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Introduction

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

Calligraphy Modelbooks of the Imperial Summer Palace

Shengzu (1654-1722), Qing dynasty

Aisin Gioro Xuanye, known as Emperor Shengzu of the Qing dynasty and more commonly by his reign name of Kangxi (1654-1722), was an astute practitioner of calligraphy. In 1690 he had the Hall of Literary Arts in the Imperial Household renamed as the "Department of Imperial Calligraphy," which was devoted specifically to engraving imperial calligraphy and making rubbings of poetry and calligraphy from the emperor's brush for publication. This is an example of an early Qing palace engraved modelbook that influenced the engraving and publishing activities of imperial calligraphy later at the court of the Qianlong emperor.

On display here is the second volume of "Calligraphy Modelbooks of the Imperial Summer Palace" carved in stone in 1716. It includes the Kangxi emperor's copy of The Great Learning and other imperial copies of famous works, the entire compilation in five volumes.

Copy of the Tomb Stele for Jizi of Yanling

Wang Shu (1668-1739), Qing dynasty

Wang Shu (style name Ruolin), a native of Jintan in Jiangsu, was a Presented Scholar of 1712 who rose to the post of Vice Director in the Ministry of Personnel.

On display here is a copy from the tomb stele inscription for Jizi of Yanling by Wang Shu along with an analysis from Wang's "Modelbooks from the Accumulated Calligraphy Cliff." The text from right to left states that it comes from the tomb of "Gentleman Yanling of Wu." It was claimed that Confucius had once written in seal script the inscription for the tomb stele of Jizha (Jizi of Yanling, fl. ca. early 6th c. BCE), a sage in the state of Wu. However, Confucius actually never visited Wu, the style of seal script here also including a sinuous manner from the Han dynasty (206 BCE-220 CE), suggesting perhaps a pre-Han tomb inscription attributed to Confucius at a later date.

Two Panels of Seal Script

Luo Zhenyu (1866-1940), Qing dynasty

Luo Zhenyu (style names Shuyan and Shuyun; sobriquet Xuetang) was a native of Shangyu (modern Zhejiang).

When oracle bones were excavated at Xiaotun in Anyang, Henan, Luo Zhenyu first determined that Anyang was the site of the late Shang dynasty (16th c.-1046 BCE) capital, thereby affirming the approximate date of script on them. As a scholar, Luo made an outstanding contribution to the study of ancient Chinese writing, including oracle bone script, and academia has referred to him and Guo Moruo, Dong Zuobin, and Wang Guowei as the "Four Great Scholars of Oracle Bone Studies." He was also an accomplished calligrapher. This work is a copy of a Qin dynasty (221-206 BCE) imperial decree in small seal script. The character forms are even and regulated, the dots and strokes well placed, making it a fine model for the study of small seal script.

Calligraphy by Confucius

Attributed to Confucius (551-479 BCE), Eastern Zhou dynasty

This work is the second volume of "Recarving of the Chunhua Pavilion Modelbooks by Imperial Order" in ten volumes from the Qing dynasty (1644-1911). The Qianlong emperor in 1769 ordered the Chunhua modelbooks to be recarved, the project not completed until three years later. Qianlong had done so due to the fact that scholars over the centuries had pointed out the deficiencies and errors of the original "Modelbooks of the Chunhua Pavilion." As a result, he instructed scholar-officials at his court to study the best examples in the imperial collection and recompile the original order of the modelbooks along with notes to the side by various scholars. At the end of the work is an inscription personally done by the Qianlong emperor, who wrote about where corrections were made and the reasons for doing so. The original stones of the engraving were inlaid at the Chunhua Pavilion of the Old Summer Palace but destroyed in 1860 when it was burned to the ground in the Second Opium War.

Ten Panels of the Thousand Character Essay in Cursive Script

Hsu Shih-ying (1873-1964), Republican period

Hsu Shih-ying (style name Jingren, sobriquet Junren) was a native of Zhide County (modern Dongzhi County), Anhui Province. When he was 19, at the end of the Qing dynasty, he became a Cultivated Talent and served in government for more than sixty years, rising to become Premier of the following Republic of China. He made the acquaintance of Tuan Chi-jui, and they became close associates. After retirement, Hsu helped found the "Association of Chinese Calligraphy" with the aim and responsibility of promoting calligraphy. In his late years, Hsu fused Han and Wei calligraphy into a single type, taking the virtues of Jin steles as well to form a style of his own. On display here is a version of the "Thousand Character Essay" in draft cursive script spread across ten panels. The brush manner is upright and elegant, pure yet strong.

Four Panels in Four Calligraphic Script Types

Li Ruiqing (1876-1920), Republican period

Li Ruiqing (style name Zhonglin, sobriquets Mei'an and Qingdaoren) was a native of Linchuan in Jiangxi. A Presented Scholar of 1895, he served the Jiangning Provincial Administration Commission. After the Xinhai (Chinese) Revolution of 1911, he took up residence in Shanghai and sold his painting and calligraphy for a living. His standard, running, seal, and clerical script types all have a hoary power harking back to antiquity. On exhibit here are four works in different script types of calligraphy that incorporate elements of Bronze and Stele brush methods, the application and lifting of the brush as well as its turns and twists having an angular quality similar to engraving with a knife. The lines of the brush strokes also sometimes tremble, this type of calligraphy being popular and trendy in Shanghai art circles at the time.