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"Sanwei Bookstore" is a household name in China, but most people probably first learned about this word from Lu Xun's article describing the fun of childhood life.

So who wrote the plaque "Sanwei Book House"?

Sanwei School was a famous private school in Shaoxing City in the late Qing Dynasty, and it was also the place where Lu Xun studied as a child.

The plaque with the words "Sanwei Shuwu" hanging above the center of the study was written by Liang Tongshu, a great calligrapher in the late Qing Dynasty.

Liang Tongshu(1723-1815), a famous calligrapher in the Qing Dynasty, was named Yuanying and alias Shanzhou. In his later years, he signed himself as Bu Weng and Xin Wu Chang. He was from Qiantang. He passed the imperial examination in the 12th year of Emperor Qianlong's reign (1747) and was granted the title of Jinshi in the 17th year.

Liang Tongshu, Liu Yong, Weng Fanggang and Wang Wenzhi are known as one of the "Four Great Masters of the Qing Dynasty" and their reputation spread far and wide to Ryukyu, Korea and Japan.

Liang Tongshu has a family background in calligraphy. He was exposed to calligraphy since childhood and could write large characters at the age of 12. He first learned from Yan Zhenqing and Liu Gongquan, and after middle age, he learned from Mi Fu. After the age of 70, he integrated all of his skills and let nature take its course. He has been practicing calligraphy for more than 60 years and has long been famous for writing many inscriptions.

▲ Part of Liang Tongshu's small regular script "Vimalakirti's Teachings and Offerings"

Liang Tongshu was skilled in regular script and running script. In his later years, he could still write small regular script. His large characters were tightly structured, and his small characters were elegant and graceful, which was particularly exquisite. At the age of over 90, he still wrote epitaphs for others, and he never looked tired or old.

▲ Part of Liang Tongshu's small regular script "Vimalakirti's Teachings and Offerings"

Liang Tongshu lived a simple life, so simple that he hadn't changed his official hat for decades. He didn't like money or banquets. When he celebrated his 70th birthday, he placed the funeral utensils in front of the door to thank the guests. His first wife, Mrs. Wang, was one year older than him and died two years earlier. After his wife died, he wrote a mourning couplet: A hundred years have passed in the blink of an eye, why is the heaven so stingy? We have been married for ninety years, how can I bear it alone! The sincere feelings show how loving the couple was in daily life.

Liang Tongshu died on July 15, 1815, at the age of 93. It was rare for a couple to live to such an old age. A few days before his death, he wrote his own obituary and left a will not to let his children handle the funeral or write a biography. He was indifferent from beginning to end.

▲ Liang Tongshu's calligraphy works

▲ Liang Tongshu's calligraphy works (partial)

▲ Liang Tongshu's calligraphy works (partial)

▲ Liang Tongshu's works

Liang Tongshu's "Seven-character Couplet in Running Script" on paper

130.4 cm in height and 29.3 cm in width. Collection of Shanghai Museum

▲ Liang Tongshu's "Cursive Poetry Scroll"

Liang Tongshu was skilled in regular script and running script. In his later years, he could still write small regular script. His large characters were tightly structured, and his small regular script was elegant and graceful, which was particularly exquisite. He is known as one of the four great calligraphers of the Qing Dynasty, along with Liu Yong, Weng Fanggang, and Wang Wenzhi.

He once said about calligraphy: "The brush should be soft, softness makes it powerful; the brush should be long, length makes it flexible; the brush should be full, fullness makes it rich; the brush should be put down quickly, speed makes the meaning come out." He also said: "The characters should have spirit, spirit must come from familiarity, with spirit there is momentum." The running script "Dong Qichang's Words" is written with a soft sheep's hair brush, elegant and free, moving and harmonious, not exciting or encouraging, and quite bookish. "

Liang Tongshu's calligraphy was very famous at the time. People from some foreign countries (Japan, Korea, Ryukyu) admired it very much and were proud to get a piece of his work. Foreign historians often paid a lot of money to buy his works. Liang Tongshu only used Xubaizhai's paper and Xia Qishan and Pan Yuenan's pens when writing, and Chen Yunshao, Chen Rugang, and Feng Minghe were the ones who carved stones. As a result, Xubaizhai's paper became very popular, and Xu became rich because of it. Xia Qishan, Pan Yuenan, etc. also became rich because of it.

▲ Liang Tongshu's "Six-Word Poem"

Liang Tongshu was honest and indifferent to fame and wealth. He retired to the city after his father passed away. He lived frugally, never changing his clothes or hat. He did not entertain guests, did not perform Buddhist rituals, and did not accept gifts. But he was not stingy. When he met people in need, he would often donate generously. He did not seek fame for his books, but fame for his own biography. Therefore, he lived a long life, which was probably because he was detached from fame and wealth.

Liang Tongshu's "Longevity Calligraphy"

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