Essay for Liu Jingzhong 1558 - 1635

This is an essay written with ink on paper by Chen Jiru, who lived in China during the Ming Dynasty, a period of immense cultural production. Chen was a scholar-artist, someone with strong connections to the governing bureaucracy of the time. This work provides a fascinating insight into the social function of calligraphy and poetry within the elite circles of Ming China. As an essay dedicated to Liu Jingzhong, it serves as both a demonstration of Chen's skill and erudition, and as a gift to a peer. The text itself, written in elegant characters, references classical literature and reflects on themes of friendship and scholarly pursuits which were all vital to cementing relationships within the educated class. To fully appreciate the historical weight of a piece like this, one must delve into the biographies of both the artist and the dedicatee, as well as the conventions of gift-giving within their social milieu.