Calligraphy

HONGYI (1880-1942) / MA XULUN (1885-1970) / YUAN XILIAN (?-1950) Calligraphy Five scrolls, framed as four, vermilion on paper / ink on paper Hongyi: 27.5 x 32.5 cm. (10 7⁄8 x 12 ¾ in.) Ma Xunlun: One scroll measures 35.5 x 25 cm. (14 x 9 7⁄8 in.); One scroll measures 30 x 18.3 cm. (11 ¾ x 7 ¼ in.) Yuan Xilian: Each scroll measures 68.5 x 19.8 cm. (27 x 7 ¾ in.) (5) Hongyi: Inscribed and signed, with one seal of the artist Dated autumn, renshen year (1932) Dedicated to Longwen Ma Xunlun: Each inscribed and signed, with a total of two seals of the artist Each dated thirtieth-first year (of the Republic, 1942) Both dedicated to Mianzun Yuan Xilian: Inscribed and signed, with one seal of the artist Dedicated to Mianzun NOTE: Ma and Yuan’s works are dedicated to Mianzun, whose full name is Xia Mianzun (1886-1946). Born in Songxia, Shangyu, Zhejiang Province, his real name is Xia Zhu and his courtesy name is Mianzhan. He later changed his name to Mianzun. He is known as a modern Chinese educator, prose writer, and Buddhist layman. Longwen refers to Xia Longwen, Xia Mianzun’s son.