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TRANSCRIPT
PrefaceThe Chinese has a long history and an impressive arts culture. There are countless masters in the various disciplines who have established themselves as mountain peaks in a landscape of Chinese fine arts. Ancient Chinese fine arts possess distinctive characteristics which have impacted and influenced human civilization to different extents. Vigorous calligraphy, mesmerising paintings, melodious music, charismatic opera, lyrical folk arts and magnificent sculptures reflect the ancient Chinese perception of the universe and understanding of life. They put emphasis on harmony and the presentation of a person’s inner world and individuality. Chinese fine arts are highly valued for their brilliant freehand techniques in calligraphy and painting.
Chinese calligraphy is the most representative of all Chinese arts. Chinese calligraphers use brush, ink and paper to create graceful characters. They write with a force that punctuates the paper with incomparable exquisiteness. In their brush strokes lie their philosophical understanding of life. It can be said that calligraphy is a soundless music, an abstract painting and a dance on paper. In The Path of Beauty, Mr Li Zehou regarded calligraphy as embodying the spirit of Chinese arts: “Even though it is more closely related to painting and sculpture, calligraphy is comparable to music and dance. Calligraphy is not derived from painting. Instead, it is painting that has to absorb calligraphy’s experience, techniques and power. The strength, smoothness, power and rhythm of calligraphy can be applied to music. These features have become the soul of various Chinese visual and performing arts.”
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Another important element of ancient Chinese arts is music. Performing arts that involve music and dance have been practised in China for a long time. The two were once considered inseparable. When poetry was created, the three were combined. Musical performance have dominated the performing arts from the ancient times to the Sui and Tang dynasties. A later conception, Chinese opera was an evolved form of traditional musical performance, and is considered to be another brilliant and popular performing art.
Ancient Chinese fine arts have come a long way. Ten thousand years ago, cavemen made beads and decorative pieces from stones and bones. They mastered grinding and drilling techniques, and started to produce painted pottery during the late Neolithic period. Painted pottery unearthed from Banpo were decorated with images of dogs, fish, frogs and birds, while pottery discovered at Majiayao had geometric motifs on them. These creations are the earliest forms of Chinese sculpture art, and also represent the roots of Chinese painting.
The spectrum of traditional Chinese fine arts is as vast and as deep as the ocean. This volume propounds Chinese arts from a fresh perspective for young and interested readers. You will gain a comprehensive and multi-layered analysis of the subjects. The book introduces calligraphy, painting, music, dance, opera and other Chinese arts in a systematic order, and is supported by a total of 300 paintings and photographs.
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Zhong You and the Zhong Font 钟繇 2
Lu Ji and Pingfu Tie 陆机 4
Wang Xizhi and Preface to The Story of the Orchid Pavilion 王羲之 6
Wei Bei: Tablets from the Northern Dynasties 魏碑 8
Ouyang Xun and Nine Palace Fountain Inscriptions 欧阳询 10
