qing court in various capacities, and Youdu founded a private school within the Panyu family compound to oversee the education of the family's younger members. His son, the aforementioned Pan Zhengwei, inherited the family business after Youdu's passing and became a successful and respected merchant in his own right.


「潘氏以至聽颿樓的源起故事,不是個
 別富商的和寡曲高,而是整個家族對
 中外事物的好知敏求、孜孜不怠,共
 同以書香學養,讓廣州成為不可忽視
 的文化樞紐。」

潘氏以至聽颿樓的源起故事,不是個別富商的和寡曲高, 而是整個家族對中外事物的好知敏求、孜孜不怠,共同以書香學養,讓廣州成為不可忽視的文化樞紐。以潘有度兄長潘有為(1743-1821 年)為例,他曾參與校對《四庫全書》。乾隆帝下旨編修《四庫全書》,收錄書目數千, 是中國歷代叢書之最。潘有為辭官後醉心蒐集書畫古物, 藏藝番禺潘園中,收蓄甚豐。潘正煒堂弟仕成(1804- 1873 年),同樣經營海貿致富,在粵築建海山仙館以藏書畫。

The story of the Poon family and the origins of the Tingfanlou Collection is not one of wealthy, isolated individuals who indulged in esoteric interests, but rather of a family whose innate curiosity in the world within and beyond China fostered a culture of scholarly excellence and reframed the Canton region as a centre of cultural importance. For example, Youdu’s elder brother Youwei (1743-1821) was one of the editors of the Siku Quanshu (“The Complete Library of the Four Treasuries”), a Chinese encyclopedia commissioned by the Qianlong Emperor which forms the largest collection of books in imperial Chinese history, and his retirement residence in the Panyu compound housed a rich collection of calligraphies, paintings and antiquities. Zhengwei’s cousin, Pan Shicheng (1804-1873), who had also experienced enormous financial success through trade, built an enviable collection of paintings and calligraphy that he named Haishan Xianguan (‘The Seamount House of Divinity’).


十九世紀中葉,國運逆轉,但憑著百折不撓的家族精神, 潘氏乘風破浪,奮力進取。隨著清廷與西方列強關係逐步惡化,對外貿易首當其衝。潘正煒身為三代行商,第一次鴉片戰爭前後,多次捐資抗英。但首次鴉片戰爭失敗後,清政府被迫開放其他港口,從此十三行不再壟斷市場,同孚行步向夕陽。清末時勢所逼,潘家各房更是顛沛流離。


This hard-won familial culture of resilience and adaptability was able to withstand the headwinds of ill- fortune. By the mid-19th century, as relations between the Qing court and Western powers deteriorated, foreign trade suffered. Zhengwei provided financial support for the Qing’s defensive campaign against the British during the First Opium War, but their defeat resulted in the forced opening of additional ports in China. The Canton merchants lost their exclusive access to international trade, and the heyday of Tongfu Hang and the Poon family business was over. Further turmoil towards the end of the Qing dynasty displaced many members of the clan.



縱然如此,仗賴前人慧智,奠基立業,潘家人才輩出, 族中多人入仕,或能書、或擅繪。潘正煒四子師徵 (1831-1894 年,圖七)乃國學生,翰林院待詔、登仕佐郎,書法得歐陽詢意韻,擅畫梅花。8 師徵三子寶珩 (1862-1927 年,圖八),光緒八年(1882 年)中舉從仕,又歷任咨議局、財政局議紳。


辛亥革命後,投資廣州電力公司,出任總理,對粵地電力發展貢獻良多。他又樂善好施,創辦廣東公醫學堂(現廣州中山大學中山 醫學院)、河南仁濟留醫院,澤延後世。9 除了祖傳古物,潘寶珩也嗜好蒐集陶古物,豐富其藏,尤好鈞瓷之雅澤麗彩,蒐集不少絕世禹州佳品,為世傳頌(拍品編號 808、圖九)。


