The literary genre of tz’u lyric was developed in the Sung dynasty and flourished in the Ch’ing dynasty, thus the number of modern tz’u poets is said to be innumerable. Yet very few of them were proficient in painting. When one or two occasionally attempted to paint, they were just spontaneous works of playful brushwork. As painting is not their forte, works by tz’u poets are rare. To find a painting depicting a tz’u scene is even rarer. The form of tz’u is light and spiritual, the aspiration of tz’u is lingering and emotional, to subject a formless vision into a physical painting, only a master can possibly succeed!
In the 51st year of the Republic of China (1962), the tz’u poet Mr. Soong Hsun-leng (宋訓倫) asked Mr. P’u Ju (溥儒) to paint the vista of a tz’u lyric To the tune Che ku t’ien (鷓鴣天). Their contemporaries were overwhelmed by the artistry of the painting, it was indeed Mr. P’u’s finest painting before he passed away. On the sixtieth death anniversary of Mr. P’u, Shu Kong, son of Mr. Soong Hsun-leng, respectfully narrates the story of this painting.
Curatorial and Editorial Department
Portrait of Prince P’u Ju
Surveying the friendships of my late father Mr. Soong Hsün-leng (宋訓倫) sixty years ago, it is naturally difficult for me to grasp the full picture, being so much younger. If I try to recall my father’s conversations and examine his writings, perhaps it is possible to piece together an outline of his friendships and gain some insights here and there. In my childhood, whenever my father talked about upright and principled conduct, he liked to cite as prime examples our eminent ancestors throughout the ages, their virtuous friends and his esteemed companions. The distinguished name of Uncle P’u Ju (溥儒), hao Hsin-yü (心畬), was frequently mentioned in this context. As I began to broaden my understanding of the world, I gradually realized that virtuous character and moral conduct are qualities that inspire and encourage people. As an adult, having experienced the trials of the world, the passing of too many years, I deeply regret that those who appreciate and enjoy Uncle P’u’s calligraphy and paintings do not necessarily know of his integrity and noble character.
At one time, my father wrote an article: The Former Prince P’u Ju (舊王孫溥心畬), which gave a detailed account of Uncle P’u Ju’s moral character and artistic accomplishments. This article was published in the second issue of Ta-jen Magazine (大人) on 15 June in the 59th year of the Republic of China (1970). By then, Uncle P’u had already passed away for seven years. One month earlier, on 15 May, Ta-jen Magazine had just launched its inaugural issue in Hong Kong. Edited by Uncle Shen Wei-ch’uang (沈葦窗), Ta-jen Magazine covered a wide range of historical and literary topics. My father would occasionally contribute articles, he became an addition to its prestigious stable of writers
The Former Prince P’u Ju by Mr. Soong Hsün-leng was published in the second issue of Ta-jen Magazine dated 15 June 1970
Index page of the second issue of Ta-jen Magazine dated 15 June 1970
First page of The Former Prince P’u Ju by Mr. Soong Hsün-leng in the second issue of Ta-jen Magazine dated 15 June 1970
Title in running calligraphy script with the six characters Ch’iu wang-sun P’u Hsin-yü (舊王孫溥心畬 The Former Prince P’u Hsin-yü) by Mr. Soong Hsün-leng
Second and third page of The Former Prince P’u Ju by Mr. Soong Hsün-leng
Last page of The Former Prince P’u Ju by Mr. Soong Hsün-leng
In January of the 63rd year of the Republic (1974), on the tenth death anniversary of Uncle P’u Ju, Lang T’ao Publishing Company (浪淘出版社) in Taipei published an anthology titled Eminent Contemporary Writers Reminisce: The Former Prince P’u Ju. It included my father’s article The Former Prince P’u Ju .The title my father used was appropriated and became the title of this anthology, his calligraphy in running script with the six characters of Chiu wang-sun P’u Hsin-yü (The Former Prince P’u Hsin-yü (Ju), 舊王孫溥心畬) were also appropriated and printed on the front cover. The articles in this book are by an assortment of eminent writers from Hong Kong and Taiwan, such as Yeh Kung-ch’ao (葉公超 1904-1981), Lin Hsi (林熙 nom de plume of Kao Po-yü高伯雨 1906-1992), Chang Mu-han (張目寒 1902-1980), Wang Chuang-wei (王壯為 1909-1998), Li You （李猷 1915-1997）, Chu Sheng-chai (朱省齋 nom de plume of 朱樸 1902-1970), Chou Ch’i-tzu (周棄子 nom de plume of 周學藩 1912-1984) and others. This is the only book of remembrance published on the tenth death anniversary of Uncle P’u.
