Character Poem in running script, Hanging Scroll
Gao Xiang
Qing Dynasty
- MEDIUM:Ink on paper
- FORMATS:Hanging scroll
- DIMENSIONS:Height 212 cm; Width 67.2 cm
Introduction
Gao Xiang was renowned primarily as a painter, yet he valued calligraphy deeply. He once said, “My painting is but a byproduct of my calligraphy, just as lyrics follow poetry.” He regarded painting as secondary to calligraphy, akin to how lyrics follow poetry.
This work is a running script (xíngshū) poem composed by Gao himself. Influenced by Shi Tao and modelled on Han dynasty stone inscriptions, his brushwork carries the lively spirit of cursive script. The characters lean vertically, occasionally incorporating seal script forms, adding a graceful flow. The strokes blend angular and rounded shapes, with varied directions and pressures, creating a whimsical effect. The inscription reads: “Written aboard a boat on the Jingjiang River in spring of the Dinghai year（1707）.” Gao was only 20 years old at the time. Jingjiang refers to Zhenjiang in Jiangsu Province, the farthest place Gao travelled from his hometown, Yangzhou—making this poem composed during a river journey a unique record of his life.