Yu Shinan: Emperor Taizong’s Calligraphy Mentor 虞世南 12
Chu Suiliang and The Sacred Teachings of Monk Tripitaka of the Great Tang Dynasty
褚遂良 14
Sun Guoting and Treatise on Calligraphy 孙过庭 16
Li Yangbing: Li Bai’s Talented Relative 李阳冰 18
Yan Zhenqing: A Student of Zhang Xu 颜真卿 20
Liu Gongquan and Monument of the Great Strategy Army 柳公权 22
Zhang Xu: The Madman 张旭 24
Huai Su: The Drunk Monk 怀素 26
Su Shi: The Artist in Exile 苏轼 28
Mi Fu: The Diligent Student of Calligraphy 米芾 30
Wen Zhengming: A Master of Small Kaishu 文徵明 32
Zhu Yunming: The Unwilling Official 祝允明 34
Huang Daozhou: The Patriotic Martyr 黄道周 36
Wang Duo: The Imposing Calligrapher 王铎 38
Fu Shan: The Best Calligrapher of Early Qing 傅山 40
Deng Shiru: Master of Inscription of the Qing Dynasty 邓石如 42
Calligraphy 书法
Contents
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Pottery Art 彩陶纹画 46
Paintings on Silk During the Warring States 战国帛画 48
Han Dynasty Murals 汉代壁画 50
Gu Kaizhi: Excellent, Gifted and Eccentric 顾恺之 52
Zhang Sengyao: Innovator of Traditional Chinese Painting 张僧繇 54
Zhan Ziqian and Spring Outing 展子虔 56
Wang Wei: The Finest Artist of the Tang Dynasty 王维 58
Yan Liben and Pace of Emperor 阎立本 60
Wu Daozi: Sage of Chinese Painting 吴道子 62
Guan Tong: Master of Landscape Painting 关仝 64
Dunhuang Murals: Religious Images Inspired By Mortal Life 敦煌壁画 66
Zhang Xuan and Zhou Fang: Masters of Court Lady Paintings
张萱和周昉 68
Bian Luan: Pioneer of Bird-and-Flower Painting 边鸾 70
Gu Hongzhong and Night Revels of Han Xizai 顾闳中 72
Zhao Ji: The Incompetent Emperor Huizong 赵佶 74
Zhang Zeduan and Along the River during the Qingming Festival
张择端 76
Liang Kai: The Transgressive Painter 梁楷 78
Wen Tong: Master of Bamboo Paintings in Ink 文同 80
The Four Great Artists of the Southern Song Dynasty 南宋四家 82
Li Gonglin: Pioneer of Line Painting 李公麟 84
Zhao Mengfu: Top Artist of the Yuan Dynasty 赵孟頫 86
Ni Zan: The Unconventional Artist 倪瓒 88
Huang Gongwang and Dwelling in the Fuchun Mountains 黄公望 90
Shen Zhou: Founder of the Wu School 沈周 92
Qiu Ying: Prominent Artist of the Ming Dynasty 仇英 94
Tang Yin: “Thousand Mile Tour” 唐寅 96
Xu Wei: The Talented Painter Who Went Mad 徐渭 98
Chen Hongshou: The Great Printmaking Master 陈洪绶 100
Dong Qichang: A Prominent Art Figure During Late Ming 董其昌 102
Bada Shanren (Mountain Man of the Eight Greats): Painting with More Tears than Ink
八大山人 104
Paintings 绘画
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Kun Can: The Artist Who Lived in the Woods 髡残 106
Shi Tao: Pioneer of Splash-Ink Painting Style 石涛 108
Yun Shouping: Injecting Life into Flowers 恽寿平 110
Zheng Banqiao: The Peculiar Artist 郑板桥 112
The Eight Eccentrics of Yangzhou 扬州八怪 114
The Shanghai School: Prologue to Modern Chinese Painting
海上画派 116
The Lingnan School: Combining the East and West 岭南画派 118
Ren Bonian: The Chinese Van Gogh 任伯年 120
Wu Changshuo: Expert Seal-Cutter 吴昌硕 122
Zhang Daqian: Master of All Styles 张大千 124
Qi Baishi: Realistic Bird-and-Flower Painting 齐白石 126
Classic of Poetry: Ancient Music Lyrics and Songs 《诗经》 130
Bianzhong: The Grand Set of Bells 曾侯乙墓编钟 132
Li Yannian and Song for the Beauty 李延年 134
Cai Wenji and 18 Songs of a Nomad Flute 蔡文姬 136
Ji Kang and Music from Guangling 嵇康 138
Three Movements of Plum Blossoms 《梅花三弄》 140
Su Zhipo: The Music Theorist 苏祗婆 142
King Qin Breaking up the Enemy’s Front 《秦王破阵乐》 144
Melody of White Feather Garments 《霓裳羽衣曲》 146
Buddhist Music: Tranquil and Elegant 佛教音乐 148
Washe, Goulan and Shuochang: Theatre, Stage and Narrative Songs
瓦市勾栏与说唱音乐 150
Quzi Ci: Folk Music Lyrics 曲子词 152
Misty Rivers of Xiaoxiang: Describing Landscape with Music