Front cover of Eminent Contemporary Writers Reminisce: The Former Prince P’u Ju published in 1974
Book title in running calligraphy script with the six characters Ch’iu wang-sun P’u Hsin-yü (舊王孫溥心畬 The Former Prince P’u Hsin-yü) by Mr. Soong Hsün-leng
Index page of Eminent Contemporary Writers Reminisce: The Former Prince P’u Ju
The Former Prince P’u Ju by Mr. Soong Hsün-leng published in Eminent Contemporary Writers Reminsce: The Former Prince P’u Ju
Back cover of Eminent Contemporary Writers Reminisce: The Former Prince P’u Ju
Another forty-nine years passed by. In December of the 112th year of the Republic (2023), on the sixtieth death anniversary of Uncle P’u Ju, the Chinese-Heritage Virtual Museum republished my father’s article The Former Prince P’u Ju, accompanied by an English translation, hoping that the rectitude, writings and arts of Uncle P’u Ju can be inspirational to Chinese, and steadily appreciated by foreigners. Indeed the seeds of Chinese classical culture can be sowed beyond our national boundaries in this time of cultural demise.
The article The Former Prince P’u Ju provides a detailed account of the story of the Che-ku t’ien Lyric Painting (鷓鴣天詞圖). As a child, I saw this painting displayed in our old home, emanating tranquility, emptiness, dejection and sorrow. Reading this article again, the feeling of melancholy only soars. Some of the passages are:
“Themes of ‘sorrowful life’ often appear in his writings, such as when he first came to Hong Kong, one autumn night he boarded a boat for pleasure and composed a tz’u lyric To the tune Che-ku t’ien (鷓鴣天). It reads:
Snowdrops falling on rushes have startled the white gulls,
And the clear waters mirror a dappled sail.
The perfumed grass is blue, limitless, immense;
A wanderer is stranded south of the river
And autumn prevails everywhere.
There are only
The moon in the sky
The house on the bank,
A light cloud, some cool dews,
And curtain hooks.
In the misty void no sign of my country dear—-
But should it appear, how much sadder indeed!
(The above tz’u was translated by Uncle T. C. Lai, a friend of Mr. Soong Hsün-leng)
The last two lines indeed speak of something directly comprehensible, but also suggest a more profound interpretation. They contain so much lamentable reflections. Moreover, this tz’u lyric is faraway in spirit and ethereally beautiful as if a painting is incorporated within the tz’u lyric. I had a sudden idea and at once begged Mr. P’u to paint this tz’u lyric into a picture, turning it into a true masterpiece under heaven. Mr. P’u agreed and said that he would slowly complete it after his arrival in Taiwan. For this kind of dedicated and meticulous work, it had to be crafted in the manner earlier described in this essay “full concentration”. It was not something that could be hastily executed under the window of a hotel room or amidst the hustle and bustle of a crowd of guests.
Che-ku t’ien Lyric Painting by Mr. P’u Ju
Detail of Che-ku t’ien Lyric Painting by Mr. P’u Ju
Detail of Che-ku t’ien Lyric Painting by Mr. P’u Ju
Detail of Che-ku t’ien Lyric Painting by Mr. P’u Ju
Sure enough, when he returned to Hong Kong the following year in autumn, he gave me the painting in person. Such was my astonishment and delight as I held and looked at it! A sense of spaciousness and subdued charm filled the entire scene, overwhelming the viewer. The pale reds and light greens were serene and elegant to their utmost, while the artistic conception and composition were transcendentally pure and unworldly. With this kind of brushwork, even Wen Cheng-ming (文徵明 1470-1559) and T’ang Yin (唐寅 1470-1524) would be humbled if they were resurrected, let alone all the other contemporary artists. In addition to inscribing the tz’u lyric To the tune Che-ku t’ien as aforementioned, he also added a colophon, the words are as follow:
“I am not skilled in tz’u lyric. By chance I composed To the tune Che-ku t’ien. When my tz’u brother Hsin-leng (心冷) saw it, he deemed it worthy of preservation and bid me to create a painting. Although I understand the rudiments of painting, it has very little aura of tz’u lyric. It is done impetuously, and only manages to convey a fraction of the aura of tz’u lyric. When Hsin-leng sees this, I hope he will not think this superficial and hollow. Written in the tenth month of jen-yin year (1962) by the Recluse of the Western Hills, P’u Ju.”
