Artist: Hai Rui (1513-1587)
Date: Ming (1368-1644)
Material: Ink on paper
Hai Rui (1513-1587), also known by his zi (designated name) Ruxian and hao (literary name) Gangfeng, was a renowned incorruptible official of the Ming dynasty from Qiongzhou (in present-day Haikou, Hainan province). He redirected the Wusong River to merge with the Huangpu River before reaching the sea, which benefited six Jiangnan prefectures. Together with Xia Yuanji of the early Ming, Hai Rui established the current Huangpu River water system, leaving a lasting legacy. His surviving calligraphy is exceptionally rare. This work displays elegant structure and restrained brushwork. The phrase "one fishes with a hook, not a net" reflects his virtue of taking in moderation. The content and the style of the calligraphy respond to each other.
