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20世纪初的粤东古城潮州，站立在现代文明和传统意识形态交汇的前沿，风起云涌，巍巍大观。特殊的时代孕育特殊的人才，学坛巨擘从那里走出来。他就是饶宗颐。
有人誉称“北钱(锺书)南饶”“北季(羡林)南饶”，饶宗颐稳镇南国，蜚声海外，演绎出一个将近百年的文化传奇。当今之世，能集经学、佛学、史学、考古、文学、书画、音律、梵语于一身而扬名海内外，堪称“大师中的大师”者，唯有饶宗颐。
让人意外的是，在近一个世纪之后，饶宗颐大师站到了西湖边、来到了孤山上——2011年12月13日，闻名中外的文化社团西泠印社召开第八届理事会第六次会议，全票通过了现居香港的饶宗颐担任第七任社长。这是社长空缺了六年多后的再次接班。
12月16日，西泠印社在香港举行第七任社长颁证仪式，94岁高龄的饶宗颐先生正式执掌西泠印社。
历任社长，名冠寰宇
西泠印社创立于1904年(清光绪三十年)，由浙派篆刻家丁仁、王禔、吴隐、叶为铭等召集同人发起，是中国现存历史最悠久的人文社团，海内外研究金石篆刻历史最悠久、成就最高、影响最大的专业学术团体，联合国人类非物质文化遗产“篆刻艺术”、首批国家级非物质文化遗产“金石篆刻(西泠印社)”的传承代表组织，全国重点文物保护单位，并附建有中国印学博物馆，拥有“中国驰名商标”“中华老字号”“全国文化产业示范基地”等称号。在国际印学界地位尊崇，有“天下第一名社”之盛誉。
而西泠印社历任社长，均为大师级人物，是西泠印社的
饶宗颐先生近影
A recent photo of Mr. Rao Zongyi
形象、“招牌”。
第一任社长吴昌硕的篆刻开宗立派，治印别开天地，印面古朴苍劲，气魄雄伟，为印学界开出清刚高浑一路。在百年间还没有人能超越他在篆刻方面的顶峰地位。
郭沫若评价第二任社长马衡为“中国金石学第一人”。马衡在金石学的建立，石鼓文研究，青铜器研究，居延汉笔、新莽嘉量铭及衡器的研究，石经研究诸方面，功勋卓著。
第三任社长张宗祥在印学方面，有《张宗祥印选》《张宗祥藏印选》等著作。同时，他在目录版本校勘之学上，功力极深，正是他，为西泠印社后五十年立下奠基之功。
历任社长中，第四任社长沙孟海的篆刻成就仅次于吴昌硕。
第五任社长赵朴初虽不以篆刻闻名于世，但以书法驰名当代。
第六任社长启功是一位学识渊博的学者，他任社长，表明了西泠印社在中国文化界的“存在”，而不仅仅是囿于印学界。
鸿儒雅量，众望所归
但是，自2 0 05年启功先生离世后，这个位子谁能来坐呢？
西泠印社副社长兼秘书长陈振濂说：当时，西泠印社内部做过一个调查，重点问题是两个：首先是问大家，西泠印社第七任社长，是在社团内部产生还是从外面延请，还有一个就是请大家推荐具体人选。
结果，大部分人赞同社长一职从外面请“高人 ”担当。
这也充分体现了西泠印社人的博大胸怀。最早的时候，西泠印社四位创始人叶为铭、吴隐、王禔、丁仁，都是虽无社长之名而有社长之实的，但一到推举名义时，四位又都互相谦让。直到1913年，才从外面延请了吴昌硕出任社长。
这样的风格一直保持到现在。当时，请大家推荐具体人选时，饶宗颐就是焦点之一。西泠印社社长的头衔太重了。曾经有一个说法，西泠印社社长需要具备三个条件，第一是艺术大师(书、画、印方面)；第二是学术泰斗(有理论著述)；第三是文化名人，也就是必须要有社会影响。
像之前的社长，沙孟海、赵朴初和启功，他们的影响显
然远远超出了书法界以外。这样的人来当社长，才反映出西泠印社不仅仅是一个简单的、以刻章为业的社团组织。