Yet the family continued to flourish from the wisdom and foundations laid by their forefathers. The following generations produced numerous writers, painters and high officials serving the imperial court. For example, Zhengwei’s fourth son, Pan Shizheng (1831-1894, fig. 7), also a scholar of the elite Hanlin Academy, reputedly excelled in painting prunus and writing in the calligraphic style of Ouyang Xun (557-641).8 Shizheng’s third son, Pan Baoheng (1862-1927, fig. 8), served the Qing government in its last days and led the Consultative and Finance Bureaux at the turn of the century. A successful businessman and politician whose investment and involvement in the leadership of the Canton Electric Power were instrumental in developing the region’s infrastructure, he was also a noted philanthropist who founded the Guangdong Public Medical School (now the Sun Yat-sen University Zhongshan School of Medicine) and the Henan Renji Hospital.9 Fascinated by the elegance of ancient works of art, Baoheng expanded the family’s inherited art collection by acquiring some of the finest examples of dazzling blue and purple glazed Jun ceramics (lot 808, fig. 9).



fig. 9. A Junyao purple-splashed dish, Song dynasty. Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 22nd April 2021, lot 16 / 圖九 宋 鈞窰天青釉紫斑折沿盤 香港蘇富比2021 年4月22日,編號16


二十世紀初,部分族人移居香港,心仍緊繫社稷,續寫文化傳承美史。潘寶珩次子恩愷(1912-1973 年)在牛津大學攻讀法律,回港後成為首位華人法官,曾任中央裁判處首席法官,為人尊敬。潘恩愷也以藏物為好,主攻郵票、鼻煙壺。香港淪陷日治期間,悉心存珍,力保家藏器物免受損傷佚失。10

Even as members of the family migrated to Hong Kong in the early 20th century, their sense of public duty and love of their cultural heritage did not waver. Poon Yan Hoi (1912-1973), Baoheng’s second son, studied law at The University of Oxford, became the first Chinese judge in Hong Kong and served as Chief Justice of the Central Magistrate’s Office. A philatelist and a collector of snuff bottles, he managed to safeguard many heirlooms amidst the turbulent years of the Japanese occupation in Hong Kong.10

「收藏的原則只要曾經擁有,不在乎天長地久或留給子孫永享⋯⋯只要有其他藏家接手,那保存古物的使命就得到落實。 潘祖堯"11

“The principle of collecting should be one of transitional ownership and not permanent ownership... As long as there are other collectors to continue the possession of the pieces, the preservation of antiquity will be accomplished.” Ronald Poon11


潘恩愷次子祖堯(1942-2022年,圖十)建築事業有成,且熱心公共事務,對社會貢獻良多。少時因著熱忱,原以藝術家為理想。及後受恩師啟迪,望能對社會所需有更直接的貢獻,決心立志,終成建築名家。歷任多項公共要職,包括香港建築師學會會長、世界華人建築師協會創會會長、亞洲建築師學會第一任會長、香港房屋協會主席、中國全國第八、九、十及十一屆政協委員,在不同崗位惠澤社群。


Yan Hoi’s second son, Ronald Poon (1942-2022, fig. 10), enjoyed a distinguished career in architecture and public service. In his youth, he planned to become an artist as he was passionate about the arts. Yet under a mentor’s inspiration, he eventually became an architect as he believed that through architecture he could do more to positively contribute to the needs of society. Ronald served (among other roles) as President of the Hong Kong Institute of Architects, Founding President of the World Association of Chinese Architects, First Chairman of the Architects Regional Council Asia, Chairman of the Hong Kong Housing Society and 4-term Member of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).


