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Tong Yang-Tze Immortal at the River

The Chinese character for the word, 'Hero' by calligrapher Tong Yang-Tze

Author: An-Yi Pan

By Our Faculty

Over a long career spanning four decades, Tong Yang-Tze has received critical acclaim for her large-scale, unrestrained cursive script. The subject of this 54-meter long calligraphic work is Immortal at the River, the poem by Yang Shen (1488–1559) that forms the preface to the standard edition of the Chinese historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms (San guo yan yi).  The Herbert F. Johnson Museum originally intended to exhibit this monumental calligraphic artwork from February through June of 2020 but due to the pandemic, it closed on March 15. This catalog provides context and captures the spirit of Tong's contemporary Chinese calligraphy.

In author and curator An-Yi Pan's words, "Tong Yang'Tze's life and path have derived from classical Chinese calligraphic tradition and her endeavor to transform this tradition in contemporary society.  Tong is regarded as one of the most influential cultural figures in Taiwan over the past decade, a rare voice in modern Asia advocating the value of Asian tradition while not shying away from transforming it to meet the tempo of contemporary life. The synergy of the two is embodied in her artistic path."

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Publication Details

Publication Year: 2020

ISBN: 978-1-934260-30-2