Inscription of Che-ku t’ien Lyric Painting by Mr. P’u Ju
Inscription detail of Che-ku t’ien Lyric Painting by Mr. P’u Ju
That evening I clutched this painting at a dinner gathering of Hong Kong’s literati and artists in honour of Mr. P’u at the North China Restaurant (豐澤園). Many friends at the banquet admired the painting endlessly, and unanimously agreed it was indeed an exquisite masterpiece by Mr. P’u in recent years.
I was so pleased that I made New Year greeting cards with the image of this painting and sent them to friends, as I was moved by the lines in his tz’u lyric To the tune Che-ku t’ien:
In the misty void no sign of my country dear,
But should it appear, how much sadder indeed!
I was reminded of someone who claimed to surpass Li Shih-min (李世民), T’ai-tsung Emperor of T’ang dynasty, and Chao K’uang-yin (趙匡胤), T’ai-tsu Emperor of Sung dynasty, but resulting in such a scale of sufferings and deaths across the country even ghosts wail and deities cry. Mr. P’u was a cultivated gentleman, he expressed his sentiments with sighs and laments. For me, on the other hand, I am an impassioned man, drawing my sword and bow, and smashing the spittoon. I also composed a tz’u lyric To the tune Mo yü-erh (摸魚兒), it was printed on the back of the greeting card. It reads:
How bright the moon shines
On the little rowing-skiff;
A light gull rises startled
From the misty islet.
In the vague void,
No trace
Of mountain or river,
But a deep sorrow
Etched in the mist.
The singing and the dancing,
The dazzling spectacles
On the towers and terraces –
They are fair,
But they are not those
Of our homeland.
The river is dammed,
The dream interrupted.
Memories of the taverns of olden days,
Deep in spring;
Painted beams
Where swallows age.
Gazing till the eyes break
Down the road that leads
To the old garden.
Affairs
Of a thousand years;
Vain to speak
Of the Great Emperors
Of the T’ang and Sung dynasties;
Grandiloquent poesy is
Empty
When set beside events
Past and present.
Starving swans
Circle the land,
Weeping for those
Who toil and suffer confinement;
Ghosts cry out,
Men rage.
You need not bemoan;
I will never believe,
That our sacred land
Will remain for ever
In this wretched plight.
Even now, at the
Waning hour of twilight,
There may still be a new move
On the board;
We may still see
Cloud-dragons assemble;
Soldiers and horses
Cross from Heaven.
(The above t’zu was translated by Prof. John Minford)
Greeting card sent by Mr. Soong Hsün-leng in 1962 with the Che-ku t’ien Lyric Painting on the front and the tz’u lyric To the tune Mo yü-erh on the back
Recto and verso of greeting card
After printing the greeting cards, Mr. P’u Ju happened to be still in Hong Kong. He was thrilled to see them and took more than a dozen cards. Now a number of years have gone by since Mr. P’u passed away, the rivers and mountains have remained unchanged, but there is no sign of our soldiers and horses. The will of Heaven, the affairs of men, what can one do but sigh!”
In his later years, Uncle P’u Ju visited Hong Kong three times to give lectures, hold exhibitions, enjoy crab feasts, and meet friends. In November of the 47th year of the Republic (1958), he traveled from Taiwan through Hong Kong to Thailand, for an exhibition of his calligraphy and paintings in Bangkok, with only a brief stopover in Hong Kong. His first proper visit to Hong Kong began on 15 December in the 47th year of the Republic (1958) when he arrived from Thailand, departing on 11 January the following year for Taiwan. His second visit to Hong Kong was in the 50th year of the Republic (1961), arriving on 23 October from Taiwan, returning on 27 December. His third visit to Hong Kong was in the 51st year of the Republic (1962). He arrived in October and returned in December, a leisure trip to visit friends. However the exact dates of his arrival and departure are difficult to establish.
