Author:Hu Han-Min.Tan Yen-Kai

Size:Length:192 x Width:50 (cm)

Size description：152×40 (畫心)

Introduction：Tan Yen-Kai (1879-1930), courtesy name Zu’an, and pseudonyms Wuwei and Renzhai, was a significant political figure in the Kuomintang (KMT) from Chaling, Hunan. At the age of five, he entered a private school. In 1904, he passed the imperial examination during the 30th year of the Guangxu reign and was appointed as a compiler at the Hanlin Academy. In 1905, he became the supervisor of Changsha Zhonglu Normal School. In 1907, Tan organized the Hunan Constitutional Association. By 1909, he was appointed as the director of the Hunan Advisory Bureau and the following year as a member of the Beijing Advisory Council. After the Wuchang Uprising, Hunan declared independence, and he served as the chairman of the Hunan Provincial Assembly and Minister of Civil Affairs. Tan joined the Kuomintang in August 1912. In 1916, he was appointed Governor of Hunan and military commander for the second time, and again in 1918. He was forced to step down in 1920 and moved to Shanghai. In 1922, he joined the Chinese Kuomintang and accompanied Sun Yat-sen to Guangzhou, where he served as Minister of the Interior, Governor of Hunan, and Commander-in-Chief of the Hunan Army. After 1924, he held various positions including member of the KMT Central Executive Committee, member of the National Government Standing Committee, chairman of the KMT Central Political Council, and acting chairman of the National Government. After 1927, he served as acting chairman of the Wuhan National Government and Premier of the Nanjing Executive Yuan.
Tan Yen-Kai’s calligraphy was highly esteemed during his time, earning the moniker "North Hua, South Tan." His regular script primarily followed the Yan style, while his running script was influenced by Su Shi and Mi Fu, combined with the epigraphic style of famous Qing Dynasty calligraphers. "Shayue Lou Bi Tan" (Notes from Shayue Tower) comments: "In his early years, Zu'an imitated Liu Shian, in middle age, he focused on Qian Nanyuan and Weng Songchan, and in later years, he incorporated Mi Fu’s style, resulting in robust and vigorous calligraphy." This highlights the influence of contemporaries on his calligraphy, particularly Qian Feng and Weng Tonghe, continuing the development of calligraphy from the Tongguang period.
This work is a couplet presented by Tan Yen-Kai to Yao Wei-Hsin, which reads, "Your poetry resembles the words of Liu Yuxi, and your brushstrokes revive the style of the past three hundred years," praising Yao's accomplishments in poetry and calligraphy. Yao Wei-Hsin (1889-1977), originally named Cong, was a lieutenant general in the army, who served as the Chief of the General Office of the Whampoa Military Academy and the Chief of Police in the capital. He was also a representative of the first National Assembly and a renowned calligrapher.

Accession Number:PT09000201