Montessori Academy of Batavia – 2013 Montessori Online Auction
Auction Ends: May 12, 2013 08:00 PM CDT

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Calligraphic Scroll

Item Number
363
Estimated Value
145 USD
Sold
50 USD to MYahnke
Number of Bids
4  -  Bid History

Item Description

This item is beautiful, unique, and you won't find one like it anywhere else!  Donated by one of our Montessori parents, this work of art will make an amazing addition to your decor!

The scroll is the excerpt of the Thousand Character Essay.

The Thousand Character Essay is the Chinese nation's earliest and most widespread basic literacy text.  Today it is mostly used for calligraphy, personal improvement and preparation for study of classical Chinese. The original essay was written by Zhou Xingsi (AD?-521) of the Southern dynasties' period Liang Dynasty, about 1,500 years ago.  According to legend, Emperor Wu (ruled AD 502-547) of Liang sought a Chinese character literacy text for his son.  The talented scholar selected a thousand non-redundant characters from work left behind by famed calligrapher Wang Xizhi (AD 321-379) and created a full rhyming text of four-character couplets, eight characters per line in seven chapters. 

 

The translation of some couplets are below:

 

The beginning of writing; what's more, wearing clothes

Relieve the people, right the wrong; as did Zhou1 Fa1, as did Yin1-Tang1.

Presiding at court and asking the Way; gracious yet lordly, discuss and decide

These bodies and this hair of ours; Four Great Things, Five Principles

Aware of wrong, you must then change; mind the limits of your strength

Refrain from talk of others' faults; don't rest upon your strengths.

These bodies and this hair of ours; Four Great Things, Five Principles

Item Special Note

*Scroll is approximately 8 ft in length (top to bottom).

Donated By:

Jane Fang