Su Shi's "New Year's Celebration Post" was written in 1081 (the fourth year of Yuanfeng) on paper in running script. The front post is 30.2cm long and 48.8cm wide. It is collected by the Palace Museum in Beijing.
"New Year Exhibition Celebration Post" and "People Come to Get Letters" are combined into one volume. There is a postscript by Dong Qichang at the end of the volume. The seals in the collection include "Yu Fu Shu Seal", "Yu Fu Bao Hui", Xiang Yuan Bian Seals, Anqi Seals, etc.
These two posts are both letters written by Su Shi to Chen Zhen (Ji Chang). The "New Year Exhibition Celebration Post" is about the meeting between Chen Zhen and Gong Ze (Li Chang) in Huangzhou in the Yuan Dynasty; "People" "Laide Shutie" was written to express condolences to Chen Zhen for the death of his brother Bocheng.
Volume 50 of "Dongpo Collection" and "Five Prefaces to Qiting" record that Su Shi met Chen Zhen in May of the third year of Yuanfeng in the Northern Song Dynasty (1080) when he was demoted to Huangzhou. There is also "I will see him again next year...Fan Yu came to see Ji Chang in the fourth year of Huang's reign, and Ji Chang came to see me in the seventh year..." There are sixteen letters written by Su Shi to Chen Zhen in "Dongpo Collection". The letters and letters were all written when he was in Huangzhou. The time (Shangyuan Dynasty) written in "New Year's Zhan Qingtie" is consistent with the time and cause of "see you again next year" recorded in "Five Prefaces to Qiting". However, it is recorded in Song Fu Zao's "Chronology of Dongpo Chronicles" , Dongpo "was in Huangzhou in the fourth year of Yuanfeng and went to Qiting on the 20th of the first lunar month." It can be inferred from the above records that the "New Year Exhibition and Celebration Post" should have been written in the spring of the fourth year of Yuanfeng in the Northern Song Dynasty (1081), when Su Shi was 44 years old. This post has detailed textual research in Mr. Xu Bangda's "Essential Records of Ancient Calligraphy and Painting".
Su Shi had frequent correspondence with Chen Zhen when he was in Huangzhou, and he often mentioned Chen Zhen in his letters to others, which shows that the two had a deep friendship.
The two posts "New Year's Celebration" and "People Come to Get Books" are written naturally and smoothly, with strong and graceful expressions, and each stroke has clear explanations and careful intentions. Although it is a letter, it is written very delicately, with clear explanations of the entry, end, and implications of the characters. It is a masterpiece of Su Shi's writing from his early years to his middle age.
Recorded in "Mo Yuan Hui Guan" and "Da Guan Lu".
Explanation:
Shi Qi: The New Year has not been celebrated, and the blessings are endless. How about living in a slightly sunny day? There will be an end to the construction after a few days. When will the fruit be able to enter the city? Yesterday, I got the book from the public, and I went there after the Yuan Dynasty. I planned to come here at the end of the month, and the public also came at this time. How about it? It was planned to start construction in the Yuan Dynasty, but the work has not yet been completed. Shi also couldn't go out, so he had no chance to accompany him on night outings. Sha Fang's painting cage is attached to Chen Long's boat every day and night, but now it is attached to Fuyou's ointment. There was a coppersmith who wanted to use the Jianzhou wood (note next to this word) to make a tea mortar and vertebrae, and try to make it according to the sample to see if it would be suitable for people in central Fujian. Maybe I have seen it, so I went there to buy a pair. If you beg for money and pay it, you will accept it if you care for it. Yu Han even begged to take care of himself, but he was not careful in his redundancy. Shi paid his respects again. Mr. Ji Chang wrote to Your Excellency. The second day of the first lunar month. Separate paper in running script: Zi You also once said (note next to this word) that it is not strange for Fang Zi to be wise. It seems that Liu Zhongshe has already arrived at home to tell me, but before I can offer him any comfort, I also tell him to express my feelings and express my feelings. Liu Zhang got the book yesterday and he thanked him as soon as he returned it. I know that the mural is broken, so there is no need to feel sad. But I don’t have to worry about not having any good paintings under my new house while I’m still polishing my pen.
