Documenting the Foundations
Research No. 1: The Beginner's Guide to Chinese Calligraphy - An Introduction to Semi- Cursive Script (Xingshu) by Zhou Bin, Yi Yuan, and Zhou WeiWei
Analysing Several Examples
Letter to Express Happiness and Greetings by Wang Xizhi (below) features a regular script employed to present a sense of smoothness and elegance. The strokes are euphonious. It presents a consistent writing style. Its atmosphere is clear and easy going. First and Second Odes to Red Cliffs by Zhao Mengfu (below) depicts the author, Su Shi's visit to the Red Cliffs. It gives insight into the laws of change and non-change in nature. It is carefree and broad minded silently introducing sorrow and melancholy. The calligraphy below is written in a consistent regular speed and is smooth and fluent. Characters that are repeated assume different places and different strokes. Although being highly influenced by Wang Xizhi, his writing style was distinct but attained Wang's form and spirit.
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Chinese calligraphy is ultimately the art of writing with Chinese characters as a means to express feelings and sentiments.
History Dating from inscriptions on oracle bones and ancient bronze objects to the five styles of writing, calligraphers have diversified writing techniques. The modern day calligraphy consists of cultural connotations and fluidity of movement. Often interpreted as "Black lines on white paper" drawing connections to the yin and yang philosophy. "Just as the handwriting reveals the writer, so a person is known through his calligraphy" signifies that calligraphy represents a higher form of thinking reflection a person's moral conduct and self development. Semi-cursive script Late Eastern Han Dynasty (206BC to 220 AD) saw one person, Liu Desheng, credited with creating a type of script that easily adapted to changes and current trends. Saw three changes in style Wei and Jin Dynasties Wang Xizhi (303 to 361 or 321 to 379) and his son Wang Xianzhi (344 to 386) both had distinctly different styles. The father wrote "easily and smoothly, emphasising variety and the beauty of harmony". The son wrote "bold in character composition, wrote casually but with distinct individuality, and pursued the grace of motion". They gave rise to "unrestrained" and "contained" writing styles. Tang Dynasty Notable figures are: Yan Zhenqing, Sh Shi, Huang Tingjian, and Mi Fu. Promoted the development of seal script, clerical script, cursive script, and semi-cursive script. Yan brought about the Yan-style calligraphy. He wrote broadly with a sense of righteousness. The Song dynasty stressed on self cultivation and knowledge accumulation. For them, calligraphy was a form of escape from reality. During the Song Dynasty, the "Big Four" (Su Shi, Huang Tingjian, Mi Fu, and Cai Xiang) emerged. Newly recent printing technology helped the calligraphers have a stronger influence by preserving their works. Ming and Qing Dynasties Late Ming Dynasty: Wang Duo, Fu Shan, and Zheng Xie --> vivid and individualised styles Qing Dynasty: He Shaoji, Zhao Zhiqian, and Shen Zhengzhi ---> tablet calligraphy (calligraphy carved on stone) |
Research No. 2: Chinese Calligraphy edited and translated by Wang Youfen
"Object" and "Self"
Seal script --> square style --> denotes power and status of owner (graphic patterns) Generates relationship between line and surface, surface and plane, positive and negative... "Calligraphy derives from Nature. When Nature was established, there appeared yin and yang." (Pg. 2 Prologue) Representative and presentative function Chinese Characters Pictograms (xiangxing zhi) indicates that characters were indicative symbols (pictographic) Importance of Square : syllabic structure, independent, specific Development Qin and Han: Made Confucianism unifying ideology of empire, xiaozhuan evolved into dazhuan. Lishu, caoshu, zhangcao, kaishu, xingshu emerged. Note that xingshu is a running script. Qin: standardised script, small script for official language, great seal Wei, Jin, Southern, and Northern: Wei: Repetition of similar strokes without difficulty and without giving readers a sense of repetition Jin: muzhi emerged as clerical script, zhangcao script characters were oblong and tended to connect with other characters developing from draft cursive to cursive script Southern and Northern: Warring fractured economy and cultural changes dominated. Paper making improved. Sui, Tang, and Five Dynasties: Sui: epitaphs, inscriptions were divided into: horizontal strokes slanting upwards with a compact structure, or regular horizontal strokes that had a broad structure Tang: new running script styles, Five Dynasties: stereotypes writing, decline of arts with frequent wars and changes in dynasties Chancellery Style: Devoid of intellectuality, mainstream, but Wumen (Suzhou) formed a school to promote original free-style art. Dynamic and lively was the atmosphere. Influence on Chinese culture Intellect : link to ideas of harmony and moderateness, integration of elegance with simplicity Embellishes scrolls and boards, folded leaves For practical, decorative, etiquette Twentieth Century: 1911 Revolution led by Sun Yat-sen overthrew the Qing Monarchy founding the Republic of China. But China remained semi-feudal, semi colonial. 