Wiping the Dust at the Five-Hundred-Stone Grotto Heaven, Vol. 5

He then discussed it with Lunting, but in the end, he also declined, saying he could not do it. Wen Xingtang Cizhang from Guangdong suggested that using the photographic method to print the gold-mud calligraphy would result in a white image, while the red stationery would appear black, looking exactly like a black-rubbed stone inscription. I then selected four sheets of the "true" regular script, "grass" cursive script, seal script, and clerical script for him to test. Fortunately, it was exactly as he described. The font could be enlarged, and it looked no different from the original works in spirit and brilliance; it was truly a delightful matter. The remaining thirty-three leaves will be taken to Shanghai on a future day to be photographed and rubbed, completing the set for circulation in the world.

Master Lü Xicun personally hand-rubbed one thousand steles, evaluating them with great satisfaction, and authored the "Commentary on the Ai-Wu-Lu" Ai-Wu-Lu translates roughly to "Love My Hut" which circulates in the world. Shuyuan notes: His commentary on the "Memorial Recommending Ji Zhi" by the great calligrapher Zhong Tai-fu is sufficient proof of historical errors; it is especially profound, touching upon things in philology and lexicography that others have not yet articulated. I have already excerpted and compiled this into Volume 1 of "Shuyuan’s Superfluous Talks." He authored two types of works, including the "General Explanation of Ancient and Modern Characters" and the "Notes from Ai-Wu-Lu." Those in the know say his breadth of knowledge was not inferior to Master Gui Weigu, and his precision was even greater. After he passed away, it was only through his disciple, the Imperial Envoy Lin Shifu Weiyuan from Taiwan, that it was appreciated and published, so it appeared quite late. Recently, only the Imperial Academician Chen Tiexiang Qiren of Jinjiang has been able to pass on his studies, but his calligraphy is not skillful, and he is far from the Master. The Master was once masterful with the "iron pen" seal carving but was unwilling to carve for others easily. His friends who received his instructions included the local scholar Lin Yanxiang Birui and Yang Zhiting Feng of Longxi.