眼見不少聽颿樓舊物流散,潘祖堯在祖傳瑰寶的基礎上,擴建收藏,命名「小聽颿樓」,以念先恩。受惠於黃寶熙(樂在軒主人,1907-1979年)及其子黃仲方(藝術家、樂常在軒主人,1943-2022年)的指導,祖堯尋珍集雅。又時與知音雅集,如建築師鍾華楠(1931-2018年)、書法家林悦恒(1935年生)、現代畫家如朱屺瞻(1892-1996年)、程十髮(1921-2007年)、黃永玉(1924-2023年)與黃胄(1925-1997年),志同道合,相知相交。祖堯博觀約取,搜羅法書、繪畫、陶瓷、家具等,門類寬廣,精品琳瑯。且又竭誠推廣中國藝術知識,積極提高賞鑑品味,1991-1993年更出任香港收藏家協會敏求精舍主席,對文化事務不遺餘力。

Although many of the Tingfanlou’s treasures had been dispersed over the centuries, Ronald set about assembling a revitalised collection of Chinese art with his inherited heirlooms, which he named the Canton Collection (or Xiaotingfanlou, “Little Tingfanlou”, in Chinese) in honour of his great-great-grandfather. Ronald embarked upon his collecting journey under the guidance of Wong Pao- hsie, master of Lezaixuan (1907-1979) and his son Harold Wong, an artist and master of Lechangzaixuan (1943- 2022). He surrounded himself with like-minded friends, including the architect Chung Hua Nan (1931-2018), calligrapher Lin Yue-hang (b. 1935), and renowned artists such as Zhu Qizhan (1892-1996), Cheng Shifa (1921-2007), Huang Yongyu (1924-2023) and Huang Zhou (1925- 1997). Ronald never sacrificed depth for breadth, building an outstanding collection which ranged from museum- worthy calligraphies and modern Chinese paintings to ceramics and furniture. From 1991 to 1993, he chaired the prestigious Min Chiu Society, the elite Hong Kong collectors’ association, cultivating the understanding and appreciation of Chinese art in his family’s new homeland.


「從潘振承到潘祖堯,作為收藏家,他們以尊古臻善為旨,追求至善至美,勉力不懈。對探索的好奇、對生命的禮贊、對真諦的渴求,正是潘氏家族的故事。」

“From Pan Zhengcheng to Ronald Poon, being a collector reflected their reverence for the past, it was an overflow of their pursuit of splendour and beauty. This intense curiosity to explore. This fascination with the wonders of life. This spiritual thirst to seek deeper truths. This is the story of the Poon family.”


潘氏成就,九代傳承,豈能以一個收藏概之?他們共創的卓犖峻業,是望族的傳奇。他們的文化足跡,猶如其海貿輝煌,永垂青史。從潘振承到潘祖堯,作為收藏家,他們以尊古臻善為旨,追求至善至美,勉力不懈。對探索的好奇、對生命的禮贊、對真諦的渴求,正是潘氏家族的故事。

Over nine generations, the Poon family achieved something more than a collection; they created a legacy of excellence that would leave its mark on the Chinese art world as much as 18th- and 19th-century international maritime trade. From Pan Zhengcheng to Ronald Poon, being a collector reflected their reverence for the past, it was an overflow of their pursuit of splendour and beauty. This intense curiosity to explore. This fascination with the wonders of life. This spiritual thirst to seek deeper truths. This is the story of the Poon family.



FAQ: Imperial Calligraphy and the Poon Family Collection

1. What makes Wang Xizhi's Preface to the Poems Composed at the Orchid Pavilion so significant in the history of Chinese calligraphy?

Wang Xizhi's Preface is considered a masterpiece of running script, revered as the pinnacle of Chinese calligraphy. Its brilliant prose and unparalleled execution have made it a model for calligraphers throughout history, inspiring countless studies and emulations.


2. Why were Song Emperors Renzong and Gaozong so drawn to practicing Wang Xizhi's calligraphy?

Both emperors held the arts in high regard and personally excelled in calligraphy. They were particularly captivated by the Preface to the Poems Composed at the Orchid Pavilion, considering it a supreme example of calligraphy and diligently studying and practicing it.