《潇湘水云》 154
Haiqing Preying on the Swan: Oldest Pipa Melody 《海青拿天鹅》 156
Ambush from Ten Sides: Music of the Chu-Han Contention
《十面埋伏》 158
Sanqu: Folk Music of the Yuan Dynasty 散曲 160
Folk Songs of the Ming Dynasty 明代民歌和小曲 162
Music 音乐
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Baixi: Pioneer of Chinese Opera 百戏 184
Jiaodixi: The Battling Performance 角抵戏 186
Canjunxi: Ancient Chinese Comedy 参军戏 188
Gewuxi: Musicals of the Tang Dynasty 歌舞戏 190
Zaju: Mixed Opera of the Song Dynasty 杂剧 192
Four Great Playwrights of the Yuan Dynasty 元曲四大家 194
Guan Hanqing and Injustice to Dou E 关汉卿与《窦娥冤》 196
Wang Shifu and Romance of the West Chamber 王实甫与《西厢记》 198
Tang Xianzu and The Peony Pavilion 汤显祖与《牡丹亭》 200
Li Yu: Founder of the Suzhou School of Opera 李玉与苏州派戏曲 202
Hong Sheng and the Palace of Eternal Youth 洪升与《长生殿》 204
Kong Shangren and Peach Blossom Fan 孔尚任与《桃花扇》 206
Peking Opera: Epitome of Modern Chinese Theatre 京剧 208
Yuju: Modern Theatre of the Ordinary Folk 豫剧 210
Chinese Opera 中国戏剧
The Earliest Primitive Dance: Full of Mystery and Character
原始乐舞 166
Baixi: Spectacular Multi-Genre Performance “百戏”歌舞 168
Qingshangyue: Han Folk Music and Dance 清商乐 170
Huxuan Dance: Spinning Like the Wind 胡旋舞 172
Huteng Dance: Full of Strength 胡腾舞 174
Jianwu and Ruanwu: Robust and Gentle Dances of the Tang Dynasty
健舞与软舞 176
Tage Dance: To Sing and Dance at the Same Time 踏歌 178
Duiwu and Wudui: Group Dances of the Song Dynasty
队舞与舞队 180
Chinese Dance 中国舞蹈
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Tanci: Pastime of Upper Class Ladies 弹词 214
Xianzishu: Storytelling with Rhymes 弦子书 216
Drum Song of Peking: Stories in Songs 京韵大鼓 218
Plum Blossom Drum Ballad: The Five Petals of the Plum Blossom
梅花大鼓 220
Majie Folk Artist Fair 马街书会 222
Folk Arts 曲艺
Bronze Sculptures: China’s Bronze Age 商周雕塑 226
The Terracotta Army: Imposing Warriors 秦俑 228
Stone Sculptures at Huo Qubing’s Tomb: Patriotic Spirit Set in Stone
霍去病墓石雕
230
Maijishan Grottoes: Oriental Sculpture Gallery 麦积山石窟 232
Yungang Grottoes: Images of the Performing Arts 云冈石窟 234
Longmen Grottoes: Entering an Ancient World of Buddhism 龙门石窟 236
Creatures Before the Southern Dynasties Mausoleums: Majestic Mythological Beasts
南朝陵墓石刻
238
The Six Steeds of Zhao Mausoleum: Glory Set in Stone 昭陵六骏 240
Qian Mausoleum: Tomb of Emperor Gaozong and Empress Wu Zetian
乾陵 242
The Thirteen Tombs of the Ming Dynasty: Magnificent Imperial Mausoleums
明十三陵 244
Ancient Sculptures 古代雕塑
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About the CalligrapherZhong You (153–230) was a calligrapher in the Wei nation during the Three Kingdoms. He was born into a prominent family during the Eastern Han Dynasty. His father Zhong Di, who had never been in an official position due to political constrain, passed away when Zhong You was young. He was brought up by his uncle.
Zhong was a handsome and intelligent child. Once, while he was on the way to Luoyang with his uncle, they encountered a physiognomist. The fortune-teller predicted that Zhong would be rich in the future, but told the duo to be wary of a water-related accident. Zhong and his uncle continued on with their journey for a few more miles before Zhong’s horse went into a sudden fit and threw him into a river, causing him to nearly drown. Since part of the fortune-teller’s words came true, his uncle realised that Zhong was meant for greatness. He provided Zhong with a good education so that he could succeed in the future. Zhong lived up to expectations by studying hard, and eventually became a master.