So which year was the tz’u lyric To the tune Che-ku t’ien written? The article The Former Prince P’u Ju says:
“… such as when he first came to Hong Kong, one autumn night he boarded a boat for pleasure and composed a tz’u lyric To the tune Che-ku t’ien (鷓鴣天) …”
Based on the dates of Uncle P’u’s three visits to Hong Kong, the tz’u lyric To the tune Che-ku t’ien (鷓鴣天) should be composed between December of the 47th year of the Republic (1958) to January of the 48th year of the Republic (1959). Hong Kong is only a stone’s throw away from mainland China, writing in such proximity makes the words of the tz’u ever more melancholic.
Covering case of The Poems, Tz’u and Couplets of Han-yü T’ang (寒玉堂詩詞聯文集) by Mr. P’u Ju
Front cover of the second volume Ning-pi yü-yin tz’u (凝碧餘音詞) by Mr. P’u Ju
The tz’u title To the tune Jui che-ku (瑞鷓鴣) in Ning-pi yü-yin tz’u
The tz’u To the tune Jui che-ku (瑞鷓鴣) in Ning-pi yü-yin tz’u
Cover interior of The Poems, Tz’u and Couplets of Han-yü T’ang (寒玉堂詩詞聯文集) by Mr. P’u Ju
To the tune Che-ku t’ien (鷓鴣天) above has an earlier version before revision. It was included in the second volume titled Ning-pi yü yin tz’u (凝碧餘音詞) of The Poems, Tz’u and Couplets of Han-yü T’ang (寒玉堂詩詞聯文集) published by Ya-yün T’ang (雅藴堂) of Taipei in December of the 62nd year of the Republic (1973). In this version, seven of the characters differ, although the meaning remains more or less the same.
News of Mr. P’u Ju giving a lecture titled Chinese Literature , Calligraphy and Painting at The University of Hong Kong, Wah Kiu Yat Po Newspaper on 27 December 1958
News of Mr. P’u Ju’s exhibition of calligraphy and painting, Wah Kiu Yat Po Newspaper on 27 December 1958
At 3 pm on 22 December in the 47th year of the Republic (1958), Uncle P’u Ju at the invitation of the University of Hong Kong, delivered a lecture titled Chinese Literature, Calligraphy and Painting at the Chemistry Building auditorium. From 27 December to 29 December, over a period of three days, Uncle P’u Ju held an art exhibition at Li Po Chun Building on Des Voeux Road, Central in Hong Kong Island, a new building completed only a year before. The exhibition showcased over ninety art works of landscape, figures and calligraphy, creating a cultural sensation in Hong Kong and drawing several thousand visitors. It was attended by many members of the literary and artistic circles, such as Tso Shun-sheng (左舜生 1893-1969), Wang Shih-chao (王世昭 1905-1984), Lin Ch’ien-shih (林千石 1918-1990), Hsiung Shih-I (熊式一 1902-1991) and Tseng Hou-hsi (曾后希 1916-1999). There were many enthusiastic purchases at the exhibition opening, and my father had to make a request for the future delivery of the painting titled Goddess of Lo River (洛神圖) after it was sold a few times over. In addition, he kept a photograph taken on the opening day with Uncle P’u as a cherished memento.
Photograph of Mr. Soong Hsün-leng (left), Mr. P’u Ju (centre), Mr. Niu Chih-tzu (right) at Mr. P’u Ju’s calligraphy and painting exhibition opening on 27 December 1958,
Mr. Soong Hsün-leng’s inscription on the back of photograph
On 2 January the following year, Uncle P’u Ju delivered a lecture at New Asia College titled Calligraphy and Painting, with Prof. Ch’ien Mu (錢穆 1895-1990) presiding over the event. At 5 pm on 3 January, in response to a second invitation from the University of Hong Kong, Uncle P’u delivered a lecture at the Chemistry Building auditorium titled On the Common Origin of Calligraphy and Painting.
