Artist: Sima Guang (1019-1086)

Date: Northern Song (960-1127), dated 1085

Material: Ink on paper

• Object Type：
  • CALLIGRAPHY
• Location：
  • Chinese Calligraphy Gallery
• Tag：
  • regular script album leaf sima guang northern song 1085 ink paper

Sima Guang (1019-1086), also known by his zi (designated name) Junshi and his hao (literary name) Yusou, was also called Sushui Xiansheng. He was native to Xia county of Shanzhou (present-day Xia county, Shanxi province). He became a jinshi (a successful candidate in the imperial examination) in the first year (1038) of the Baoyuan era. He was the chief of Shangshusheng (Department of State Affairs). He was skilled in calligraphy, excelling in seal and clerical scripts. This is a personal letter to his nephew, Sima Fu, advising him to resign from his official post to care for his parents. It was written in the eighth year (1085) of the Yuanfeng era, when the author was 67 years old.