A Consoling Letter (Pingfu Tie) by Lu Ji

A Consoling Letter (Pingfu Tie) by Lu Ji

A Consoling Letter is the only existing calligraphic work by Lu Ji, a renowned writer and calligrapher in the Western Jin Dynasty (265-317). With 86 Chinese characters inscribed on a piece of linen paper in nine lines, it is a letter written by Lu to console his sick friend, hence its name.

Historically, this calligraphic work had been successively held by several officials and scholars of different periods.

After the collapse of the Qing Dynasty, it was acquired by calligrapher and painter Pu Ru, who was a cousin of Puyi, the last emperor of China. Back then, many descendants of the Qing royal family made a living selling their collections.

Chinese collector Zhang Boju feared that this national treasure would be lost overseas, so he proposed to Pu Ru three times to buy the calligraphic work. In 1937, Pu Ru was in urgent need of money for his mother's funeral and sold it to Zhang at a price of 40,000 yuan. In 1956, Zhang Boju and his wife donated several calligraphy and painting masterpieces, including A Consoling Letter, to the government, which is now held in the Palace Museum.

A Consoling Letter is the oldest authentic work by a famous ancient calligrapher that has been handed down to this day. Dubbed the "Ancestor of Model Calligraphy", it is of great importance to study the evolution of calligraphic styles and the Western Jin culture.

陆机《平复帖》

《平复帖》是西晋文学家、书法家陆机唯一存世的书法作品，以草隶书写于牙色麻纸上，共9行86字，是陆机写给友人问候疾病的信札，用笔质朴古雅。因写到病体“恐难平复”，故名《平复帖》。

此帖先后被历代多名官员和文人收藏。清朝灭亡后，归末代皇帝溥仪堂兄、书画家溥儒所有。当时皇室后人多靠变卖收藏维持生计，收藏家张伯驹恐国宝流失海外，先后三次向溥儒提出购买。1937年，溥儒因为母治丧急需款项，张伯驹以四万元重金购得此帖。1956年，张伯驹夫妇将《平复帖》等多幅书法和绘画名迹捐赠国家，该帖最终由故宫博物院收藏。

《平复帖》是现存最早且流传有序的名家书法真迹，有“法帖之祖”的美誉，对书法风格演变和西晋文化研究有着极为重要的意义。