Taipei's Treasured He Chuangshi Calligraphy Collection to be Exhibited in Japan for the First Time on a Large Scale! Special Exhibition "The Vibrant Calligraphy of the Ming Dynasty: Treasures from the He Chuangshi Collection in Taipei" to be Held at Osaka City Museum of Fine Arts This Autumn

The He Chuangshi Calligraphy Art Foundation was established in Taipei in 1995 by Mr. He Guoqing and celebrated its 30th anniversary last year. The foundation collects numerous works, primarily from the Ming and Qing dynasties, and promotes calligraphy art through exhibitions, lectures, and other activities. It is well-regarded and frequently visited by Japanese calligraphers and researchers.

This time, the exhibition focuses on the most substantial part of the collection in terms of both quality and quantity: calligraphy from the mid-Ming to the late Ming and early Qing dynasties. It will feature 82 carefully selected works, many of which will be shown in Japan for the first time. During the Edo period in Japan, the "Kara-yo" (Chinese-style) calligraphy, based on the works of Wen Zhengming and Dong Qichang, became popular. The late Ming and early Qing calligraphy brought by Obaku monks is still studied as a model in today's calligraphy world.

Ming Dynasty calligraphy is rich in diversity and full of individualistic works. Please enjoy the vibrant beauty of brush and ink through this special exhibition.

Official website: https://www.osaka-art-museum.jp/special_exhibition/mindai

Highlights

① Taipei's Treasured He Chuangshi Collection – First Large-Scale Public Display in Japan!

From a total collection of approximately 2,500 works, 82 masterpieces will be unveiled at once.

Of these, 72 works, nearly 90% of the exhibits, will be shown in Japan for the first time. The He Chuangshi Collection has never been introduced in Japan on this scale, making this a rare opportunity.

② Must-See Works by Masters of the Wu (Suzhou) School and Huating (Songjiang) School!

The exhibition will feature masterpieces from the mid-to-late Ming period, including Zhu Yunming, Wen Zhengming, and Wang Chong from Suzhou (Jiangsu Province), who were active in the mid-Ming, and Zhang Bi, Dong Qichang, and Chen Jiru from Songjiang (present-day Songjiang District, Shanghai), who dominated the calligraphy scene in the later period.

③ A Rich Collection of Hanging Scrolls by Famous Masters of the Late Ming and Early Qing!

Works by highly individualistic artists such as Mi Wanzhong, Zhang Ruitu, Huang Daozhou, Wang Duo, Fu Shan, and Xu You will be on display.

④ Exclusive to the Osaka Venue

Don't miss this special opportunity, held only at the Osaka City Museum of Fine Arts in autumn 2026.

About the Ming Dynasty

In 1368, Zhu Yuanzhang established the Ming Dynasty with its capital at Yingtian Fu (Nanjing), creating a Han Chinese-ruled state. This opened the path of the imperial examinations for intellectuals who had found it difficult to thrive under Mongol rule. The third emperor, Yongle, moved the capital to Shuntian Fu (Beijing), expanded the empire's borders, and sent Zheng He on expeditions, leading many countries to pay tribute. Trade with Japan was conducted through the tally trade system. Domestically, agriculture, commerce, and industry developed in the Jiangnan region, and by the mid-Ming period, cities like Suzhou flourished, shifting the cultural center to Jiangnan.

However, the dynasty also saw many incompetent emperors and frequent political turmoil, including the rise of eunuch power. It faced external threats from northern tribes and Japanese pirates (Wokou), as well as the Imjin War. Towards the end of the Ming, financial exhaustion, famine, and peasant revolts became common. In 1644, Beijing fell to the rebel leader Li Zicheng, and the Qing Dynasty subsequently conquered the south, ending the last Han Chinese dynasty.

Characteristics of Ming Dynasty Calligraphy

The defining feature of Ming calligraphy is its diversity of expression. By the mid-Ming period, the scope of calligraphic study expanded. While classical Jin and Tang works remained central, artists began incorporating Song Dynasty styles, using continuous cursive script (lianmian cao), small standard script (xiaokai), seal script (zhuanshu), and clerical script (lishu), leading to a wide variety of expressions.