During the Battle of Guandu, Zhong sent Cao Cao more than a thousand horses during a crucial moment, which put Cao Cao at an advantage. For his assistance during the battle, Zhong enjoyed a close relationship with the Cao family. He was appointed as Grand Tutor, and was one of the important officials during the Cao Wei times. When he passed away in 230, Emperor Cao Rui donned funeral garb to mourn for him.
Obsession with CalligraphyZhong You studied the styles of Cao Xi, Liu De, and Cai Yong, famous calligraphers of the time, to hone his own skill. An extremely bright and passionate student, his study of calligraphy was intense. He claimed: “Throughout my 30 years of calligraphy study, I always had a book close by
Zhong You (钟繇),
widely considered to
be the pioneer of Chinese
calligraphy, has influenced
the art form greatly. He
standardised calligraphy
with the kaishu style, a
font that has contributed
largely to the development
of Chinese characters. He
later created a font named
zhong which was widely
studied, and it continued to
impact the development of
the kai font.
Zhong Youand the Zhong Font
Limingbiao
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CHINESE FINE ARTS
3
so that I could study at anytime. Sometimes, I even went to bed with the books!” Zhong You’s passion for calligraphy was manical. According to a folk tale, during a visit to Wei Dan’s, he found a book illustrating Cai Yong’s secrets to calligraphy, and requested for Wei Dan to lend him the book. Despite Zhong’s pleads, Wei Dan refused as the book was too valuable. In his frustration, Zhong hit his own chest and almost died as a result. He was rescued only when Cao Cao sent a doctor. Despite the dramatic incident, Wei Dan remained firm on his decision not to lend Zhong You the book. Eventually, Zhong stole the book from Wei Dan’s grave after his death.
StyleZhong You’s calligraphy is simple, elegant and neat. In 12 Meanings of Zhong You’s Calligraphy, Emperor Wudi of the Liang Dynasty praised Zhong’s work as “a delicate, ingenious and heavenly creation”. His work was compared to another famous calligrapher of that period, Hu Zhao, and the duo were referred to as “Fat Hu and Thin Zhong”. Another comparison was made with Wang Xizhi, a great calligrapher from the Jin Dynasty, and they were called “Zhong Wang”. Zhong's kaishu calligraphy was outstanding during his time for its portrayal of beauty, elegance and depth. His small kaishu is slightly flat and compact. Its stipples are heavy, but the strokes fresh, which gave it a natural feel. His work Memorial Recommending Ji Zhi (荐季
直表) is respected by calligraphers even today. Lu Xingzhi of the Yuan Dynasty called this piece of work “the best, unprecedented calligraphy work on Earth”.
Zhong You is a prominent figure in the history of Chinese calligraphy, and an influential person in calligraphy academia. The Bookstore Essence documented these words about him: “The master behind these brushstrokes has conquered Heaven and Earth”. He often used the relationship between Heaven, Earth and Man to describe the art of calligraphy. He believed that nature was the essence of calligraphy, and tried to incorporate the spirit of nature into his calligraphy. He was diligent student of calligraphy, and also a teacher who has affected the development of Chinese calligraphy.
Zhong You versus Guo Yan
Zhong You never avoided his enemies. After the Guandu war, he became a prominent figure in Cao Cao’s camp. Once, he led an army to fight Guo Yuan. He was a strong opponent, and Zhong’s subordinates persuaded him to retreat. He said, “If we were to retreat now, Guo Yuan would believe that we are afraid of him. The people hate Guo Yuan. If we were to retreat, what would happen to them? We would lose the heart of the people before battling. Besides, Guo Yuan would think that he stands a chance against us with the little number of people we have here. Once he crosses over Fenshui to encamp, we shall cross over to exterminate them.” Things turned out just as Zhong had predicted. Guo Yuan’s army was exterminated. After that, Zhong defeated many others and claimed their lands. His exploits were celebrated.
Memorial Recommending Ji Zhi
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4
Lu Ji (陆机) was a
famous writer and an
outstanding calligrapher
of the Western Jin Dynasty.
