博
Artist: Qian Chu (929-988)
Date: Five Dynasties (907-979)
Material: Ink on paper
Qian Chu (929-988), originally named Hongchu, was also known with his zi (designated name) Wende. He was the grandson of Qian Liu, the ninth son of Qian Yuanguan, and the third king of the Wu-Yue State, posthumously honored as Zhongyi. The five kings from three generations of the Qian family upheld the state policy of "protecting the realm and ensuring the safety of the people", making Wu-Yue a peaceful and prosper area in a chaotic era. Qian Chu reigned for thirty years. In the third year (978) of the Taiping Xingguo era, he surrendered his territory to the Song dynasty, sparing the Zhedong and Zhexi regions (present-day Zhejiang province and south Jiangsu province) from the ravages of war. Qian Chu facilitated unification of the nation for the Song dynasty. Qian Chu's calligraphy is vigorous and robust, following the stylistic standards of the Tang dynasty, yet exuding a gentle and tranquil demeanor. This rubbing is from the Southern Song Lanting Xu Tie.
