Zhang Tongyan Writes Company Plaque ‘Le Nian Chu Hai’

Zhang Tongyan Writes Company Plaque ‘Le Nian Chu Hai’

Zhang Tongyan (张铜彦), a leading Chinese calligrapher, has created the plaque “Le Nian Chu Hai” (乐年出海, “A Joyful Year Sets Sail”) for a Chinese company, lending his brush to the enterprise’s cultural development. Zhang is a council member of the China Calligraphers Association (5th and 6th terms), former chairman of the China Financial Calligraphers Association (1st and 2nd terms), and advisor and chief calligrapher of China Tizi Wang (中国题字网, the Chinese Inscription Network).

Clerical Script with Archaic Gravitas

The work is written in clerical script (lishu, 隶书), the ancient script that bridges seal and regular styles. Its strokes are thick and steady: horizontal strokes sweep wide, vertical strokes stand tall, and the wave-like tails are released with restraint — an archaic dignity that matches the formality of a corporate plaque.

The Meaning of “Le Nian Chu Hai”

The four characters read as a company setting sail into overseas markets in a favorable year — a new chapter of expansion. The inscription carries both a blessing for the enterprise and the enterprising spirit of opening new horizons.

Traditional Formalities

The dedication “Tongyan ti” (铜彦题, “inscribed by Tongyan”) identifies the creator, and the accompanying seal completes the work in line with traditional plaque conventions, reinforcing its formality and artistic value.

A Versatile Master

Born in 1958 in Gaoyang, Hebei, Zhang Tongyan excels in several scripts, particularly clerical, running-regular, and Northern Wei styles. His works have appeared in national invitational exhibitions, and he has served as judge and supervisor at major national calligraphy competitions. He lectured on the “Masters Copy Model Rubbings” program of the national calligraphy TV channel (15 episodes on Yan Zhenqing’s Zishu Gaoshen Tie), and his clerical-script rendering of the Socialist Core Values was turned into posters distributed across China. In 2016, the channel held a solo exhibition of his work, “Advocating the Classics.”

Source: https://www.cntizi.com/24898.html