Recently after researching old newspapers in Hong Kong, the full texts of the three lectures: Chinese Literature, Calligraphy and Painting; Calligraphy and Painting; On the Common Origin of Calligraphy and Painting were unbelievably discovered. The texts of the speeches made by Uncle P’u Ju over sixty years ago have been unexpectedly preserved in this world! In a state of euphoria, I respectfully proofread the texts taken from the newspapers, with the intention of publishing them in succession at the Chinese-Heritage Virtual Museum. I reckon our fellow enthusiasts will likewise be ecstatic.
News of Mr. P’u Ju giving a lecture titled Calligraphy and Painting at the New Asia College, Wah Kiu Yat Po Newspaper on 3 January 1959
News of Mr. P’u Ju giving a lecture titled On the Common Origin of Calligraphy and Painting at The University of Hong Kong, Wah Kiu Yat Po Newspaper on 12 January 1959
In late October of the 50th year of the Republic (1961), Uncle P’u Ju delivered another lecture in response to a second invitation from the Art Department of New Asia College. In addition, he personally demonstrated painting techniques to students every Saturday afternoon. From 10 to 12 December, he held an art exhibition at the hall of the China Cultural Association on Haiphong Road in Kowloon, showing more than ninety pieces of calligraphy and paintings. The exhibition then relocated to the YMCA building on Des Voeux Road, Central in Hong Kong Island from 13 to 15 December, drawing several thousand visitors. It was attended by many from the literary and artistic circles, including Ch’ien Mu (錢穆 1895-1990), Tseng K’o-tuan (曾克耑 1900-1975), Yao K’o (姚克 1905-1991), Wu Chün-sheng (吳俊升 1901-2000), Kao Ling-mei (高嶺梅), Chou Shih-hsin (周士心 1923-2021), Chia Na-fu (賈訥夫 1910-1999), Chou Ch’ien-ch’iu (周千秋 1910-2006), T’u Kung-sui (涂公遂 1905-1991), Fei Tzu-pin (費子彬 1890-1981) , Wang Chih-po (王植波 1925-1964) and others.
News of Mr. P’u Ju arriving in Hong Kong from Taiwan, The Kung Sheung Daily News on 24 October 1961
News of Mr. P’u Ju invited to talk about painting by the New Asia College, The Kung Sheung Daily News on 10 December 1961
News of Mr. P’u Ju holding an exhibition of calligraphy and painting, The Kung Sheung Daily News on 10 December 1961
During Uncle P’u Ju’s second visit to Hong Kong in the 50th year of the Republic (1961), my father beseeched him to make the Che-ku t’ien Lyric Painting. As noted in the article The Former Prince P’u Ju: “Sure enough, when he returned to Hong Kong the following year in autumn, he gave me the painting in person.” The Che-ku t’ien Lyric Painting was inscribed with these words: “Written in the tenth month of jen-yin year by the Recluse of the Western Hills, P’u Ju.” Jen-yin year is 1962, the 51st year of the Republic. Thus it can be established that my father met up with Uncle P’u the year before in Hong Kong and asked for this painting.
Letter by Mr. P’u Ju to Mr. Soong Hsün-leng
Detail of letter by Mr. P’u Ju to Mr. Soong Hsün-leng
My father kept a letter from Uncle P’u Ju. It reads:
"Dear Hsin-leng (心冷):
Your communication was courteously received. Earlier, I was getting ready to leave, I dared not delay my original promise, so the painting was executed in haste. Due to my lack of concentration, there were many mistakes. Your request for my painting is a testament to your devotion to art. It should really be sent to you immediately, but with the New Year approaching and an infinitude of matters at hand, I prefer to wait for a more leisurely moment to paint the work for you. Nonetheless, I dare not delay this for too long. Recently, I took a trip to Feng-huang Pavilion (鳳凰閣) in the mountains.
I wrote this letter in haste. Wishing you both peace and well-being.
Respectfully,
P’u Ju."