所以，对这次的第七任社长，也是考虑了又考虑。在还没考虑好之前，社长一职宁可空缺。
其实，在西泠印社历史上，社长职位曾经几度空缺——在创社之初、吴昌硕出任第一任社长之前，就有9年空缺；而吴昌硕去世之后，它又曾空缺长达21年；马衡、张宗祥任后也均有较长时间的空缺。
眼看2013年西泠印社成立110周年大庆即将到来，社长人选这个事，越来越迫切。
西泠印社方面放眼海内外，仔细遴选，最后认为目前饶宗颐为最佳。
他，可以说是众望所归。
博通今古，当代大师
饶宗颐是中国当代著名的历史学家、考古学家、文学家、经学家、教育家和书画家，是集学术、艺术于一身的大学者、国学大师。香港《文汇报》刊登文章《饶宗颐挥笔论中外品茗说古今》，对他作了介绍。原文摘录如下：生于1917年的饶
西泠印社缶亭（晓柒摄）
Fouting Pavilion at Xiling Society of Seal Arts
宗颐，在学术路上左右顾盼，
古文字学、甲骨学、考古学、
史学乃至音乐、宗教、方志、潮
学、中印关系史等，他越走越
远，无暇回头。
饶宗颐通晓六国语言，
著作数千万言，研究涉及几十
个领域之中的极尖端学术论
题，学术贡献多得惊人，成就
太大，因此他的头衔也多得吓
人。一位学者对饶宗颐的评论 名扬四海
可见一斑：“文通六国，才高八 The four characters are the Chinese name of Xiling
斗，学富五车。其学术，遍及 Society of Seal Arts.
敦煌学、甲骨学、考古学、金石学、宗教学诸多学科，乃国际汉学界泰斗，丹青妙手；先生才通古今，学贯中西，因‘不可分类’而‘无家可归’，‘其博其专，不让古人 ’。公退居之后，抚宋明古琴，写擘窠大字，泼随意丹青，黄苗子氏，赞其‘落笔便高’，笔笔有书卷气。又因其才学过人，胸纳浩然气，笔起快哉风，山水花卉各有特创，尤以佛教人物白画与张大千氏同誉，公以正养气，以奇治学，奇正相生，研究学术而登象牙之塔，作书画则成一家面目，尺幅而藏大千，书画相成，合璧生辉，故有‘旷世奇才’之誉，堪称当代学苑宗师、艺林大匠焉。”
饶宗颐除了是经、史、考古和古文字学家之外，且工诗文，擅书画。饶宗颐笔耕一甲子，治学之领域，遍及十大门类，著述宏丰，仅其中《20世纪饶宗颐学术文集》即浩浩十二卷，洋洋超过千万字；专著六十多种，各种论文四百余篇。先生通晓英语、法语、日语、德语、印度语、伊拉克语等六国语言文字，其中古梵文、巴比伦古楔形文字，有的在其本国亦少有人精通，而饶宗颐先生以一个学方块字的中国人，却能通乎异国“天书”，非天才何能如是？
北京大学季羡林教授说：饶公之成就，得益于其能出入乎“地下实物与纸上遗文”、“异族故书与吾国旧籍”、“外来观念与固有材料”之间。公之熟谙经史子集自不待言，甲骨、简帛遗文堪称权威，亚洲诸宗教更是师心自悟。
缘系浙江，情关西湖
香港大学饶宗颐学术馆艺术统筹主任、饶老的女婿邓伟雄博士说，当饶老得知当选社长后，非常高兴。饶老对西泠印社有情结，之前三任社长沙孟海先生、赵朴初先生和启功先生与他都是几十年的老朋友，熟得不得了。所以，他很了解西泠印社。饶老说，能够出任第七任社长，是他的荣幸。
除了前几任社长，饶宗颐与西泠许多社员之间也有深厚交往。早在1940年，他便结识了钱瘦铁，不少常用印章都是钱瘦铁所刻。
饶宗颐对长三角尤其是杭州的地域文化也颇有研究。1994年，在杭州的“国际百越文化研讨会”上，饶宗颐发表了《哈佛大学所藏良渚黑陶上的符号试释》一文，这篇论文在
观赏中的饶老。
Master Rao comments on a painting.