Pingfu Tie (平复帖), which
was written by him, is the
earliest recovered piece of
Chinese calligraphy work.
Lu Ji is a respected figure
in the history of Chinese
calligraphy. He was known
as the “King of Ink”, and
his work as “Imperial
Notes”.
About the CalligrapherLu Ji (261-303), whose courtesy name was Shiheng, was said to be born in either Wujun (today’s Suzhou) or Huating (today’s Songjiang of Shanghai province). Lu came from a family of officials. His grandfather, Lu Xun, and his father, Lu Kang, were famous generals who represented Dongwu during the Three Kingdoms. Lu Ji served as the Interior Minister of Pingyuan, a libationer (the Imperial winetaster), and a Gentleman of Writing. He was also known as “Lu Pingyuan”. He was put to death during the War of the Eight Princes on false charges.
Lu Ji has been described as “a rare genius, with unsurpassable masterpieces”. He had many prominent literary accomplishments. He left later generations with many poems and literary criticisms, which were his strengths. When he was 20, he wrote Wen Fu (On Literature), a literary monograph that became the first of its kind. The monograph systematically analysed the nature of literary and creative accomplishments, its motivation, ideas, aesthetic expressions, literary patterns and style.
Lu Ji was known for being an eminent calligrapher. His Pingfu Tie was a major influence in Chinese calligraphy.
StyleLu Ji once wrote a letter to his friend, explaining that he was in a weak condition and might not recover. The letter was later referred to as Pingfu Tie (Letter of Recovery). The letter is made up of nine rows and 84 characters. The strokes start off rounded and end up pointed, and the characters are higher on the left than the right. Lu did not practise the usual standard of Chinese calligraphy, which required the “the head of silkworm to be joint with the tail of phoenix and the silver hook of a scorpion”. This standard used a balanced strength throughout the stroke, yet felt casual at the same time. Despite the lack of consistent
Wen Fu (On Literature)
Lu Jiand Pingfu Tie
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formatting, the characters reflected Lu’s psyche. Concise and simple, the strokes project smooth, wavy-like shapes that resemble the Li font – the lines are short and plump, and there is obvious spacing between the characters. The thought flow is also continuous and cohesive. Pingfu Tie shows a transition from caoshu (running style) to lishu (official style), integrating features of the two. The strokes are wavy, but not as distinct as those in lishu.
Pingfu Tie is a difficult piece to analyse, in terms of both language and calligraphy. Lu used dry ink to create an effect many calligraphers call “the old vine”, which is different from the usual wet ink style. There have many reviews of Pingfu Tie throughout the different dynasties. Chen Yi of the Song Dynasty described it as a rare ancient piece with illegible writing; Dong Qichang of the Ming Dynasty called it “a few lines as precious as gemstones, written in an era between two famous calligraphers – Yuanchang and Youjun”, while Gu Fu of the Qing Dynasty regarded the piece as “old-fashioned, imperfect and unreadable”. The piece has become an inspiration for caoshu font masters including Huai Su and Yang Ningshi.
Pingfu Tie and Zhang BojuPingfu Tie was passed down through nobles and feudal intellectuals who kept it as part of their private collections.During WWII, the Japanese imperialists plundered Chinese wealth and national treasures. At that time, someone wanted to present Pingfu Tie as a gift to the Japanese. When Zhang, a well-known calligrapher and collector at that time, heard about it, he was furious and anxious to protect the precious artefact. He sold all his possessions and bought Pingfu Tie together with some other ancient treasures. Pingfu Tie itself cost him 40,000 yuan at that time. After the Republic of China was founded, Mr and Mrs Zhang donated the 1,700 year-old Pingfu Tie to the government.
Pingfu Tie
Ancient Celebrities
Lu Ji came from a prestigious family during the Three Kingdoms period that declined after the Jin Dynasty was established. He retreated to his hometown with his younger brother, Lu Yun, where they spent ten years studying. In 289, the brothers went to Luoyang, the capital of the Jin Dynasty, which aroused a lot of public attention. They were considered as geniuses that were more talented than three famous scholars of the time Zhang Zai, Zhang Xie and Zhang Kang. When the Lu brothers arrived at Luoyang, people started to idolise them instead, and the Zhangs were quickly forgotten. Celebrity worship were common in the ancient days too.
