石渠寶笈初編(重華宮),下冊,頁709 &*故宮書畫錄(卷三),第一冊,頁151 &*故宮歷代法書全集,第十一冊,頁66-87、196-198&*1.曹寶麟,〈蔡襄皇祐三年所作三帖考 之 虹縣帖〉,《故宮文物月刊》,第130期(1994年1月),頁49-65。 &*蔡襄(西元一0一二-一0六七年),字君謨,福建仙游人。與蘇軾、黃庭堅、米芾並列「北宋四家」,書法學虞世南、顏真卿,並取法晉人。其書風猶承唐人遺緒,以典重有法度為勝,譽滿書苑。 此行書尺牘,考其內容應寫於皇祐三年(一0五一),蔡襄時年四十,書風流利多媚態,似虞世南,不同於蔡氏存世書蹟中多承繼顏書沉穩遒勁。本件曾為項元汴所有,上有千字文第七七六「颻」字號。 &*Cai Xiang, native to Xianyou, Fujian, was known with Su Shi, Huang Tingjian, and Mi Fu as one of the Four Song Masters. His calligraphy derives from the styles of Yu Shinan and Yan Zhenqing while including elements of Jin masters. His style retains traces of the Tang manner, and he was famous for his regulated techniques in calligraphy. Judging from the contents of this letter in running script, it was probably done in 1051, when Cai was at the Chinese age of 40. The style is fluent and changes beautifully, like Yu Shinan’s style but different from other Cai works following Yan Zhenqing’s steady, strong manner. This work was in Xiang Yuanbian’s collection, bearing his accession number “yao 颻,” the 776th character in the “Thousand Character Classic.”