良渚古文字上的权威学术意义，至今无人企及。
西泠印社常务副秘书长包正彦说，上次见面时，饶老谈笑自如，表现出了惊人的记忆力。包正彦将百年西泠的画册递交给他，其中的诸多照片勾起饶老的回忆。他边看边讲，说了在浙江省博物馆作诗、在西湖边和钱塘江游览那些往事，谈起自己与日本篆刻艺术泰斗、西泠印社前名誉副社长小林斗庵交往的往事。他甚至还兴奋地与包正彦握手比手劲，表示自己老而弥坚。
如今，饶宗颐依然坚持日日练习书法。这不仅因为他视书法为中国核心文化，也意识到书法对于养生的益处。
饶宗颐唯一有顾虑的，是“年纪大了，就怕不一定能为印社做出多大贡献”。但他表示只要身体情况允许，之后他将积极参与印社活动。我们期待着饶老在西泠印社的新建树。□
Xiling Society of Seal Arts Has Seventh President Finally
By Ye Yongqi
On December 13, 2011, directors of Xiling Society of Seal Arts unanimously voted Rao Zongyi or Jao Tsung-i as he is widely known overseas to be the president of the society, China’s most prestigious and largest organization of seal artists. The new presi-dent was elected after a hiatus of more than six years after the last president Qi Gong passed away in 2005.
Xiling Society of Seal Arts, first founded in 1904, is the most reputable organization of seal arts in China, but the presidency has been a long-running issue with the society since its inception. It ran for years without a president until Wu Changshuo, a highly respect-ful master of seal arts, painter, calligrapher, was appointed its first president in 1913.
This partly explains why the society wanted to have a president as the 110th anniversary of the founding of China’s largest and most respectful society of seal arts is rapidly approaching. It would be awkward and embarrassing to launch celebrations without a presi-dent.
The society has had seven presidents in its history of more than 100 years. Over the long decades, the society has formed and kept its tradition of finding someone from outside to serve as its presi-dent.
Wu Changshuo (1844-1927), though a native of Zhejiang, made
西泠印社一角（晓柒摄）
A view of Xiling Society of Seal Arts
his name in Shanghai. Zhao Puchu (1907-2000), a
master calligrapher, was president of Buddhist Asso-ciation of China and served as the president of Xiling
Society for years. Qi Gong was a Beijing-based mas-ter calligrapher and professor of Beijing University.
The artists of the society seek presidents from outside for a few reasons. Though nobody has ever seen a written document specify-ing terms for a candidate, it is said that someone must satisfy three essential requirements before he can be considered. First, one has to be a master of art (calligraphy, painting, and/or seal engraving); secondly, one has to be an established scholar of Chinese classics with academic books and papers published; thirdly, one has to be a
cultural celebrity of national fame. That is why the society has had difficulty finding a great art-
ist and influential scholar for its president in its history. After Wu
passed away, the presidency was vacant for 21 years. After Man Heng and Zhang Zongxiang, the second and third presidents, the presidency was vacant for a long time before Sha Menghai was ap-pointed president. After Qi Gong passed away, the presidency was vacant for more than six years.
The respectful organization needs a highly respectful master. With such a celebrity at helm, the society is no longer an organiza-tion of a bunch of seal engravers.
After the demise of Qi Gong, the society conducted a survey
among its members: Shall we find a scholar from outside or shall
we elect one of us as president? In the survey, members were re-
quested to name a candidate. The majority moved to find someone
from outside. Rao Zongyi was high on the list of candidates.
