Nanjing Xiao Xian Memorial Hall

Nanjing Xiao Xian Memorial Hall

Nanjing Xiao Xian Memorial Hall

The Nanjing Xiao Xian Memorial Hall covers an area of over 5,000 square meters. The buildings fully reflect a blend of Chinese and Western architectural features, combining the bright and airy style of European architecture with the bamboo house style typical of ethnic minority regions in Yunnan and Guizhou. It complements the rustic elegance and rich ink aroma of the Lin Pavilion, creating a refreshing and distinctive experience. The entire memorial hall is nestled within a sea of bamboo, surrounded by verdant pines and bamboos, offering a serene and beautiful environment.

Xiao Xian, styled Zhiqiu, also known by her art names Tuige and Zhenqinshi Zhu, was born in 1902 in Guiyang, Guizhou Province, and passed away in 1997. She was a renowned female calligrapher of her time. From a young age, she studied calligraphy and literature with her father. By the age of thirteen, her large-character couplets on two-zhang-wide paper astonished people in Guangzhou. At fifteen, she was invited to participate in a charity art auction initiated by notable figures, earning praise from Dr. Sun Yat-sen. At twenty, she became a disciple of Kang Youwei in Shanghai, further refining her calligraphic skills. Thereafter, due to domestic turmoil and foreign aggression, her family endured many hardships as they moved from place to place.

After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, Madam Xiao settled in Nanjing. In 1964, she was appointed as a member of the Jiangsu Provincial Committee on Literature and History. In 1984, she joined the Provincial Art Museum and became a professional calligrapher. She served as a member of the Jiangsu Provincial Political Consultative Conference, an honorary director of the Chinese Calligraphers Association, an advisor to the Jiangsu Calligraphers Association, an honorary chairman of the Nanjing Calligraphers Association, and a National First-Class Artist.

Upon entering the memorial hall, visitors are greeted by five bold characters reading “Xiao Xian Memorial Hall,” inscribed by the renowned contemporary calligrapher Qi Gong. To the left of the main gate is a replica of Madam Xiao’s “former residence,” modeled exactly after the house she lived in at Baiziting in Nanjing during her lifetime. Some of her personal belongings are also displayed there in the same arrangement. Directly opposite the entrance is the exhibition hall, with the plaque above the door bearing her art name, “Tuige.” The exhibition hall is spacious and lofty, housing 122 of Madam Xiao’s finest calligraphic works from different periods, all donated by her children. Many of the pieces on display showcase her specialty in large-character calligraphy, featuring long strokes that cut through the page like swift horses charging through battle formations—bold, decisive, vigorous, and free-spirited.

Behind the exhibition hall lies the cemetery and green space. The tomb is designed with three stacked stones, symbolizing the “Three Stones”—the Stone Drum Inscriptions, the Stone Gate Inscription, and the Stone Gate Eulogy—that formed the main sources of inspiration for Madam Xiao’s calligraphy. Nearby, an inscription on the adjacent tombstone bears a poem by Kang Youwei praising Madam Xiao’s calligraphy: “The maiden Xiao Xian writes the San Pan script; her vigorous, profound, and majestic talent is rare. Elders should be amazed and make way, for Wei and Guan have returned to reclaim the altar.” Though written seventy years ago by an elder, this tribute remains fitting when reflecting on Madam Xiao’s life.

Xiao Xian (1902–1997), a famous female calligrapher in modern China, styled Yaqiu, also known by her art names Zhenqinshi Zhu and Tuige, was born in 1902 in Guiyang. From childhood, Xiao Xian studied the calligraphic works of the masters alongside her father, Xiao Tieshan, laying a solid foundation for her later development in calligraphy. In 1923, she moved to Shanghai with her father. She practiced calligraphy and created works daily. Her copybook of the Seal Script “San Family Plate” received high praise from Kang Youwei. She then became his disciple and mastered his teachings. In 1932, her Seal Script work “Copying the Jieshi Eulogy” was published in “Contemporary Celebrity Calligraphy...” More details about Xiao Xian++