重量: 2,363 克

中國書院起源於唐末五代，宋元期間最盛，清初統治者懼怕書院聚眾滋事，故抑制其發展。雍正後始大力提倡，並以公費支持，所以創建書院大興，廣東公藏主要為書院藏書，最著名者為廣州粵秀書院，有“御書樓”，為藏書之所。清宣宗道光二十二年將『東壁圖書府、西園翰墨林』交于監院樑廷柟，根據存目，清理檢查院中歷來藏籍用，計有：經部227種，2669卷，史部76種，3838卷，子部12種，1307卷，集部37種，107l卷，共計8785卷。這應是嘉道間廣東公藏的最高數字。當時藏帙富有，取『東壁圖書府，西園翰墨林』十字為號，而分櫥貯之，故非五楹，不敷庋貯。

御製墨林文鎮印乙對，清末光緒年間再由吳滔題字『東壁圖書府、西園翰墨林』、以紀念清宣宗道光二十二年書院藏書及鴉片戰爭正式開始；文鎮印雕以金墨點染，蒼中帶秀，剛中帶柔，筆力蒼茫，具有蒼老而又清潤的藝術特色，有雄渾、沖淡、纖濃、沉著、高古、典雅、洗練、勁健、綺麗、自然、含蓄、豪放、精神、縝密、疏野、清奇、委曲、實境、悲慨、形容、超詣、飄逸、曠達、流動廿四品。

吳滔(1840-1895) 字伯滔，號鐵夫，又號疏林，是清末同治、光緒年間的著名山水畫家，畢生醉心於書畫藝術，不慕虛榮，終年閉門作畫，不預外事。吳滔畫山水蒼秀沉靜，雄健渾厚，水墨淋 漓，一洗枯槁甜俗之習。他亦畫花卉，多設色濃厚，老辣遒勁。吳滔是「海上畫派」之首吳昌碩畢生寥寥知己之一，兩人常常抵足而眠，談話終夜，切磋書道畫藝， 有時興致來時，半夜起床，揮毫合作，以為快事。1895 年冬天，吳滔棄世長眠，留下唯一的財產僅是積年的畫件。

Pair of Paper Weights and Seals Made by Imperial Workshop

GuangXu Era of Qing Dynasty

Weight: 2,363 g

The origin of China’s ShuYuan, which was similar to today’s library, can be dated back to the late Tang dynasty. In the following centuries, ShuYuans became more and more popular and their numbers peaked in Song and Yuan dynasties. Many people would gather at ShuYuans to read and to discuss various subjects, including politics. When Manchurians conquered China and established the Qing dynasty, the rulers feared revolts could erupt from gatherings, they shut down most of the ShuYuans.

After emperor YongZheng, the rulers relaxed their control over ShuYuans, some even provided public funds to start new ones and expand existing ones.  In GuangDong province, YueShou ShuYuan was the largest public library, earning the nickname of “the emperor’s library.”  In the 22^nd year of Emperor’s DaoGuang’s ruling (1842 AD), he wrote ten characters “東壁圖書府、西園翰墨林” (excerpt from a poem by Zhang Yue of Tang dynasty) and gave them to the library, and ordered officials to check the inventory of the books that the library had gathered over the years. The result was a list of books in four categories: canons, histories, notable persons and great articles, with total volumes of 8785. That was considered the largest collection of books among all public libraries around the nation during JiaChing and DaoGuang eras. The library had cabinets made to store the books, and those ten characters were used as names of the cabinets.

Decades later, Emperor GuangXu (the last emperor of China) ordered the Imperial Workshop to make a pair of paper weight seals, and Wu Tao was asked to inscribe those ten characters with golden ink on the items to commemorate the events of 1842, including the official start of the Opium War. The calligraphy was said to be so profound and complex that it embodied 24 different styles: forceful, diluent, dense, composed, ancient, graceful, succinct, vigorous, gorgeous, natural, reserved, bold, energetic, elaborate, wild, unique, tortuous, real, grievous, descriptive, superb, elegant, philosophical and flowing.

Wu Tao (1840 – 1895) was a famous calligrapher and landscape painter of the TongZhi and GuangXu eras. He was not interested in fame or fortune; all he wanted to do was to create with his brushes. He used rich ink in his works and that was very different from the common styles of the time. He also painted flowers, with dense and vivid colors. His only close friend was Wu ChangShuo, one of the most famous painters of that period. They enjoyed conversations on arts and painted many artworks together. Wu Tao was never rich despite his reputation. As a matter of fact, when he passed away in 1895, all he had left were the masterpieces he had created.