The society did not move fast. Before it made its decision on the seventh presidency, it considered it appropriate to keep the position vacant.
Rao Zongyi is the choice of popular support. Born in 1917 in Chaozhou, a city of culture in southern China’s Guangdong Prov-ince, Rao is widely considered a highly distinguished scholar of Chinese classics.
Rao was chosen not because he was 94 years old in 2011. Rao is a scholar, poet, calligrapher and painter. A versatile scholar, he con-tributes to every field of humanities, including archaeology, litera-ture, philology, musicology, religion, and history. Currently he lives in Hong Kong.
Moreover, Rao was friends for decades with Masters Sha Meng-hai, Zhao Puchu and Qi Gong, the three previous presidents of Xil-ing Society. Personally, he is no stranger to the society and the re-gional studies of the Yangtze River Delta in general and Hangzhou in particular. Rao and Master Qian Soutie (1897-1967), a master seal-engraver, started a friendship in 1940. Rao used a few seals carved by Qian. In 1994, Rao presented a paper at an international symposium on the studies of prehistoric Yue tribes, which once flourished in today’s Zhejiang Province. The paper was a tentative explanation of the symbols on the black pottery unearthed in Li-angzhu in the collection of Harvard University. The paper remains the best and most authoritative on the subject.
Rao says it is an honor to serve as president of Xiling Society of Seal Arts. The last time Bao Zhengyan, a deputy secretary of the society, visited Master Rao in Hong Kong, Rao was happy to thumb through a photo album of Xiling Society. Bao recalls that the master had very good memories of his visits to Hangzhou and his friend-ship with Kobayashi Toan (1916-2007), a Japanese master calligra-pher and seal engraver, who served as an honorary deputy president of Xiling Society of Seal Arts.
The 95-year-old Rao still practices calligraphy every day. He thinks highly of calligraphy not only because he considers it a key part of Chinese culture but also because calligraphic practicing is part of his fitness regime. He is afraid, however, he may not be able to make big contributions to Xiling Society of Seal Arts because of his advanced age, but he says he will try to take part in the society’s events and activities if his health allows him to move around more.□