1949 Communist-led war of liberation formed People's Republic of China. Infusion of Western culture. New Culture Movement: 1919 climax --> major ideological battle against feudalism by radical intellectuals. Promotion of democracy and science with new thinking, morality, and literature to replace the previous. Abolished imperial examination system...knowledge regarding Confucian classics and Chinese calligraphy were no longer important for literati. Phonetic written language emerged. Criticised schools like tiepai and beipai Introduction of hard tipped writing tools forced calligraphy to fade. |
Analysing Several Examples
Chinese calligraphy has evolved due to the feudal system and has faced several severe potential abolishments. Late 20th Century:
Late 1970s to early 1980s, period was called "emancipation of the mind" Calligraphy flourished with exhibitions, competitions, topic of papers and journals and theoretical research Traditional calligraphy education depended mainly on individual coaching. Today: Changes and developments have made artists' works have a cultural significance. Modern nature of calligraphy development: submerge calligraphy into dissolving (western forms and concepts) Calligraphic Theories Overview: 1. Formation and Foundation of nature based theory (nature was origin of beauty...derives from pictographic nature) 2. Evolution of nature based theory: yin and yang concept, creation of beauty and force 3. Characters have muscles and bone (power) 4. Order, Art based (reflection of mind) --> "To learn calligraphy one must start from learning to be a righteous man. To be such a man, one has to cultivate a righteous mind. Without such a mind, no one can do well in calligraphy." (Pg. 434) Influence in the West: Developed chinoiserie (scholarly engagement) Collections, calligraphers (notably André Kneib of France) |
Research No. 3:
翰墨春秋 17 行书篇-王羲之与《兰亭序》and 18 行书篇-入古出新的唐代行书
Tang Dynasty is the golden age of script write
Apart from the li shu caoshu and kaishu, Xingshu is one of the ,ajor art of the era. Under the influence of Emperor Taizong of Tang, Wangyi's writing style becomes the major writing style . Emperor Taizong of Tang, being a renowned calligraphers himself, advocates for Wangyi's writing and tries to imitate the style and the characteristic of Wangyi's writing. Before people use kaishu, Xingshu, and zhuanshu as the standard of writing for formal documents and monuments, whereas xingshu is used more commonly in drafts and letters. Emperor Taizong of Tang breaks this custom carving xingshu on two monuments. This creates and incentive for other calligraphers to learn and use Wangyi's writing. This leads to making Wangyi's writing to become the classic standard of writing. Calligraphers mixes other writing style, such as kaishu, with xingshu to create their own style. One of the most notable form is liyongk's mix of xingshu and kaishu. |
Evolution of Chinese script:
-Bone oracle --> li shu --> kaishu --> xingshu - Evolving into today's chuxie (speed write) Kaishu's first development could be seen from remnants of the WeiZing era to replace lishu. Early development of Xingshu: mix of simplified kaishu and caozhi used by commoners (majority of public). Style of Xingshu: similar to form of kaishu but rather than focusing on even spacing, the number of strokes determines size of character. One of Xingshu's most symbolic work is Wangyi's Lantingji Xu (book name), which uses a mix of Caosh'su and Xingshu's characteristics, creating a unique style, thus bringing the art to a whole new level. In the year 353, Wangyi and 40 or so intellect met, to record the event Wangyi wrote the book Lantingji Xu. His writing becomes the goal which the calligraphers of the era strive for, thus the writing form changed. |
Research No. 4:【国学堂】 20120708 书法的历史性格
Due to the usage of computer, people are slowly forgetting the art of calligraph in daily usage. However it works both ways, although people think it is bad for people to move away from pens and paper, it also creates opportunity for people who uses writing to make a living.
