Illustration of the Preface to Orchid Pavilion Collection

Illustration of the Preface to Orchid Pavilion Collection



The World's Best Running Script, "Preface to Orchid Pavilion Collection"

On March 3rd, 353 A.D, the ninth year of Yonghe, Wang Xizhi and forty-one men of letters gathered at the Orchid Pavilion to “wash away dirt in the river”. It was an old custom to rid oneself of ill omens. The men sat by the river and put their cups full of wine into the water, letting them float downstream. Wherever a cup stopped, the person sitting closest to the cup would immediately compose a poem, otherwise he had to drink three cups of wine as penalty. During this gathering, twenty-six people composed thirty-seven poems. Wang Xizhi wrote the preface for the Collection of Orchid Pavilion Poems on the spot with his beautiful calligraphy, adding fame to the Orchid Pavilion over the history.


Collection of Poems by Literates



Floating Wine Cup along the Winding Water


The running water in the Orchid Pavilion


The original work of Preface to Orchid Pavilion Collection was buried with Emperor Taizong Li Shimin.


The existing Dragon Script of Preface to Orchid Pavilion Collection is recognized as the best of many copies.