有人誉称“北钱(锺书)南饶”“北季(羡林)南饶”，饶宗颐稳镇南国，蜚声海外，演绎出一个将近百年的文化传奇。当今之世，能集经学、佛学、史学、考古、文学、书画、音律、梵语于一身而扬名海内外，堪称“大师中的大师”者，唯有饶宗颐。
让人意外的是，在近一个世纪之后，饶宗颐大师站到了西湖边、来到了孤山上——2011年12月13日，闻名中外的文化社团西泠印社召开第八届理事会第六次会议，全票通过了现居香港的饶宗颐担任第七任社长。这是社长空缺了六年多后的再次接班。
12月16日，西泠印社在香港举行第七任社长颁证仪式，94岁高龄的饶宗颐先生正式执掌西泠印社。
历任社长，名冠寰宇
西泠印社创立于1904年(清光绪三十年)，由浙派篆刻家丁仁、王禔、吴隐、叶为铭等召集同人发起，是中国现存历史最悠久的人文社团，海内外研究金石篆刻历史最悠久、成就最高、影响最大的专业学术团体，联合国人类非物质文化遗产“篆刻艺术”、首批国家级非物质文化遗产“金石篆刻(西泠印社)”的传承代表组织，全国重点文物保护单位，并附建有中国印学博物馆，拥有“中国驰名商标”“中华老字号”“全国文化产业示范基地”等称号。在国际印学界地位尊崇，有“天下第一名社”之盛誉。
而西泠印社历任社长，均为大师级人物，是西泠印社的
饶宗颐先生近影
A recent photo of Mr. Rao Zongyi
形象、“招牌”。
第一任社长吴昌硕的篆刻开宗立派，治印别开天地，印面古朴苍劲，气魄雄伟，为印学界开出清刚高浑一路。在百年间还没有人能超越他在篆刻方面的顶峰地位。
郭沫若评价第二任社长马衡为“中国金石学第一人”。马衡在金石学的建立，石鼓文研究，青铜器研究，居延汉笔、新莽嘉量铭及衡器的研究，石经研究诸方面，功勋卓著。
第三任社长张宗祥在印学方面，有《张宗祥印选》《张宗祥藏印选》等著作。同时，他在目录版本校勘之学上，功力极深，正是他，为西泠印社后五十年立下奠基之功。
历任社长中，第四任社长沙孟海的篆刻成就仅次于吴昌硕。
第五任社长赵朴初虽不以篆刻闻名于世，但以书法驰名当代。
第六任社长启功是一位学识渊博的学者，他任社长，表明了西泠印社在中国文化界的“存在”，而不仅仅是囿于印学界。
鸿儒雅量，众望所归
但是，自2 0 05年启功先生离世后，这个位子谁能来坐呢？
西泠印社副社长兼秘书长陈振濂说：当时，西泠印社内部做过一个调查，重点问题是两个：首先是问大家，西泠印社第七任社长，是在社团内部产生还是从外面延请，还有一个就是请大家推荐具体人选。
结果，大部分人赞同社长一职从外面请“高人 ”担当。
这也充分体现了西泠印社人的博大胸怀。最早的时候，西泠印社四位创始人叶为铭、吴隐、王禔、丁仁，都是虽无社长之名而有社长之实的，但一到推举名义时，四位又都互相谦让。直到1913年，才从外面延请了吴昌硕出任社长。
这样的风格一直保持到现在。当时，请大家推荐具体人选时，饶宗颐就是焦点之一。西泠印社社长的头衔太重了。曾经有一个说法，西泠印社社长需要具备三个条件，第一是艺术大师(书、画、印方面)；第二是学术泰斗(有理论著述)；第三是文化名人，也就是必须要有社会影响。
像之前的社长，沙孟海、赵朴初和启功，他们的影响显
然远远超出了书法界以外。这样的人来当社长，才反映出西泠印社不仅仅是一个简单的、以刻章为业的社团组织。
所以，对这次的第七任社长，也是考虑了又考虑。在还没考虑好之前，社长一职宁可空缺。
其实，在西泠印社历史上，社长职位曾经几度空缺——在创社之初、吴昌硕出任第一任社长之前，就有9年空缺；而吴昌硕去世之后，它又曾空缺长达21年；马衡、张宗祥任后也均有较长时间的空缺。
眼看2013年西泠印社成立110周年大庆即将到来，社长人选这个事，越来越迫切。
西泠印社方面放眼海内外，仔细遴选，最后认为目前饶宗颐为最佳。
他，可以说是众望所归。
博通今古，当代大师
饶宗颐是中国当代著名的历史学家、考古学家、文学家、经学家、教育家和书画家，是集学术、艺术于一身的大学者、国学大师。香港《文汇报》刊登文章《饶宗颐挥笔论中外品茗说古今》，对他作了介绍。原文摘录如下：生于1917年的饶
西泠印社缶亭（晓柒摄）
Fouting Pavilion at Xiling Society of Seal Arts
宗颐，在学术路上左右顾盼，
古文字学、甲骨学、考古学、
史学乃至音乐、宗教、方志、潮
学、中印关系史等，他越走越
远，无暇回头。
饶宗颐通晓六国语言，
著作数千万言，研究涉及几十
个领域之中的极尖端学术论
题，学术贡献多得惊人，成就
太大，因此他的头衔也多得吓
人。一位学者对饶宗颐的评论 名扬四海
可见一斑：“文通六国，才高八 The four characters are the Chinese name of Xiling
斗，学富五车。其学术，遍及 Society of Seal Arts.