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6
Wang Xizhi and Preface to the Story of the Orchid Pavilion
Wang Xizhi’s (王羲
之) calligraphy
is characterised by his
delicate style and changing
structures, which was quite
different from calligraphy
from the Han and the
Western Jin dynasties.
He developed Chinese
calligraphy into a real art
form by emphasising on
its mood and aesthetic
factor. His success won him
the title of “The Saint of
Calligraphy”.
About the CalligrapherWang Xizhi (303-361 or 321-379), whose courtesy name was Yishao, also known as Danzhai, was born in Langya of Linyi (today’s Linyi of Shandong Province). He grew up in one of the most prominent families of the Eastern Jin Dynasty. His father, Wang Kuang, had served as the Governor of Taishou and the court historian of Huiji.
Wang avoided entering the Imperial Court until General Yu Liang invited Wang to join the army as his advisor. He rose up the ranks rapidly and eventually became General You (you literally means “the direction right”), one of the three major generals during the Jin Dynasty. He later resigned, giving the reason of bad health, which was an excuse to avoid contact with a disagreeable colleague. He retreated into seclusion until his death.
Wang was a great admirer of calligraphy. He practised it diligently and became a master. His work, Preface to the Story of the Orchid Pavilion (兰亭序), is considered a classic masterpiece.
StyleWang Xizhi often practised calligraphy by a pond, and it became a habit for him to rinse his inkstone in the pond. As time passed, water in the pond turned black, and the
Preface to the Story of the Orchid Pavilion
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CHINESE FINE ARTS
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pond was named “the Ink pond”. He specialised in a variety of fonts, including lishu, caoshu, kaishu and xingshu. His works are calm and natural, his movements subtle, powerful and handsome. His work has been described as “an energetic dragon leaping over the heaven gate and the calm tiger crouching in the phoenix chamber”.
None of Wang's original works survive today, but a few block-printed copies were preserved, including Sangluan Tie (丧乱帖) and Preface to the Story of the Orchid Pavilion, his most influential work.
Preface has been admired by calligraphers throughout history, and is considered “the best xingshu manuscript on Earth”. According to legend, Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty named Wang's masterpiece as a national treasure and called upon calligraphers to mimic his writing style.
Preface to the Story of the Orchid PavilionDuring the Eastern Jin Dynasty, 41 people, including Wang Xizhi, wrote a poem during an event held at the orchid pavilion at Shaoxing. Wang was responsible for writing the preface. He described the beautiful scenery surrounding the orchid pavilion and the joyous moments he had there. Following that, he lamented the transcience of happiness and the impermanence of life. Preface consists of 28 rows and 324 characters. With perfect composition, structure and stroke, the piece represents his finest creation at age 50.
The copy of Preface that is the most widely circulated today was created during the Tang Dynasty. This copy meticulously adhered to Wang’s style, and is widely recognised as the best copy of masterpiece. A stone inscription of the poem was recently discovered, but was later identified to be unauthentic. It is suspected to be a copy made during the Sui or Tang dynasties.
Wang Xizhi’s son, Wang Xianzhi, was also a famous calligrapher. He started learning calligraphy from his father at a young age. He was famous for his xingshu and caoshu styles later in his life. They are often referred to as the “Two Wangs”.
Sangluan Tie
The Talented and Carefree Son-in-law
Wang Xizhi was a carefree man who was not bound by convention. Fame and fortune did not appeal to him at all. He appeared in a story recorded in the New Anecdotes. Xi Jian, the Grand Commandant of the Jin Dynasty, wanted to marry his daughter to the prestigious Wang family. He sent an aide to the Wang residence to select a suitable candidate. The aide reported, “All young men looked modest, except for one, who was lying topless on the bed enjoying a snack even when there were guests in the house.” At this moment, Xi Jian declared, “That is the son-in-law I am looking for!” He had picked Wang Xizhi, and this is the famous story about the talented and happy-go-lucky son-in-law.
