六研齋筆記

Liùyánzhāi bǐjì 六研齋筆記

Notes from the Studio of Six Inkstones

by 李日華 (Lǐ Rìhuá, 1565–1635, zì Jūnshí 君實), connoisseur and Vice Court-Master of the Imperial Stud, Jiāxīng literatus.

About the work

A late-Míng bǐjì in three series, each of 4 juàn (12 juàn in total per the Míng shǐ Yìwénzhì), the WYG copy being the first series. Compiled by 李日華 (Lǐ Rìhuá), jìnshì of 1589 and one of the most refined connoisseurs and collectors of the late Míng. The book records his viewings of paintings and calligraphies — approximately eight-tenths of the entries treat art works. The Sìkù editors describe the style as imitating the tíbá (colophon) form, since Lǐ had spent so long handling brocade-wrapped scrolls and jade-spool axles that his mind was steeped in them and his hand naturally fell into that register. Each authentic work has its inscriptions, postface remarks, year, and signatures fully transcribed — making the book a substantial documentary record of late-Míng holdings. Wáng Shìzhēn 王士禛 (the early-Qīng critic, see KR3j0162 etc.) listed a number of misattributions in Lǐ’s records: confusing Hán Yù’s Shān shí poem with one by Bái Jūyì and Lù Yóu; confusing Táng Zhuāngzōng’s Rú mèng lìng with Lǐ Bái; confusing Wéi Yìngwù’s Xī jiàn with Dù Mù; and supposing Lín Bū to have been a contemporary of Wén Tóng and Lǐ Gōnglín, or Zhào Bǐngwén to have been a Yuán figure. The Sìkù editors conclude: skilled in connoisseurship, careless in kǎozhèng.

Tiyao

We respectfully submit that Liùyánzhāi bǐjì in 4 juàn, èrbǐ (second notebook) in 4 juàn, and sānbǐ (third notebook) in 4 juàn was compiled by Lǐ Rìhuá of the Míng. Rìhuá’s zì was Jūnshí, a Jiāxīng man; jìnshì of Wànlì jǐchǒu (1589); held office up to Tàipúsì shǎoqīng (Vice Court-Master of the Imperial Stud). Skilled in calligraphy and painting; so this book in records of calligraphy and painting accounts for eight-tenths. His diction is pure and refined; his style throughout resembles tíbá (colophon-form), for, having long handled brocade-wrap and jade-spool scrolls and viewed them, his intent had merged with them, so when he set down brush he naturally took on their manner.

Other miscellaneous matters recorded are also neatly elegant. For every genuine work he completely records the inscriptions, colophon-words, year, and surname — so it is also valuable for kǎozhèng.

Wáng Shìzhēn once criticized him: taking Hán Yù’s Shān shí poem as Bái Jūyì or Lù Yóu’s work; taking Táng Zhuāngzōng’s Rú mèng lìng poem as Lǐ Bái’s work; taking Wéi Yìngwù’s Xī jiàn poem as Dù Mù’s work; treating Lín Bū as contemporary with Wén Tóng and Lǐ Gōnglín; treating Zhào Bǐngwén as a Yuán person — all criticized as errors.

Others, such as listing Sū Ruòlán alongside Bóhǎishì Gāo among capable woman calligraphers — without knowing on what evidence; and Wén Zhēngmíng’s poem zhúfú diàoshuǐ shāquán huó — this line uses Sū Shì’s poetic words (now to be seen in the Dōngpō jí), but [Lǐ] takes it as referring to Wúzhōng gentlemen sending men to Bǎoyún to fetch water, first giving the mountain-monk a bamboo chóuzǐ as token, the affair not before-used by others — also rather slipshod and oversighted.

In general: skilled in shǎngjiàn (connoisseurship) and rough in kǎozhèng. Men each have what they can and cannot do; take what is their strength, that is enough.

This book is divided into three collections, each collection of 4 juàn; the Míng shǐ Yìwénzhì records it as 12 juàn — generally counted; in fact it is just these three collections.

Respectfully revised and submitted, seventh month of the forty-third year of Qiánlóng (1778).

Abstract

The Liùyánzhāi bǐjì is the principal connoisseurship bǐjì of 李日華 (Lǐ Rìhuá, 1565–1635), one of the most cultivated late-Míng art collectors and an important figure in the social network of late-Míng Jiāxīng (Zhèjiāng) literati culture. Lǐ’s collection (the Liùyán zhāi “Studio of Six Inkstones”) and his daily rìjì (the Wèishuǐ xuān rìjì 味水軒日記) make him one of the most extensively documented late-Míng connoisseurs.

The book’s principal contributions:

1. Documentation of late-Míng holdings. Lǐ records inscriptions, colophons, dates, and seal-impressions for many paintings and calligraphies — invaluable for tracking the provenance of late-Míng collections.
2. Connoisseurship voice. Lǐ’s idiom — modeled on the colophon-form (tíbá) — is a deliberate stylistic choice, reflecting his immersion in the visual culture of the late Míng.
3. Three-series structure. The work survives in three series of 4 juàn each (the second and third now called Èr bǐ and Sān bǐ respectively). The WYG copy is here the first series; the second and third circulate separately.

Wáng Shìzhēn’s strictures — collected here by the Sìkù editors — illustrate the limitations of Lǐ’s textual kǎozhèng (philological criticism). The Sìkù verdict is that he was skilled in connoisseurship but careless in textual scholarship.

Dating. Lǐ retired in his middle career and the book is dateable to the late Wànlì through the Tiānqǐ / Chóngzhēn years. NotBefore 1610 (early-mid Wànlì middle), notAfter 1635 (his death). The three series accreted over time.

Translations and research

Substantial Western-language scholarship exists on Lǐ Rì-huá as a connoisseur:

• Patricia Berger, Empire of Emptiness: Buddhist Art and Political Authority in Qing China, Hawai’i, 2003 — cites Lǐ.
• Craig Clunas, Superfluous Things: Material Culture and Social Status in Early Modern China, Polity Press, 1991 — Lǐ Rì-huá is treated as a principal figure in late-Míng connoisseurship discourse.
• Jonathan Hay, Sensuous Surfaces: The Decorative Object in Early Modern China, Hawai’i, 2010 — engages with Lǐ’s writings on materials.

Links

• Sìkù quánshū zǒngmù tíyào, Zǐbù · Zájiā lèi 3, Liùyánzhāi bǐjì entry.