石渠寶笈續編(養心殿),第二冊,頁1102-1103 &*故宮書畫錄(卷一),第一冊,頁141-144 &*故宮歷代法書全集,第三冊,頁34-45、178-182&*蔡襄(西元一0一二-一0六七年),福建仙遊人,字君謨。天聖八年(一0三0)十九歲中進士,一生仕途順利,做過開封府知府,福州、泉州、杭州等地的知府。因為人正直,敢於直言進諫,卒時英宗進贈他「忠惠」之諡號。 蔡襄書法初學周越,後出入顏真卿、虞世南、王獻之,行楷書簡札典雅端重。此札約書於三十七歲,書與參知政事明鎬,內容和書法都很謹慎莊重。結字取法顏體,但更典雅秀麗。(選自宋四家法書卷)&*Ts'ai Hsiang (style name Chun-mu) was a native of Hsien-yu, Fukien. He received his civil service degree in 1030 at the age 18. His entire career as an official progressed smoothly as he served as magistrate of K'ai-feng and prefect of such places as Fu-chou, Ch'uan-chou, and Hangchow. Being upright in character, he bravely offered remonstrance on government matters, and upon his death was bestowed by Emperor Ying-tsung (r. 1064-1068) the posthumous title of "Chung-hui (Loyalty and Kindness)." Ts'ai Hsiang initially studied calligraphy under Chou Yueh (fl. 1023-1048) and then later studied the elegant classicism and stately manner of Yen Chen-ch'ing's (709-785), Yu Shih-nan's (558-638), and Wang Hsien-chih's (344-388) running and standard scripts. This official document, written when Ts'ai Hsiang was 36-years-old, was addressed to the Participant in Determining Government Matters (Mr. Ming Kao), thus accounting for the cautious and serious nature of both the content and calligraphic style. The structure of the characters takes the method of Yen Chen-ch'ing, but is even more elegant and beautiful.