敦煌学、甲骨学、考古学、金石学、宗教学诸多学科，乃国际汉学界泰斗，丹青妙手；先生才通古今，学贯中西，因‘不可分类’而‘无家可归’，‘其博其专，不让古人 ’。公退居之后，抚宋明古琴，写擘窠大字，泼随意丹青，黄苗子氏，赞其‘落笔便高’，笔笔有书卷气。又因其才学过人，胸纳浩然气，笔起快哉风，山水花卉各有特创，尤以佛教人物白画与张大千氏同誉，公以正养气，以奇治学，奇正相生，研究学术而登象牙之塔，作书画则成一家面目，尺幅而藏大千，书画相成，合璧生辉，故有‘旷世奇才’之誉，堪称当代学苑宗师、艺林大匠焉。”
饶宗颐除了是经、史、考古和古文字学家之外，且工诗文，擅书画。饶宗颐笔耕一甲子，治学之领域，遍及十大门类，著述宏丰，仅其中《20世纪饶宗颐学术文集》即浩浩十二卷，洋洋超过千万字；专著六十多种，各种论文四百余篇。先生通晓英语、法语、日语、德语、印度语、伊拉克语等六国语言文字，其中古梵文、巴比伦古楔形文字，有的在其本国亦少有人精通，而饶宗颐先生以一个学方块字的中国人，却能通乎异国“天书”，非天才何能如是？
北京大学季羡林教授说：饶公之成就，得益于其能出入乎“地下实物与纸上遗文”、“异族故书与吾国旧籍”、“外来观念与固有材料”之间。公之熟谙经史子集自不待言，甲骨、简帛遗文堪称权威，亚洲诸宗教更是师心自悟。
缘系浙江，情关西湖
香港大学饶宗颐学术馆艺术统筹主任、饶老的女婿邓伟雄博士说，当饶老得知当选社长后，非常高兴。饶老对西泠印社有情结，之前三任社长沙孟海先生、赵朴初先生和启功先生与他都是几十年的老朋友，熟得不得了。所以，他很了解西泠印社。饶老说，能够出任第七任社长，是他的荣幸。
除了前几任社长，饶宗颐与西泠许多社员之间也有深厚交往。早在1940年，他便结识了钱瘦铁，不少常用印章都是钱瘦铁所刻。
饶宗颐对长三角尤其是杭州的地域文化也颇有研究。1994年，在杭州的“国际百越文化研讨会”上，饶宗颐发表了《哈佛大学所藏良渚黑陶上的符号试释》一文，这篇论文在
观赏中的饶老。
Master Rao comments on a painting.
良渚古文字上的权威学术意义，至今无人企及。
西泠印社常务副秘书长包正彦说，上次见面时，饶老谈笑自如，表现出了惊人的记忆力。包正彦将百年西泠的画册递交给他，其中的诸多照片勾起饶老的回忆。他边看边讲，说了在浙江省博物馆作诗、在西湖边和钱塘江游览那些往事，谈起自己与日本篆刻艺术泰斗、西泠印社前名誉副社长小林斗庵交往的往事。他甚至还兴奋地与包正彦握手比手劲，表示自己老而弥坚。
如今，饶宗颐依然坚持日日练习书法。这不仅因为他视书法为中国核心文化，也意识到书法对于养生的益处。
饶宗颐唯一有顾虑的，是“年纪大了，就怕不一定能为印社做出多大贡献”。但他表示只要身体情况允许，之后他将积极参与印社活动。我们期待着饶老在西泠印社的新建树。□
Xiling Society of Seal Arts Has Seventh President Finally
By Ye Yongqi
On December 13, 2011, directors of Xiling Society of Seal Arts unanimously voted Rao Zongyi or Jao Tsung-i as he is widely known overseas to be the president of the society, China’s most prestigious and largest organization of seal artists. The new presi-dent was elected after a hiatus of more than six years after the last president Qi Gong passed away in 2005.
Xiling Society of Seal Arts, first founded in 1904, is the most reputable organization of seal arts in China, but the presidency has been a long-running issue with the society since its inception. It ran for years without a president until Wu Changshuo, a highly respect-ful master of seal arts, painter, calligrapher, was appointed its first president in 1913.
