In the upcoming autumn auction of China Guardian in the middle of November of 2010, a hand scroll of Wang Xizhi’s calligraphy work-The Safety Wish Script, will be auctioned. Wang Xizhi, is known as China’s most respected calligraphy master, living in the Jin Dynasty, around 4th century. According to China Guardian Vice President cum General Manager of Classic Painting Dept., Ms. Hu Yanyan, “Emperor Qianlong spoke highly of this script and compared it to Wang Xizhi’s Sunshine after Fast Snow Script, which is a treasure of the Qing Royal Court. No ancient transcription work of Wang Xizhi that can exceed it.”
According to record, the original scroll had nine rows and was afterwards divided into two parts. The first half with four lines of forty one words is about to appear in China Guardian 2010 Autumn Auction.
This script was inscribed by Emperor Qianlong twice and listed in the Shih-ch'u Pao-chi – Sequel. Collected by many collectors one after another, it has an orderly succession history and is of extreme rarity. After long and hard research, it is discovered to be collected by connoisseur Ke Jiusi in the Yuan Dynasty, then collected by collector Li Jin during early Ming Dynasty and Wen Zhengming, a minister as well as an artist, afterwards. After appearing in Beijing during Wanli years, it was discovered by Wang Shimao, Sun Kuang and others, collected by collector Wu Jiafeng during late Ming Dynasty in Xi County, Anhui, and then collected privately by Cao Rong, Li Zongkong and Liang Qingbiao during early Qing Dynasty, and later collected by the Royal Court. Its public and private collection stamps as well as succession history after the Yuan Dynasty are all verifiable and reliable, casting no doubt on its rarity. Many people are looking forward to its appearance in China Guardian 2010 Autumn Auction, and it is bound to be the center of attention.
China Guardian 2010 Autumn Auction preview will be on from November 17th to 19th and the auction will be conducted from 20th to 23rd (the Stamps, coins and bronze mirror auction lots can be viewed from November 10th to 11th and the auction from Nov. 12th to 17th), all at the venue of Beijing International Hotel Conference Center.