Hsin-leng (心冷meaning heartsick) was the nom de plume adopted by my father after abandoning his earlier pen name Yü-li (玉貍) following the fall of mainland China. The first part of the letter referred to the painting Goddess of Lo River that my late father commissioned in the 47th year of the Republic (1958). It was personally handed over to him during Uncle P’u Ju’s second visit to Hong Kong in the 50th year of the Republic (1961). The second part of the letter suggested that Uncle P’u would paint the Che-ku t’ien Lyric Painting when he had time. The final part of the letter mentioned a recent trip to Feng-huang Pavilion in the mountains. Feng-huang Pavilion is a hot spring hotel in Pei-t’ou, Taipei, frequented by Uncle P’u. In the 47th year of the Republic (1958), Uncle P’u made a painting titled Autumn Scenery of Feng-huang Pavilion, and in the following year, he composed a poem titled Feng-huang Pavilion. The poem was included in The Poems, Tz’u and Couplets of Han-yü T’ang (寒玉堂詩詞聯文集). One could deduce that the letter was written in January of the 51st year of the Republic (1962), shortly before the Chinese New Year.
The article The Former Prince P’u Ju further describes the scene whereby Uncle P’u handed over the Che-ku t’ien Lyric Painting in the winter of the 51st year of the Republic (1962). It says:
“That evening I clutched this painting. at a dinner gathering of Hong Kong’s literati and artists in honour of Mr. P’u at the North China Restaurant (豐澤園), Many friends at the banquet admired the painting endlessly, and unanimously agreed that it was indeed an exquisite masterpiece by Mr. P’u in recent years.”
In the 46th year of the Republic (1957), the North China Restaurant opened its doors at 7A Hart Avenue in Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong. It became a prominent restaurant serving food from Peking. The entrance was decorated with a horizontal calligraphic plaque by Uncle Chang Da-chien (張大千 1899-1983), a prominent artist. When the literati of Hong Kong entertained Uncle P’u at the North China Restaurant in the 51st of the Republic (1962), the food probably provided some solace for his homesickness.
Street view of signage of North China Restaurant on Hart Avenue, Tsimshatsui Sha Tsui in the 60s
Night view of signage of North China Restaurant on Hart Avenue, Tsimshatsui Sha Tsui in the 60s
In the winter of the 51st year of the Republic (1962), my father composed a t’zu lyric To the tune Mo Yü-erh in response to Uncle P’u’s lyric To the tune Che-ku t’ien. He then printed the Che-ku t’ien Lyric Painting and the lyric To the tune Mo Yü-erh on the front and back of a greeting card design, presenting an unprecedented level of literary refinement for the genre of greeting cards. A short preface is attached to the lyric Mo Yü-erh. The Preface had been translated by Prof. John Minford. It reads:
"Mr. P’u Hsin-yü (Ju) came on a short visit to Hong Kong. He showed me a lyric he had written To the tune Che-ku t’ien, which included the lines:
In the vague void,
No trace
Of mountain or river;
But if the moon did shine
On mountain and river,
Then that sight
Would be sadder still.
He subsequently presented me with one of his own paintings done in the detailed and delicate k’ung-pi style. I expanded the inner meaning of these lines of his in a lyric of my own.
At this time China Mainland was for most a living hell, while some were busy writing in a distorted way, speaking ill of the ancient Emperors of the T’ang and Sung dynasties, simply as a way of boosting their own fame. (This is a reference to lines in a famous, or infamous, lyric written by Mao Tse-tung in 1936, ‘Snow’, to the tune ‘Ch’in-Yüan ch’un’:
The first Emperors of the T’ang and Sung dynasties Had little poetry in them.)
What a ridiculous spectacle that was!”
Mr. T. C. Lai attending the exhibition opening of The Cultural World of a Ci Poet in Hong Kong on 8 September 2006, Mr. Yeung Chun-tong (right), Mr. Soong Shu Kong (left)
Front cover of Chinese Painting-Its Mystic Essence by Mr. T. C. Lai
Inscription on title page by Mr. T. C. Lai
Index page of Chinese Painting-It’s Mystic Essence by Mr. T. C. Lai
Che-ku t’ien Lyric Painting by Mr. P’u Ju published in Chinese Painting-Its Mystic Essence, with an English translation of Che-ku t’ien lyric by Mr. T. C. Lai
In the 63rd year of the Republic (1974), the well-known author and translator from Hong Kong, Uncle Lai T’ien-ch’ang (賴恬昌 1921-2022), compiled a book titled Chinese Painting-Its Mystic Essence (題畫詩文譯釋). He borrowed and photographed the Che-ku t’ien Lyric Painting from my father for his book. He also made an English translation of Uncle P’u Ju’s tz’u lyric To the tune Che-ku t’ien . He wrote a dedication on the title page of the book with these words:
"For the rectification of my elder brother Hsün-leng,
A gift from the younger brother T’ien-ch’ang.’74, 10, 9."