Until the Song and Yuan dynasties, calligraphy was primarily appreciated at close range. During the Ming, hanging scrolls and fan surfaces became popular alongside traditional handscrolls. As the late Ming approached, hanging scrolls grew larger, with many so-called "long strips" (chang tiaofu) being produced. Expressions became more individualistic and dynamic, as if releasing emotion, and the continuous cursive script, where many characters are written in a flowing cursive style, became fashionable. Calligraphy evolved from "art of the desk" to "art of the wall."

In addition to regular paper and silk, processed papers like gold-flecked paper (kinpen) and glossy silk (nume) were also used. The aesthetic interest in stationery and other implements also deepened. Private collectors emerged one after another, and the creation of model books (fatie) compiling family collections became popular.

This was driven by significant socio-economic changes in the Jiangnan region. The rise of handicraft industries, such as silk and cotton, along with the development of commerce and transportation, led to the commercialization of calligraphy and painting. Consequently, these arts, once centered around the court, began to cater to broader public demand.

In Japan during the Edo period, the calligraphic styles of the Wu School (Zhu Yunming, Wen Zhengming, Wang Chong) from the mid-Ming and the Huating School (Zhang Bi, Dong Qichang, Chen Jiru) from the late Ming were highly admired, leading to the popularity of "Kara-yo" calligraphy. The late Ming and early Qing calligraphy brought by Obaku monks gained attention in modern times for its bold and individualistic expressions. Today, they are frequently used as models in the Chinese character category of group exhibitions and open-call exhibitions. The He Chuangshi Collection is rich in works from the mid-to-late Ming period, including those by Mi Wanzhong, Zhang Ruitu, Huang Daozhou, Wang Duo, Ni Yuanlu, Fu Shan, and Xu You, making this special exhibition highly valuable not only for the general public but also for contemporary calligraphers.

About the Taipei He Chuangshi Calligraphy Art Foundation (He Chuangshi Collection)

The He Chuangshi Calligraphy Art Foundation in Taipei was established in 1995 by collector and Chairman He Guoqing, named after his father. Its collection centers on calligraphy from the Ming and Qing dynasties, holding over 2,500 works by more than 2,000 Ming scholars, including Wang Yangming, Xu Wei, Wang Duo, Zhang Ruitu, Huang Daozhou, and Ni Yuanlu.

The foundation holds exhibitions and academic lectures throughout the year, actively working to expand international artistic and cultural exchange. It has lent works to major calligraphy exhibitions, including in Japan, building a bridge for East Asian calligraphy exchange. In recent years, it has opened the "Chuangshi Lecture Hall" exhibition space and an "Online Museum," making its collection available for academic research and continuing the development of calligraphy culture.

This special exhibition at the Osaka City Museum of Fine Arts marks the first time the foundation has displayed its Ming Dynasty calligraphy and painting collection on a large scale in Japan. A total of 82 works will be exhibited, with 72 of them, nearly 90%, being shown in Japan for the first time.

Main Exhibits

*All works are from the collection of the Taipei He Chuangshi Calligraphy Art Foundation.

*Dimensions are height × width (cm).

Zhu Yunming (1460–1526), the Foremost Master of Suzhou

He was known by the pseudonyms Zhishan and Zhizhisheng because he had six fingers on his right hand. From a young age, he diligently copied Jin and Tang calligraphy, later expanding to Song and Yuan works. His style was broad, leaving many masterpieces from small standard script (xiaokai) learned from Zhong Yao and Wang Xizhi to the wild cursive script (kuangcao) of his later years. His younger contemporary from Suzhou, Wang Shizhen, praised him, saying, "The finest calligraphy under heaven belongs to our Wu (Suzhou). Zhu Yunming of Jingzhao is the best."

A powerful and archaic brush technique. An 8-meter masterpiece where characters and lines create a perfect balance.