Tang Hezheng’s Handwritten Notes《唐鹤徵手札合卷》

Tang Shunzhi, also known as Yingde and Yixiu, was a renowned writer during the mid-Ming Dynasty hailing from Wujin, which is now known as Changzhou in Jiangsu. He was considered one of the “Three Great Masters of Jiajing,” and his military accomplishments were celebrated as well.

Tang Hezheng, son of Tang Shunzhi, was born in Changzhou, Jiangsu Province. His courtesy name was Yuanqing, and he was also known as Ning’an. He passed the Jinshi exam in the fifth year of Longqing’s reign and went on to hold various significant positions such as head of the Ministry of Rites, the Minister of Li Gong, Sicheng Shangbao, the Shaoqing of Guanglu Temple, the Shaoqing of Taichang Temple, and Taichang of Nanjing. However, he was persecuted for exposing illegal behavior by the eunuchs. After his return to Changzhou, he gave lectures in Donglin and continued his family’s tradition of calligraphy.

The work presented here is a combination of father and son’s calligraphy. Tang Shunzhi’s cursive style is easy and smooth, while Tang Hezheng’s calligraphy showcases traditional skills and family inheritance, characterized by its clear and meaningful style.

唐顺之（1507~1560），字应德，一字义修，号荆川，人称“荆川先生”，武进（今江苏常州）人。明代中期著名文学家，为“嘉靖三大家”之一，亦以军事闻名。

唐鹤徵（1538~1619），字元卿，号凝庵，江苏常州人。唐顺之之子，隆庆五年进士，选礼部主事，历工部郎，尚宝司丞，光禄寺少卿，太常寺少卿，南京太常。唐鹤徵因揭发宦官的不法行为而遭迫害，回常州后在东林讲学。其书法亦由家承。

该作品为父子书札合卷，唐顺之手札书法用行草书，轻松流畅，一气呵成；唐鹤徵书法亦有家承，清丽隽永，颇具传统功力。

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