Prof. John Minford (centre), Ms. Jane Hayter-Hames (right), Mr. Soong Shu Kong (left) in Hong Kong on 7 April 2023
Front cover of The Fragrant Hermitage
Back cover of The Fragrant Hermitage with English title. Translation by Prof. John Minford
Back cover of The Fragrant Hermitage with English title. Translation by Prof. John Minford
Foreword by Mr. John Minford
First page of Lyric Twenty Four To the tune Mo yü-erh translated by Prof. John Minford
Second and third page of Lyric Twenty Four To the tune Mo yü-erh translated by Prof. John Minford
In another twenty-nine years, in August of the 92nd year of the Republic (2003), I invited the renowned sinologist Prof. John Minford to translate my father’s t’zu anthology The Fragrant Heritage (馨菴詞稿), becoming an early example of English translation of a full volume of tz’u lyrics. Prof. Minford wielded his erudite pen, dipped into the inkwell of the spirit of t’zu lyric, crossed the cultural barriers of East and West, and forged a remarkable poetic spectacle. In the 94th year of the Republic (2005), the Chinese-English bilingual edition of The Fragrant Heritage was published, accompanied by two CDs featuring the recorded recitation by my father. After nearly one thousand years, the refined sounds of the tz’u poet can finally be heard in the world.
Front of CD cover
Inside of CD cover
Uncle P’u Ju’s peers of course admired his art, writings and comportment. Those who were his seniors also held him in high esteem. An example is Chu Ju-chen (朱汝珍 1870 - 1942), a loyalist or i-min (遺民) of the Ch’ing dynasty. His letter to T’ang En-p’u (唐恩溥 1881-1961) says：
“Recently I received from P’eng Hsiu-k’ang (彭秀康) a painting by P’u Hsin-yü (apparently it was sent via four separate post offices to avoid the risk of loss). It is exquisite, the more he emulates the ancients the more sublime his work becomes. His work has reached the artistic realm of Li Chao-tao (李昭道 675-758 AD). The details of the buildings are exceptionally intricate, but the tip of his brushwork emancipates the ambience of antiquity, without any of the common touches found in the works by artisans. This is what makes it so remarkable.
My cultivated friend, what do you think?
To T’ien-ju (En-p’u), my fellow public examination candidate.
Homage from your younger brother, Ju-chen, on the 19th day of chia-p’ing (嘉平) month.”
Chia-p’ing is the twelfth month of the lunar calendar. The postmark on the envelope is dated 16 December 1940. The admiration professed by Chu Ju-chen is most genuine.
Portrait of Mr. Chu Ju-chen
Letter by Chu Ju-chen to T’ang En-p’u
Detail of letter by Chu Ju-chen to T’ang En-p’u
Envelope of letter by Chu Ju-chen to T’ang En-p’u
Detail of postage stamp and chop on envelope
Chu Ju-chen (朱汝珍1870-1943), hao P’in-san (聘三), Ai-yüan (隘園), tzu Yü-t’ang (玉堂), native of Ch’ing-yüan (清遠), Kwangtung Province. In the 29th year of the Kuang-hsü reign (1903), he attained the chü-jen (舉人) degree. In the 30th year of the Kuang-hsü reign (1904), he took part in the special irregular metropolitan examination and came second, known as pang-yen (榜眼) and attained the chin-shih (進士) degree. He was appointed junior compiler of the Hanlin Academy. In the 32nd year of the Kuang-hsü reign (1906), he was dispatched to study law at Hosei University in Tokyo, Japan. Upon returning to China, he became a professor at the Law Department of the Imperial University of Peking. At the same time, he worked on legal amendments and contributed to the establishment of commercial law. He held numerous positions, including chief proofreader and editor at the True Records Institute, assistant editor and editor at the Historiography Institute, Hall of Military Glory, Hanlin Academy, the Law Institute, and the chief editor of the History of Ch’ing-yüan County (清遠縣志). Later, he took a teaching position at the University of Hong Kong, served as president of the Hong Kong Ch’ing-yüan Association, and became dean of the Hong Kong Confucian Academy. He also travelled to Southeast Asia to promote Confucian teachings. His works include A Compendium of the Hanlin Academy (T’zu-lin chi-lüeh詞林輯略), A Rhythmic Compilation of Surnames in the Hanlin Academy (T’zu-lin hsing-shih yün-pien 詞林姓氏韻編), A Record of Imperial Admonitions (Pen-chi sheng-hsün本紀聖訓) and Comparative Study of Chinese and Foreign Criminal Laws (Chung-wai hsing-fa pi-chiao 中外刑法比較).
