The Expressive Significance of Brush and Ink: Selections from the History of Chinese Calligraphy, Period 2018.01.01-03.25, Galleries 204,206
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To meet the need for recording information and ideas, unique forms of calligraphy (the art of writing) have been part of the Chinese cultural tradition through the ages. Naturally finding applications in daily life, calligraphy still serves as a continuous link between the past and the present. The development of calligraphy, long a subject of interest in Chinese culture, is the theme of this exhibit, which presents to the public selections from the National Palace Museum collection arranged in chronological order for a general overview.

The dynasties of the Qin (221-206 BCE) and Han (206 BCE-220 CE) represent a crucial era in the history of Chinese calligraphy. On the one hand, diverse forms of brushed and engraved "ancient writing" and "large seal" scripts were unified into a standard type known as "small seal." On the other hand, the process of abbreviating and adapting seal script to form a new one known as "clerical" (emerging previously in the Eastern Zhou dynasty) was finalized, thereby creating a universal script in the Han dynasty. In the trend towards abbreviation and brevity in writing, clerical script continued to evolve and eventually led to the formation of "cursive," "running," and "standard" script. Since changes in writing did not take place overnight, several transitional styles and mixed scripts appeared in the chaotic post-Han period, but these transformations eventually led to established forms for brush strokes and characters.

The dynasties of the Sui (581-618) and Tang (618-907) represent another important period in Chinese calligraphy. Unification of the country brought calligraphic styles of the north and south together as brushwork methods became increasingly complete. Starting from this time, standard script would become the universal form through the ages. In the Song dynasty (960-1279), the tradition of engraving modelbook copies became a popular way to preserve the works of ancient masters. Song scholar-artists, however, were not satisfied with just following tradition, for they considered calligraphy also as a means of creative and personal expression.

Revivalist calligraphers of the Yuan dynasty (1279-1368), in turning to and advocating revivalism, further developed the classical traditions of the Jin and Tang dynasties. At the same time, notions of artistic freedom and liberation from rules in calligraphy also gained momentum, becoming a leading trend in the Ming dynasty (1368-1644). Among the diverse manners of this period, the elegant freedom of semi-cursive script contrasts dramatically with more conservative manners. Thus, calligraphers with their own styles formed individual paths that were not overshadowed by the mainstream of the time.

Starting in the Qing dynasty (1644-1911), scholars increasingly turned to inspiration from the rich resource of ancient works inscribed with seal and clerical script. Influenced by an atmosphere of closely studying these antiquities, Qing scholars became familiar with steles and helped create a trend in calligraphy that complemented the Modelbook school. Thus, the Stele school formed yet another link between past and present in its approach to tradition, in which seal and clerical script became sources of innovation in Chinese calligraphy.

Selections

Exhibit List

Title
Artist
Period
Note
Ink Rubbing of the Stele for the Late Palace Subordinate Qiao Min
Anonymous
Han dynasty (206 BCE-220 CE)
"Qiyue" and "Duxia" Modelbooks
Wang Xizhi (303-361)
Jin dynasty
Ink Rubbing of the Stele on Engraving Sutras
Tang Yong (fl. mid-6th c.)
Northern Qi dynasty
Seven-character Poetry
Huang Tingjian (1045-1105)
Song dynasty
Letter to Abbot Zhongfeng
Guan Daosheng (1262-1319)
Yuan dynasty
Ode on Leisurely Living
Zhao Mengfu (1254-1322)
Yuan dynasty
Five-character Truncated Verse
Dong Qichang (1555-1636)
Ming dynasty
Four Scrolls Recording Shen Yi's Poetry
Lin Zexu (1785-1850)
Qing dynasty
Copy of the Stone Drum Script
Wang Shu (1668-1743)
Qing dynasty
The Heart Sutra
Yongrong (1743-1790)
Qing dynasty
Seven-character Couplet of Characters from the Cao Quan Stele
Yu Yue (1821-1906)
Qing dynasty
Donated by Tsai Chen-nan
Copy of Dong Qichang's Imitation of Su Shi's "Zhonggui" Modelbook
Zhang Zhao (1691-1745)
Qing dynasty
Five-character Archaic Poetry by Wang Wei in Running Script
Chiang Chao-shen (1925-1996)
Republican period
Donated by Wang Yao-ting
Thousand-character Essay from the Cold Jade Hall in Cursive Script
Pu Ru (1896-1963)
Republican period
Donated by Liu Te-feng