蔡襄【思咏帖】 thinking and chanting letter of Cai Xiang

2024-07-07国风

蔡襄【思咏帖】（致通理当世屯田尺牍）纸本草书　29.7cm×39.7cm 台北故宫博物院藏

Cai Xiang's "Si Yong Tie" (a letter to Tong Li, the current official in charge of tuntian). Paper, cursive script. 29.7 cm in height and 39.7 cm in width. Collected in the National Palace Museum, Taipei.

释文：
襄得足下书，极思咏之怀。在杭留两月，今方得出关，历赏剧醉，不可胜计，亦一春之盛事也。知官下与郡侯情意相通，此固可乐。唐侯言：王白今岁为游闰所胜，大可怪也。初夏时景清和，愿君侯自寿为佳。襄顿首。通理当世屯田足下。大饼极珍物，青瓯微粗，临行匆匆致意，不周悉。

I received your letter and have been thinking and chanting with deep affection. I stayed in Hangzhou for two months and now I have just passed through the customs. I have experienced many enjoyable and intoxicating moments, countless indeed, which is also a grand event in this spring. I know that the official below and the county governor have a harmonious relationship, and this is indeed delightful. Tang Hou said: Wang Bai was defeated by You Run this year, which is really strange. In the early summer, the scenery is clear and peaceful. I wish Your Excellency a long and healthy life. Cai Xiang bows his head. To Tong Li, the current Tuntian official under you. The big cake of tea is extremely precious, and the green-glazed bowl is slightly coarse. I am in a hurry when leaving and can't express all my thoughts completely.

背景：
宋皇元祐二年（1050年）11月，蔡襄从福建仙游出发，应朝廷之召，赴任右正言、同修起居注之职。途经杭州，逗留两个月后，于1051年初夏，继续北上汴京。临行之际，他给邂逅钱塘的好友冯京（当世）留了一封手札，这就是著名的【思咏帖】。内容为辞行致意，并附赠大龙团茶及越窑青瓷茶瓯。北宋中期随着斗茶的流行，小龙团茶、兔毫茶盏為世所珍，而早期的越窑青瓷系茶盏虽仍使用，但已是流风之末。因此，信上才有「大饼极珍物，青瓯微粗」的说法。

background of this artwork:

In November of the second year of Yuanyou in the Song Dynasty (1050), Cai Xiang set out from Xianyou, Fujian, and went to take up the post of Right Orthodox Remonstrant and Concurrent Compiler of Court Records in response to the imperial court's summons. After passing through Hangzhou and staying there for two months, in the early summer of 1051, he continued to head north to Bianjing. Before leaving, he left a letter to his friend Feng Jing (of the current era) whom he met in Qiantang, and this is the famous "Si Yong Tie". The content is to express his farewell and regards, and he also attached the large tea cake of the Dragon Troupe and the celadon tea bowl of the Yue Kiln. In the middle period of the Northern Song Dynasty, with the popularity of tea competitions, the small tea cakes of the Dragon Troupe and the hare's hair tea bowls were regarded as precious in the world, while although the early celadon tea bowls of the Yue Kiln system were still used, it was already at the end of the trend. Therefore, there is the saying "the big cake tea is an extremely precious thing, and the green-glazed bowl is slightly coarse" in the letter.

清晰放大版：more clear of artwork