Wang Xizhi
When we talk about calligraphy, we have to talk about Wang Xizhi; when we talk about Wang Xizhi, he is almost a household name, and maybe a few stories about him can be told. This can also be regarded as a unique calligraphy cultural phenomenon in China.
Wang Xizhi (303-361), a calligrapher of the Eastern Jin Dynasty, had a courtesy name. He was originally from Langya (now Linyi, Shandong) and lived in Shanyin, Huiji (Shaoxing, Zhejiang). From official to general of the right army, he was an internal historian of Kuaiji and was known as "Wang Youjun". He was born into a prominent family in the Jin Dynasty. When Wang Xizhi was twelve years old, his father taught him the theory of brushwork. As a child, he learned calligraphy from Mrs. Wei, a famous female calligrapher at the time. After that, he crossed the Yangtze River and traveled to famous mountains in the north, learning from everyone's strengths. He learned from Zhang Zhi, a master of cursive calligraphy, and learned from Zhong Yao in his official calligraphy. Observing and learning the "methods of gathering together people to prepare a family", reaching the height of "Guiyue Group's products are the best in ancient and modern times".
Compared with the Han Dynasty and the Western Jin Dynasty, the most obvious features of Wang Xizhi’s calligraphy style are his delicate brushwork and changeable structure. Wang Xizhi's greatest achievement was to enhance and detract from ancient calligraphy, transforming the simple calligraphy style of the Han and Wei dynasties into a calligraphy style of exquisite brushwork and beauty. The cursive script is dense and eclectic, the main script is clever and dense, and the running script is powerful and natural. In short, it introduces Chinese character writing from practicality to a realm that pays attention to technique and taste. In fact, this is the awakening of the art of calligraphy, marking that calligraphers not only discovered The calligraphy is beautiful and can express the beauty of calligraphy. Almost all later calligraphers copied Wang Xizhi's calligraphy, so he was known as the "Sage of Calligraphy". His regular scripts such as "Le Yi Lun", "Huang Ting Jing", "Dongfang Shuo Painting Praise", etc. "were very popular in the Southern Dynasties" and left various legends, and some even became the subject of paintings. His cursive script is respected by the world as the "Sage of Grass". There is no original copy of it, but there are many engravings of Dharma books, including "Seventeen Tie", Xiaokai Leyi Lun, Huang Ting Jing, etc. The ink-filled facsimiles include Kong Shizhong Tie, Lanting Preface [Feng Chengsu's facsimile], Kuai Xue Shi Qing Tie, Frequent You There are mourning posts, mourning posts, distant eunuch posts, aunt posts, Ping An He Ru Feng Ju three posts, Han Qie posts, Xing Rang posts, as well as Tang monk Huairen's collection of books, "Holy Teaching Preface", etc.
Wang Xizhi’s calligraphy influenced his descendants. His son Xuanzhi was good at cursive calligraphy; Ningzhi was good at cursive calligraphy; Huizhi was good at Zheng cursive calligraphy; Cao Zhi was good at Zheng cursive calligraphy; Huanzhi was good at Zheng cursive calligraphy; and Xian was called "Little Sage". Huang Bosi's "Dongguan Xu Lun" says: "Wang's four calligraphy works of Ning, Cao, Hui and Huan were passed down together with Zijing's calligraphy. They all have family styles, but their styles are different. Ning's calligraphy has its rhyme, and Cao's calligraphy has its own style. Its style, its emblem, its power, its glory, its appearance, and its origin." Afterwards, the descendants of Wang's family continued to pass on their calligraphy. Wu Zetian tried to ask for Wang Xizhi's book, and Wang Xizhi's ninth great-grandson Wang Fangqing submitted ten volumes of the writings of twenty-eight people from the eleventh generation to his great-grandfather, and compiled them into "Long Live Tongtian Tie". In the Southern Dynasties, the Qi kings Sengqian, Wang Ci and Wang Zhi were all descendants of the royal family and had Dharma books recorded. Shi Zhiyong was the seventh grandson of Xi. He passed down the family method wonderfully and was a famous calligrapher in the Sui and Tang Dynasties.
Wang Xizhi’s calligraphy has influenced generations of calligraphers. The establishment of Wang Xizhi's status as a calligrapher has its own evolution process. Yu He, a calligrapher during the Taishi period of the Southern Song Dynasty, said in "On Book Lists": "Between Han and Wei, Zhong (Yao) and Zhang (Zhi) were good at beauty, and the two kings in the late Jin Dynasty were called heroes." The title of Youjun's book Unparalleled at that time, the person with the highest status in calligraphy between the Song and Qi Dynasties was Wang Xianzhi. Xianzhi learned calligraphy from his father. He was extremely talented and quick to innovate. He turned to Zhang Zhi and created the cursive script that connects up and down. Meiyan even surpassed his father. He became a saint from humble beginnings and was called the "Two Kings" with his father. "Discussing Calligraphy with Emperor Wu of Liang Dynasty" written by Tao Hongjing of the Southern Dynasties said: "Everyone in the world respects the calligraphy of Zizi." What changed this situation was that Emperor Wu of Liang, Xiao Yan, admired Wang Xizhi. He changed the order of calligraphy at that time from "Wang Xianzhi - Wang Xizhi - Zhong Yao" to "Zhong Yao - Wang Xizhi - Wang Xianzhi". In "Guan Zhong Yao's Twelve Meanings of Calligraphy", Xiao Yanyun said: "Zijing is not proud of Zhong Yao." Yi Shao, Yi Shao Zhi Bu Yuan Chang. "Bu Yu" may also be used as "not caught", which means not as good as it is. Xiao Yan's status gave his comments a special appeal, and thus public opinion was determined.