In the 38th year of the Republic (1949), as mainland China fell to the communists, Uncle P’u Ju arrived in Taiwan. He wrote a letter to President Chiang Kai-shek, elucidating the Chinese communists’ attempt to lure him to capitulate and his own resolve. However, the courier of the letter died in a car accident before its delivery. After a tortuous journey, the letter eventually ended up in the collection of the National Museum of History. The letter reads:
“To the esteemed President Kai-shek:
Respected recipient, when I was previously living in Hang-chou, I received your kind words of concern and I am most grateful. Since taking refuge in Shanghai, I have barely managed to sustain myself by selling paintings. After receiving a telegram from the fraudster-government in Peiping (Peking) that asked me to return to Peiping (Peking), and to join the political advisory body of the fraudster-government, I made up some story and declined their offer. However, they followed up with a public announcement appointing me to a ministerial position.
The night I heard this news, I secretly crossed the Wu-sung River in a small fishing boat to Ting-hai. Now I have arrived in Taiwan. However, I was unable to bring any luggage nor money, my financial situation is now worse than in Shanghai. Although I am impoverished, I find solace in upholding righteousness. Previously, I had tried to persuade the Manchu people in Peiping to conduct themselves according to moral principles, that they should not attend any meetings organized by the fraudster-government. Therefore, fortunately, there are no Manchu representatives among the minority ethnic clans in the fraudster-political advisory body.
Now, the people in the occupied areas are looking to the government to save them from their predicament, hoping the President will make exceptional efforts to appoint capable individuals, eradicate corrupt practices, improve the treatment of soldiers, implement cooperation between the military and civilians. The recovery of the lost territories will be as easy as the turning of the hand.
I am deeply indebted to the President’s empathy and recognition, thus daring to express my thoughts so frankly. I aspire to retain my untainted integrity, to uphold Righteousness that pervades Heaven and Earth. In my state of dire poverty, I yearn to continue the will of a Confucian. With utmost sincerity, I await the President’s consideration in reverence.
Respectfully submitted by P’u Ju."
Uncle P’u Ju motivated himself according to the principles of moral conduct. For my father, his contemporaries, those southbound men and women, was it not the same? In the midst of a disintegrating world, their rectitude held high the infinite sky. Some applied their thoughts to t’zu lyrics, leaving behind works such as To the tune Che-ku t’ien and To the tune Mo Yü-erh. A sexagenarian cycle of sixty years afterwards, Uncle P’u, my father, his contemporaries, and those southbound men and women, have all passed away. Perusing the mountains and rivers, there is nothing else but regret and sorrow.
Portrait of Prince P’u JuTop of Form
Related Contents：
Virtual Homage at the Tomb of Mr. P'u Ju (溥儒)
The Former Prince P'u Ju (溥儒), by the late Mr. Soong Hsün-leng
Chinese Literature, Calligraphy and Painting; Text of 1st Hong Kong Lecture by Mr. P'u Ju (溥儒)
Calligraphy and Painting, Text of 2nd Hong Kong Lecture by Mr. P’u Ju (溥儒)
On the Common Origin of Calligraphy and Painting, Text of 3rd Hong Kong Lecture by Mr. P'u Ju(溥儒)
