Huang Tingjian (1045–1105), a Northern Song poet and calligrapher. His courtesy name was Luzhi; he was also known as 山谷道人 and 涪翁, and he came from Fenning in Hongzhou (modern Xiushui, Jiangxi).
He was the second son of 黃庶 and a grandson of 黃湜; his elder brother was 黃大臨 and his younger brother 黃叔達. He married 孫氏 and 謝氏; his fathers-in-law included 孫覺 and 謝景初.
Life and career
In 1067, the fourth year of the Zhiping era, he passed the jinshi examination. He was then appointed county lieutenant of Ye. At the beginning of the Xining era, he became a professor at the Beijing Imperial College. Wen Yanbo valued his ability.
In 1080, the third year of Yuanfeng, he became magistrate of Taihe in Ji prefecture; in 1083, the sixth year, he was assigned to supervise Deping Town in Dezhou. As magistrate of Taihe, he governed through moderation and simplicity. After Zhezong's accession, he was summoned as 校書郎 and reviewer of 《神宗實錄》. The following year he advanced to 著作佐郎 and 集賢校理, and was promoted to 起居舍人 and 秘書丞. He also served as a compiler of the national history. His other appointments included governor of Shu prefecture, county registrar of Yugan, commander of Nanping Army, and the titles 朝請郎 and 上輕車都尉.
At the beginning of the Shaosheng era, he was sent out as governor of Xuanzhou and then Ezhou. Zhang Dun and Cai Bian impeached him, alleging that his work on the 《神宗實錄》 contained many fabrications. He was demoted to assistant prefect of Fuzhou, placed under residence in Qianzhou, and later transferred to Rongzhou. He was also placed on the Yuanyou Party roster. When Huizong ascended the throne, he was recalled and appointed governor of Taiping. He was soon stripped of office for a literary offense and confined to Yizhou. He died in 1105 at his place of banishment in Yizhou, aged sixty-one.
Thought, poetry, and calligraphy
Huang Tingjian was a devout Buddhist and a dharma heir of the Chan master Huanglong Zuxin (1025–1100). He excelled in poetry, ci lyrics, and prose, was recognized by Su Shi, and, with Zhang Lei, Chao Buzhi, and Qin Guan, was known as one of the Four Scholars of Su Shi's circle. He is also grouped among the Six Worthies of Su Men.
His poetics revered Du Fu, emphasized rhetoric and sentence-making, insisted that “not a single character lacks a source,” and founded the Jiangxi poetry school. His poetry was deeply conceived, rich in allusion, and distinctive in style; he was ranked with Su Shi as “Su-Huang,” and with Du Fu, Chen Shidao, and Chen Yuyi as the “One Ancestor and Three Masters”. His calligraphy excelled in the running and cursive scripts, while his regular script developed an individual style; with Su Shi, Mi Fu, and Cai Xiang, he was counted among the Four Great Song Calligraphers.
Works
His works include 《豫章黃先生文集》, 《外集》, 《別集》, 《遺文》, 《山谷老人刀筆》, and 《山谷琴趣外篇》. Other titles include 《豫章集》, 《山谷集》, and 《山谷詞》. The catalogue also lists 《山谷題跋》, 《涪翁雜說 一卷》, and 《士大夫食時五觀 一卷》.
Legacy and surviving traces
During the Yuanyou era (1086–1094), he repeatedly visited the Yellow Crane Tower and the South Tower and wrote four poems titled 《鄂州南樓書事》; the line “江東湖北行畫圖，鄂州南樓天下無” became a celebrated line about the South Tower. The ancient stele gallery of the Yellow Crane Tower still preserves a “燕蝶” couplet stele assembled and engraved from characters in his calligraphy.
References
- CBDB Huang Tingjian (7111)
- 搜韵 黃庭堅 (34455)
- 法鼓佛教人名规范数据库 黃庭堅 (A008471)
- Wikidata Huang Tingjian (Q709460)