Details
CollectionChinese Collection
Object numberNU11069-0
TitlePoems in Regular Script ‘Mantingfang’ Rhyme by Mao Wenheng (right) ‘Langtaosha’ Rhyme by Miu Shisun (left)
楷书满庭芳词（右）楷书浪淘沙词（左）
CreatorMao Wenheng, Miu Shisun
DescriptionOn this album leaf, there are two poems written eleven years apart. The first, in elegant regular script on the right, was composed by Mao Wenheng in the eight month of the the lunar calendar, during the first year of the Xuantong period (1909). She wrote this poem of ‘Mantingfang’ rhyme in response to a rhyme of the same name written by a certain gentleman who was known by his alias "Naan". It was also mentioned that Mao wrote this when she was a guest at an unknown official's residence in Huizhou.
The second, on the left in darker ink, was similarly penned in regular script by Naan's nephew, Miu Shisun in 1920 after the death of Naan. Miu Shisun wrote the ‘Langtaosha’ rhyme to harmonise with the rhyme of the same name left behind by his uncle in a compilation of poems. It is a mystery why Miu wrote his rhyme next to Mao's poem.
The theme of Mao's poem is centred on her longing for home. With great passion and sensitivity, she gave full expression to her nostalgic sentiments and homesickness in each line of the poem.
In the opening verse, "Lili" and "Chaisang" (both situated in the southwest of modern day Jiujiang City, Jiangxi Province) both refer to the hometown of Tao Yuanming (365 - 427), a renowned poet from the Eastern Jin period. "Wangchuan" (around modern day Lantian, Shaanxi Province) was where Tang poet cum painter Wang Wei (701 - 761) lived in peaceful seclusion in his old age. Both places were naturally suited as idyllic retreats. The remainder of the poem describes the scenery before the poet, through which she expressed her pain and loneliness at being away from home – By the banks of the misty river lined with willow trees, woodcutters and fishermen casually stroll by. What I love most is to admire the lotus after the rain and behold the stream of moonlight through the window gaps when night falls and all is quiet. An old man in straw cape returns to find that the rain has stopped with only a lonely boat sighted on shore. Today, with this book in hand I recite verses to express my homesickness and longing for watershield soup and minced perch*. How I miss the mountains and rivers of home where memories abound of elegant gatherings and banquets of old! I wonder if these places have become dilapidated and ravaged by weeds. When can we return to the old residence together?
The poem by Miu conveyed the same melancholic and bleak tone. However, unlike Mao, whose sorrow was the result of homesickness, the reason for Miu's sadness was the transient glory of the past robbed by the cruel passage of time and subverted by a new but unkind reality resented by the poet.
In the first part of the poem, Miu recounted that Naan's original place of residence was located in Yanzhi (modern day Yongchang County, Gansu Province). Later, Naan moved south along the Qinhuai River, and finally settled down in a secluded abode. It was also mentioned that his retreat was reminiscent of the ‘Wangchuan Painting', a masterpiece by Tang poet cum painter Wang Wei, which Naan had a copy made. Miu also described how much Naan missed his old home, and that although the scenery remained largely the same, the world had undergone radical transformation. He expressed explicitly how greatly saddened he was by the myriad ongoing changes he saw, which made him sigh deeply with grief.
The poem took a diversion as Miu recalled that Naan had mentioned Song Dynasty painter Li Longmian (1049 - 1106), who was also a talented poet. To Naan, the Jiangnan region was paradise on earth. However, as Miu gazed at the enchanting scene of lush willows and red lotuses before him, his heart was heavy with loneliness and sorrow, and he wondered when the next full moon would be. His heart was so overwhelmed that it had no more room for regret over Sanhai anymore. Sanhai refers to Beihai, Zhonghai and Nanhai, all located outside the Forbidden City in Beijing. According to Miu, ponds full of lotus in bloom and shady willow trees were common in the past at these places. However, they have all disappeared. He ended the poem by lamenting that "everything had vanished with the clouds and mist".
女史冒文蘅于宣统元年（1909）农历八月客徽州官邸时，创作此首 <满庭芳> 词与讷庵先生唱和。
词开首的“栗里”“紫桑”（今江西九江市西南）为东晋诗人陶渊明（365－427）故地;“辋川”（今陕西蓝田附近）则是唐画家王维（701－761）晚年隐居之处，两地皆天然付与幽居。接着作者再写眼前：柳边烟波外，柴樵渔父随意往来；最爱赏雨后荷花，夜幕人静后，月光透照窗隙。蓑翁归来时，雨已停息，只见滩外一舟孤寂。今携此册，吟咏思乡句，梦寻“莼羹鲈脍”（西晋文学家张翰做官在外，因秋风起而思念家乡的莼菜羹和脍鲈鱼，感叹人生为何图名利而远离故里，遂辞官归乡）；念故园山水泉石，忆往昔交流宴赏，再问旧迹是否杂草荒芜？几时能，共返旧茅庐？作者切切念故里之情跃然纸上。
十一年后（1920），讷庵作古，其侄缪时孙又作词 <浪淘沙> 和讷庵遗册。
词上片先述讷庵家住燕支（甘肃永昌县），后沿秦淮河水南下，觅得归隐地陶然游息；又曾摹《辋川图》一幅（唐代画家王维代表作），风景仿佛。先生久思故里松菊柴门，虽景色依旧然世情已非当日，沧海穷变今如此，怎不叫人呼告叹息！接着作者笔锋转回：讷庵曾话说李龙眠（1049－1106，宋代画家），一位词伯诗仙；又叙江南乐土地，如世外桃源。然今天，凄凉独对碧柳红荷景，可怜明月几时圆？遗世老者不再恨三海（北京紫禁城外的北海、中海和南海，昔日莲花满池，杨柳成荫，今已不见），一切都付之云烟。全词哀婉低吟出作者无奈的惆怅。
（楷书满庭芳词）Artwork text:
释文
栗里柴桑，辋川裙屐，天然付与幽居。柳边烟外，随意狎樵渔。最爱荷花雨过，人静后，夜月窗虚。蓑翁立，遥空初霁，滩外一舟孤。唏嘘，携此册，吟成乡树，梦断莼舻。念故园水绘，泉石清癯。昔日风流宴赏，问遗迹夕照烟芜，何时许，秦台共隐，归茸旧吾庐。
调寄满庭芳。宣统纪元仲秋。讷庵先生拍政。雉皋女史冒文蘅填，时客徽州府廨。
（楷书浪淘沙词）Artwork text:
释文
古岭住燕支（先生家在燕支岭），淮水家移。寓公衡泌足栖迟。摹得辋川图一幅，风景依稀。故里久思归，松菊荆扉。湖光仍是世情非，沧海横流今若此，无限吁嘘。家世说龙眠，词伯诗仙。神传妙笔有吟笺。（先生本舒人，也有龙眠山庄补图题咏殆遍）话到江南真乐土，世外桃源。对景独凄然，碧柳红荷。可怜明月几时圆。遗老顿牵三海恨，付与云烟。（京师宫外有三海，三海外又有十刹海。夏日莲花满池，杨柳成荫。今不见矣，思之怆然）
调寄浪淘沙。讷庵世丈遗册。庚申孟冬，述溪侄缪时孙敬题。
Production date 1909 - 1920
Production period1909 and 1920. 宣统元年仲秋 (1909), 庚申孟冬 (1920）
Object categoryCalligraphy
MaterialInk on Paper, Ink, Paper
Dimensions
H: 33 cm
L: 34.8 cm
H: 49.5 cm
L: 65 cm
L: 34.8 cm
H: 49.5 cm
L: 65 cm