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8
Weibei (魏碑), literally
“Northern tablets”,
refers to inscriptions
made on tablets during
the Northern Dynasties.
The strong and stiff font
used on weibei became
a standard for the future
generations. Weibei
usually employed the
kaishu style, which is why
some people refer to the
calligraphic font used for
the inscriptions as weikai.
Brief Description The three main types of kaishu are weikai, jinkai and tangkai (from the Jin and Tang Dynasties respectively). Weibei displays the transition from lishu to kaishu. Kaishu emerged some time between the Wei and Jin dynasties. Zhong You’s Proclamation and Wang Xizhi’s The Yellow Emperor Classic are examples of the kaishu manuscript. After a large group of scholars migrated from Western Jin to the South, calligraphy style in the Northern and Southern started to develop in different directions. Most weibei available today are products of peasant calligraphers, while tablets from the Southern dynasties are the refined works of scholars. Zhong You and Wang Xizhi were crucial to the shift from lishu to kaishu. When the Jin migrated to the South, the works of these two masters were brought along. Hence, peasant calligraphers of the Northern Dynasties did not have the chance to learn from Zhong You and Wang Xizhi, but instead, continued to focus and develop on lishu calligraphy from the Han Wei period.
There are two types of weibei: inscriptions on Buddha statues and on tombstones. The Longmen Grottoes, a UNESCO World Heritage Site created in AD 492, holds more than 3000 inscriptions on Buddhist statues. Among those, The Twenty Artworks of Longmen is the most well-known.
Northern Wei has more epitaphs than any preceding dynasty. The inscriptions represent a continuation of lishu from the Han Dynasty, that was made up of a square and compact structure with steady strokes.
The Twenty Artworks of LongmenThe Twenty Artworks of Longmen is an important demonstration of weibei calligraphy. 19 of them are located in Guyang Cave and the last piece is located in Cixiang Cave. Kang Youwei’s Extension of Two Volumes on Composition and
WeibeiTablets from the Northern Dynasties
Weibei
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Calligraphy and Fang Ruo’s Notes from an Examination of Inscriptions were the two earliest literary works to discuss the 20 artworks. The inscriptions on these 20 pieces were mostly prayers to avoid misfortune. The calligraphic style of the inscriptions combined the composition of lishu and the uniqueness of kaishu, creating a result that was dignified yet simple.
Kang Youwei’s Comments on WeibeiKang Youwei (康有为) was a Chinese scholar, a noted calligrapher and a prominent political thinker of the late Qing Dynasty. His ideas inspired a reform movement that made the government resent him, and he was forced to turn to calligraphy. Although his political views were never put into practice, his calligraphic theories were widely accepted. He wrote Extension of Two Volumes on Composition and Calligraphy (广艺舟双楫), a book that is considered important research into Chinese calligraphy. It praised weibei as the only reliable calligraphic inscription besides nanbei (the Southern monuments). The monograph also described the “Ten Beauties” of weibei. Its calligraphic style contains bold and powerful strokes, a simple and practical style, writing that is fluid, thick and vigorous stipples, unique conceptions, a swift and upright spirit, an intoxicated enthusiasm, a deep understanding, a heaven-made structure and is beautiful inside and out.
His summary of weibei ’s beauty attracted many scholars to study the calligraphic style. From then on, those who studed kaishu were no longer limited to the Jin and Tang dynasties, as its realm of study started to include weibei.
Kang You Wei
Premier Zhou Enlai and The Twenty Artworks of Longmen
Premier Zhou Enlai was a great admirer of the Longmen artworks. On 14 October 1973, Premier Zhou went to Guyang Cave together with the Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau. As the two important figures strolled through the caves, Premier Zhou stopped at a stall selling ink rubbings of the inscriptions of The Twenty Artworks. After finding out that each piece costs 500 yuan, he continued walking through the park. When he saw another store selling the same items, he asked Han Xu, the Chief of Protocol, how much money he had with him. Han Xu replied, “Not enough.” Someone suggested sending money from Beijing after they got back to the city. Premier Zhou replied with only two words— “No way!”
fine arts.indd 9 9/12/2012 11:10:41 AM