3. What is unique about the surviving calligraphy scroll featuring works by both Emperor Renzong and Emperor Gaozong?

This scroll is exceptionally rare as it features works by two Song emperors. It offers a glimpse into the imperial court's cultural milieu and the emperors' personal dedication to calligraphy. The scroll also includes inscriptions from various periods, showcasing its journey through different collectors and dynasties.


4. Who was Pan Zhengwei, and what is his connection to this scroll?

Pan Zhengwei was a prominent art collector in late Qing dynasty Guangdong. He is renowned for his "Tingfanlou Collection," which housed this scroll. He meticulously documented his collection in catalogs, providing valuable insight into the artistic tastes of the time.


5. What happened to the scroll after Pan Zhengwei's ownership?

The scroll remained a treasured possession of the Poon family for over 170 years, passed down through generations. It eventually became part of Ronald Poon's "Canton Collection," also known as "Little Tingfanlou," demonstrating the family's enduring dedication to preserving their cultural heritage.


6. How does the Poon family history intertwine with the broader historical context of China?

From international trade to cultural pursuits, the Poon family's story reflects the dynamics of Chinese society across nine generations. Their experience during the decline of the Qing dynasty and their subsequent migration to Hong Kong highlight significant historical shifts.


7. What motivated Ronald Poon to establish the "Canton Collection?"

Witnessing the dispersal of some "Tingfanlou" pieces, Ronald sought to continue his family legacy by building upon the inherited treasures. He named his collection "Little Tingfanlou" to honor his ancestors and their passion for art.


8. What is the overarching theme that connects the Poon family's passion for collecting across generations?

The Poon family's pursuit of collecting exemplifies a deep reverence for the past and a dedication to preserving cultural heritage. Their story demonstrates a fascination with beauty, a curiosity to explore, and a yearning for deeper truths embodied in art.



Timeline of Events

This timeline focuses on the transmission of the scroll featuring Emperor Renzong and Emperor Gaozong's versions of the Preface to the Poems Composed at the Orchid Pavilion.


Northern Song Dynasty:

  • 1010-1063: Reign of Emperor Renzong, known for his love of calligraphy. Creates his version of the Preface to the Poems Composed at the Orchid Pavilion on silk.

  • 1107-1187: Reign of Emperor Gaozong, also an avid calligrapher. Creates his version of the Preface to the Poems Composed at the Orchid Pavilion on paper in 1149 and gifts it to Chen Kangbo.


Southern Song Dynasty:

  • 1150: Chen Fan, possibly the son of Chen Kangbo, adds an inscription to the scroll.


Yuan Dynasty:

  • 1287-1364: Xu Youren, a prominent politician and writer, views the scroll and adds an inscription and poem.


Ming Dynasty:

  • Early Ming Dynasty: The scroll, now including both emperors' versions, a Dingwu Lanting rubbing, and He Duanli’s Xiuxi tu, is in the possession of Long Shiyu.


Qing Dynasty:

  • Early Qing Dynasty: The scroll is owned by prominent collectors Cao Rong and Liang Qingbiao.

  • Qianlong era (1735-1796): The scroll is owned by Bao Shufang, who has the calligraphy reproduced in stone rubbings.

  • 1832: Han Rongguang acquires the Dingwu Lanting rubbing in Beijing.

  • 1834-1835: Han Rongguang adds inscriptions to both Emperor Renzong and Emperor Gaozong's calligraphy.

  • 1836: Han Rongguang sells the combined scroll, which is then separated into two scrolls. One scroll features the Dingwu Lanting rubbing, while the other holds the versions by Emperors Renzong and Gaozong.

  • 1841: Pan Zhengwei obtains the Dingwu Lanting rubbing.

  • 1791-1850: Pan Zhengwei amasses a vast collection of art in his pavilion, Tingfanlou, including the scroll featuring Emperors Renzong and Gaozong's calligraphy.

