Seven Character Couplet in Seal Script《篆书七言联》

Hong Liangji (1746–1809)
Hong Liangji, originally named Liji, courtesy name Zhizun, pseudonym Beijiang, and later known as Gengsheng Jushi, was from Wujin (present-day Changzhou), Jiangsu. He lost his father at a young age and, under his mother’s guidance, studied diligently, achieving second place in the imperial examination in the 55th year of Qianlong (1790). He was renowned for his literary and philological research and was a pioneer in modern population studies. He was friends with Huang Jingren and Sun Xingyan from the same town and was appreciated by Yuan Mei and Jiang Shiquan.

Hong Liangji was sincere, righteous, and upright, with a particular fondness for “strangeness and antiquity.” This unique character was reflected in his calligraphy, where he favored seal script and ancient characters. His seal script followed the style of Tang dynasty calligrapher Li Yangbing, achieving the pure essence of small seal script. This couplet displays a relaxed and free-flowing style within the rules, fresh and vigorous, representing a typical masterpiece of his jade-like seal script.

Translation of couplet:
“The family extends across the waters of Yue and the mountains of Wu; The poetry spans from the three Tang to the two Song dynasties.”

洪亮吉(1746—1809)，原名礼吉，字稚存，号北江，晚号更生居士，江苏武进（今常州）人。自幼丧父，在母亲的教导下刻苦读书，于乾隆五十五年（1790）中榜眼。他以词章考据闻名，并为近代人口学之先驱。与同里黄景仁、孙星衍友善，并得袁枚、蒋士铨的赏识。

洪亮吉为人真诚仗义、坦荡正直，并特崇“奇古”，为人特立独行且狂傲狷介,体现在书法上即是对篆书和古文奇字的青睐。他的篆书宗法唐代李阳冰，得小篆正脉。此件对联用在法度之中轻松自如，清新刚健，为其玉筋篆典型精品。

释文：家参越水吴山界，诗在三唐二宋间。