This partly explains why the society wanted to have a president as the 110th anniversary of the founding of China’s largest and most respectful society of seal arts is rapidly approaching. It would be awkward and embarrassing to launch celebrations without a presi-dent.
The society has had seven presidents in its history of more than 100 years. Over the long decades, the society has formed and kept its tradition of finding someone from outside to serve as its presi-dent.
Wu Changshuo (1844-1927), though a native of Zhejiang, made
西泠印社一角（晓柒摄）
A view of Xiling Society of Seal Arts
his name in Shanghai. Zhao Puchu (1907-2000), a
master calligrapher, was president of Buddhist Asso-ciation of China and served as the president of Xiling
Society for years. Qi Gong was a Beijing-based mas-ter calligrapher and professor of Beijing University.
The artists of the society seek presidents from outside for a few reasons. Though nobody has ever seen a written document specify-ing terms for a candidate, it is said that someone must satisfy three essential requirements before he can be considered. First, one has to be a master of art (calligraphy, painting, and/or seal engraving); secondly, one has to be an established scholar of Chinese classics with academic books and papers published; thirdly, one has to be a
cultural celebrity of national fame. That is why the society has had difficulty finding a great art-
ist and influential scholar for its president in its history. After Wu
passed away, the presidency was vacant for 21 years. After Man Heng and Zhang Zongxiang, the second and third presidents, the presidency was vacant for a long time before Sha Menghai was ap-pointed president. After Qi Gong passed away, the presidency was vacant for more than six years.
The respectful organization needs a highly respectful master. With such a celebrity at helm, the society is no longer an organiza-tion of a bunch of seal engravers.
After the demise of Qi Gong, the society conducted a survey
among its members: Shall we find a scholar from outside or shall
we elect one of us as president? In the survey, members were re-
quested to name a candidate. The majority moved to find someone
from outside. Rao Zongyi was high on the list of candidates.
The society did not move fast. Before it made its decision on the seventh presidency, it considered it appropriate to keep the position vacant.
Rao Zongyi is the choice of popular support. Born in 1917 in Chaozhou, a city of culture in southern China’s Guangdong Prov-ince, Rao is widely considered a highly distinguished scholar of Chinese classics.
Rao was chosen not because he was 94 years old in 2011. Rao is a scholar, poet, calligrapher and painter. A versatile scholar, he con-tributes to every field of humanities, including archaeology, litera-ture, philology, musicology, religion, and history. Currently he lives in Hong Kong.
Moreover, Rao was friends for decades with Masters Sha Meng-hai, Zhao Puchu and Qi Gong, the three previous presidents of Xil-ing Society. Personally, he is no stranger to the society and the re-gional studies of the Yangtze River Delta in general and Hangzhou in particular. Rao and Master Qian Soutie (1897-1967), a master seal-engraver, started a friendship in 1940. Rao used a few seals carved by Qian. In 1994, Rao presented a paper at an international symposium on the studies of prehistoric Yue tribes, which once flourished in today’s Zhejiang Province. The paper was a tentative explanation of the symbols on the black pottery unearthed in Li-angzhu in the collection of Harvard University. The paper remains the best and most authoritative on the subject.
Rao says it is an honor to serve as president of Xiling Society of Seal Arts. The last time Bao Zhengyan, a deputy secretary of the society, visited Master Rao in Hong Kong, Rao was happy to thumb through a photo album of Xiling Society. Bao recalls that the master had very good memories of his visits to Hangzhou and his friend-ship with Kobayashi Toan (1916-2007), a Japanese master calligra-pher and seal engraver, who served as an honorary deputy president of Xiling Society of Seal Arts.
The 95-year-old Rao still practices calligraphy every day. He thinks highly of calligraphy not only because he considers it a key part of Chinese culture but also because calligraphic practicing is part of his fitness regime. He is afraid, however, he may not be able to make big contributions to Xiling Society of Seal Arts because of his advanced age, but he says he will try to take part in the society’s events and activities if his health allows him to move around more.□