20th Century:

  • 1942-2022: Ronald Poon Cho Yiu (Pan Zuyao), descendant of Pan Zhengwei, inherits the scroll and makes it a part of his Canton Collection, continuing the legacy of his family.

Cast of Characters

Emperors:

  • Emperor Renzong of Song (Zhao Zhen, 1010-1063): Fourth emperor of the Song dynasty, known for his benevolent rule and love of calligraphy. His version of the Preface to the Poems Composed at the Orchid Pavilion is a rare example of his work.

  • Emperor Gaozong of Song (Zhao Gou, 1107-1187): Tenth emperor of the Song dynasty and first emperor of the Southern Song. Also a skilled calligrapher, he gifted his version of the Preface to the Poems Composed at the Orchid Pavilion to minister Chen Kangbo.


Officials and Collectors:

  • Chen Kangbo (1097-1165): Minister under Emperor Gaozong who received the Emperor's calligraphy as a gift.

  • Chen Fan: Possibly the son of Chen Kangbo, added an inscription to the scroll in 1150.

  • Long Shiyu: Early Ming dynasty collector who owned the scroll.

  • Xiao Zi: Ming dynasty scholar who documented the scroll's existence in his writings.

  • Cao Rong: Early Qing Dynasty collector who owned the scroll.

  • Liang Qingbiao: Early Qing Dynasty collector who owned the scroll.

  • Bao Shufang: Wealthy salt merchant during the Qianlong era who owned the scroll and commissioned stone rubbings of its calligraphy.


Scholars and Connoisseurs:

  • Xu Youren (1287-1364): Yuan Dynasty politician and writer who added an inscription and poem to the scroll after viewing it.

  • Bian Yongyu: Early Qing Dynasty scholar who documented the scroll and Xu Youren's inscription in his book, "Shigutang shuhua huikao".

  • Ni Tao: Scholar who recorded Xu Youren's inscription in his book, "Liuyi zhiyi lu".

  • An Qi: Described seeing the scroll in Liang Qingbiao's possession in his book, "Moyuan huiguan".

  • Wu Qizhen: Mentioned the scroll in his book, "Shuhua ji", possibly having seen it in a friend's collection.

  • Hu Shi'an: Mentioned the scroll and included some of its inscriptions in his book, “Xitie zongwen”.


The Pan/Poon Family:

  • Pan Zhencheng (Poankeequa I, 1714-1788): Patriarch of the Pan family who established their fortune through trade in Canton.

  • Pan Youwei (1743-1821): Brother of Pan Youdu and an editor of the Siku Quanshu, amassed a large collection of art in his retirement.

  • Pan Youdu (Poankeequa II, 1755-1820): Son of Pan Zhencheng, inherited and managed the family business, Tongwen Hang.

  • Pan Zhengwei (Poankeequa III, 1791-1850): Grandson of Pan Zhencheng and owner of the famed Tingfanlou collection. He inherited the family business and continued their legacy of art collecting.

  • Pan Shicheng (1804-1873): Cousin of Pan Zhengwei who also achieved success through trade and assembled a notable art collection.

  • Pan Shizheng (1831-1894): Son of Pan Zhengwei, a scholar and artist who excelled in painting and calligraphy.

  • Pan Baoheng (1862-1927): Grandson of Pan Zhengwei, a successful businessman, politician, and philanthropist who expanded the family's art collection, notably with Jun Dynasty ceramics.

  • Pan Enkai (Poon Yan Hoi, 1912-1973): Son of Pan Baoheng, the first Chinese judge in Hong Kong. He was a dedicated collector of stamps and snuff bottles.

  • Pan Zuyao (Ronald Poon Cho Yiu, 1942-2022): Great-great-grandson of Pan Zhengwei who inherited and expanded upon the family's art collection, renaming it the Canton Collection in honor of his ancestor. A renowned architect and public figure, he continued his family’s tradition of cultural patronage.




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