Uses: calligraphy in home and temple (different styles) Brush: different from others because it is round The thinest point is centre. Brush strokes should be kept together (figuratively speaking, going inwards) for the character to have will. Could see equilibrium and elegance. Wei dynasty calligraphy was often: history changes thinking (today passes, tomorrow comes). Learning to write is more about essence of the eyes (eyes observation) and hand skill. |
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Research No. 5: Chinese Characters from China Highlights
Running Script (行书 xing shu) is the cursive form of kai shu, thereby making it a very quick, convenient, and practical way of writing. Xing shu comes from the Han Dynasty (206 BC - 220 AD).
Cursive Hand (草书 cao shu) from Western Han Dynasty (206 BC - 8 AD), it did not become popular until the Eastern Han Dynasty, between 25 and 220 AD. Cursive hand is very simple, irregular and sketchy, yet highly artistic. Official Script (隶书 li shu) is diversity with different variations. Li shu became the writing which eventually transitioned into formal script. |
Overview
Requires mental discipline with both body and soul to express spiritual feelings and character and integrity and temperament of person. Ink stick is the writing instrument mad from bamboo and animal hair Solid ink made from oil smoke or pinewood soot. Absorbent paper called xuan paper Statistics: Twenty million Chinese are still using the brush and ink stick! Written Chinese language is one of the oldest active languages from the Shang Dynasty. Used by approximately 1.3 billion people today. Five general styles zhuan shu, kai shu, xing shu, li shu, and cao shu Seal Characters (篆书 zhuan shu)This style gets its name from the ancient for official seals. Seal characters are very popular with calligraphy artists for their elegant style and are divided up into both small seal and big seal characters.
Formal Script (楷书 kai shu or zheng shu) evolved from seal characters. squareness, and horizontally and vertically standardized structure. |
Research No. 6: Recasting the Bond between Art and Power by Krauss
On a cultural sense, calligraphy gained audience through photography and modern recording instruments. The loss of authority (no more was calligraphy a momentous decider on success or no success) between the calligraphic elite made this art blend increasingly with ordinary writing. Mass education and incorporation of art in political movements rose exponentially.
In imperial China, the power of the brush was a status decider and recogniser. In modern China, however, it was used to deliver coded messages at political levels. Calligraphy was being used in modern politics. Notably, Sun Yat-sen used it to strengthen his ties with his supporters. It served as an alternative to public speaking where leaders spoke mandarin in heavy dialectic accents. Mao Zedong used his calligraphy to emphasise his accomplishments and build up a personal political cult. Strangely, he broadcasted his calligraphic resistence to the nation. It was a channel of communication, education, ideologies, and propaganda. |
Research No. 7: Modern Chinese Calligraphy by Kim Munson
Styles of Calligraphy: 7 major styles
- cursive, running, regular, clerical, small seal, large seal, oracle bone Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution in 1866 due to attempted openness in mid-60s and pressures within party. It was to destroy old thoughts and to rid political hierarchy of any Mao opposers. Attempts at cultural recovery encourages calligraphy to reappear strong. Had influence from Japanese calligraphy. Four major movements (modern): - Classical - Neo-classical - Modernist --> influenced by Western Art of the 1950s, artists such as Picasso and Miro - Avant-Garde --> Gu Gan believed it was to provide aesthetic pleasure linked to an idea; inspiration from contemporary art and theories. |
To the left is the summary of notes.