Excerpts from “The Commentary on The Book of Changes” in Seal Script 《篆书节录〈周易·文言传〉四条屏》

Yang Yisun (1813–1881)
Yang Yisun, courtesy name Ziyu and pseudonym Yongchun, later signed as Haoguan, Haosou, and Guanhao Jushi, was a native of Tianzhuang, Changshu (present-day Zhangjiagang, Jiangsu). Born into a scholarly family, Yang displayed a strong passion for learning from a young age. He studied under the representative scholar of the Changzhou “Yanghu Literary School,” Li Zhaoluo, focusing on classical texts and philology, with a particular interest in The Guanzi and Zhuangzi. In 1843, during the 23rd year of the Daoguang reign, he became a successful imperial examination candidate. In 1853, Yang was appointed as magistrate of Tongling, Anhui, and later transferred to Yishan. Due to the Taiping Rebellion, he could not assume his post. He supported military affairs under the governors of Anhui and Jiangxi, receiving a promotion to prefect of Fengyang for his contributions. After mourning his father’s death in 1868, Yang declined to return to office and instead devoted himself to scholarship and calligraphy. In his later years, he settled in Ancheng (modern Qianshan, Anhui), earning a living through his artistry.

Yang Yisun’s greatest achievements in calligraphy lay in seal script, which had a profound influence on later generations. His seal script, characterized by sturdy and solid strokes, inherited the legacy of Deng Shiru. However, Yang surpassed Deng in rhythm and variation of ink tones, achieving a dynamic balance of movement and stillness. Structurally, he modeled his style on The Stone Drum Inscriptions, breaking away from the rigid and elongated forms of Qin dynasty small seal script and instead adopting a more square and ancient aesthetic.

“Excerpts from ‘The Commentary on The Book of Changes’ in Seal Script” (1879)
This four-panel screen is considered one of Yang Yisun’s masterpieces. The paper’s durability, the ink’s depth, and the brushwork’s solidity earned it the description of “cutting three layers into wood.” The fluent and meticulous strokes demonstrate a unity of mind and hand, making this work exceptionally precious.

杨沂孙（1813—1881），字子舆，号詠春，晚署濠观、濠叟、观濠居士等，常熟恬庄（今属江苏张家港）人。其家世业儒，杨沂孙自幼好学，少时师从常州“阳湖文派”代表学者李兆洛，攻习诸子和小学，尤喜《管子》《庄子》。道光二十三年（1843）中举人，咸丰三年（1853）授安徽铜陵知县，调黟山知县。因太平天国运动未能到任，曾佐安徽巡抚福济、江西巡抚张芾军务，以功擢升凤阳知府。同治七年（1868）五十六岁时丁父忧，服阙后遂辞官不出，专于学术与书艺。六十岁后定居皖城（今安徽潜山），以鬻艺为生。

杨沂孙在书法方面尤以篆书成就最高，对后世影响也最大。其篆书在用笔的朴厚坚实乃承袭邓石如而来，以隶入篆，然在书写的节奏感、墨色变化上要高出邓氏，动静结合，颇为可观。在结构形态上，他取法《石鼓文》，跳出以前书家遵循秦代小篆规则的整齐划一、结体修长做法，变为为方整，更有高古之意。此四条屏书风堪称是杨沂孙的上乘精品之作，纸坚墨精，笔墨厚实程度堪称“入木三分”。行笔轻松而不苟，一气呵成，达到心手合一的佳境，弥足珍贵。