The Cold Food Poem Scroll [Chinese calligraphy]

Su Shi (1037–1101 CE), also known by his courtesy name Su Dongpo, was a towering literary figure, statesman, painter, and calligrapher of the Northern Song Dynasty, and one of the “Four Masters of the Song.” His calligraphy is celebrated for its naturalness, emotional depth, and bold individuality.

His masterpiece Huangzhou Cold Food Poem Scroll (Huangzhou Han Shi Shi Tie) was written around 1082 during his exile in Huangzhou. It contains two poems composed on the Cold Food Festival, expressing solitude, hardship, and philosophical reflection. The calligraphy – executed in semi-cursive script (xingshu or running script) – mirrors the emotional tone of the poems, with varying brush pressure, irregular spacing, and expressive rhythm. It is widely regarded as one of the greatest examples of personal, emotionally charged calligraphy in Chinese history.