The first peak of learning from Wang Xizhi in history was in the Liang Dynasty in the Southern Dynasty, and the second time was in the Tang Dynasty.
Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty highly respected Wang Xizhi, not only widely collecting the king's books, but also personally writing praise for the "Book of Jin·Biography of Wang Xizhi". When commenting on Zhong Yao, he said "it may be doubtful if he is perfect", but derogatory on Zhong Yao's presentation. "The disease of calligraphy", other calligraphers such as Ziyun, Wang Meng and Xu Yan all say that their reputation is "exceeded". Through comparison, Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty believed that Youjun was "perfect" and "he is the only one who admires and chases in his heart, and the rest are just trivial and useless"! From then on, Wang Xizhi's supreme position in the history of calligraphy was established and consolidated. Scholars of calligraphy in the Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties all respected the "two kings" of the Jin sect. Ouyang Xun, Yu Shinan, Chu Suiliang, Xue Ji, Yan Zhenqing and Liu Gongquan in the Tang Dynasty, Yang Ningshi in the Five Dynasties, Su Shi, Huang Tingjian, Mi Di, Cai Xiang in the Song Dynasty, Zhao Mengfu in the Yuan Dynasty, Dong Qichang in the Ming Dynasty, all famous calligraphers in the past dynasties converted to Wang Xizhi. Although the study of stele in the Qing Dynasty broke the scope of the study of calligraphy, Wang Xizhi's status as a calligrapher remained unshaken. Although the "Sage of Calligraphy" and the "Emperor of Mo" are suspected of "sanctification", through comparison and speculation, famous scholars and giants from generation to generation are all convinced and highly respected.
Although Wang Xizhi is praised as the "Sage of Calligraphy" in the history of Chinese calligraphy, he is not regarded as a solidified icon, but only as a symbol of the "perfection" of calligraphy creation in Chinese culture. Things are always developing and moving forward. Wang Xizhi reached the pinnacle of "perfection" in his era. This "holy image" will surely call upon those who come after him to reach new pinnacles of calligraphy in their respective eras.
Mi Fu
Zi Yuanzhang, named Xiangyang Manshi and Haiyue Waishi. His ancestral home is Shanxi and he moved to Xiangyang, where he is known as "Mi Xiangyang". According to historical legend, he had a weird personality, liked to wear Tang Dynasty clothes, was addicted to cleanliness, and called "brother" when he met a stone, and worshiped him endlessly, so he was called "Midian". He read hundreds of poems at the age of six, studied calligraphy at the age of seven, wrote monuments at the age of ten, and entered officialdom at the age of twenty-one. He was indeed a precocious eccentric. In calligraphy, he is one of the "Four Calligraphers of the Song Dynasty" (Su, Mi, Huang, and Cai), and he is second to none. His calligraphy style is free and unrestrained, but also strict with the law. Su Dongpo praised his "genuine, cursive, official, and seal script, like the wind and the horses, calm and happy"; on the other hand, he also created the "Mijia Yunshan" in the landscape painting. He is good at using "fuzzy" pen and ink to paint the misty Jiangnan scenery, and uses thick ink, burnt ink, horizontal dots and dot clusters of various sizes to reproduce the layers of mountains, known as "rice dots" in the world. He was admired by many painters of later generations and rushed to imitate him. His son Mi Youren left many works, which continued this style of painting and brought the "literati painting" style to a new level, which was praised by the history of painting. Whether Mi Fu favored calligraphy or painting, historians have different emphasis.
Mi Fu is a calligrapher, painter, appraiser, and collector. He has a rich collection and a wide range of interests. In addition, he has a broad vision and excellent appraisals. His books have become essential books for future generations to study the history of painting. There are "Baozhang Waiting for Visits", "Book History", "Painting History", "Inkstone History", "Haiyue Inscriptions and Postscripts", etc. "Baozhang Waiting for Visits" was written in August of the first year of Yuanyou (1086). It is divided into two parts: "witnesses" and "hearings". It records 84 items from the Jin and Tang Dynasties, setting a precedent for later generations to record, and has a great influence. There are even works that imitate the style of this book, such as "Zhang's Four Tables" written by Zhang Chou in the Ming Dynasty. "Book History" is more detailed and is one of the basis for later generations of appraisers. The book "Hai Yue" mainly describes my own experience and is very pertinent. This book is generally believed to have been compiled by later generations.
Mi Fu studied calligraphy most deeply throughout his life, and his greatest achievements were in running script. Although the paintings have not been handed down to the world, many calligraphy works have survived. Among the famous calligraphies since the Southern Song Dynasty, most of them are engraved with his calligraphy. They are widely circulated and have far-reaching influence. Among the "four major calligraphers of the Northern Song Dynasty", they are second to none. Kang Youwei once said: "The structure of Tang language is higher than the interest of Song Dynasty." This means that the calligraphers of the Song Dynasty paid attention to interest and individuality, and Mi Fu was particularly outstanding in this aspect and was an outstanding representative of the four great masters of the Northern Song Dynasty. Mi Fu studied calligraphy and claimed to be a "collector of ancient characters". Although some people thought it was a joke, some praised him and said, "There is no need to boast about the beauty of the world, but he can eventually stand on his own by collecting ancient characters" (Wang Wenzhi). This explains to a certain extent the reason for the success of Mie's calligraphy. According to Mi Fu's self-report, before studying Jin calligraphy from Su Dongpo, it can be roughly seen that he was most influenced by five Tang people: Yan Zhenqing, Ouyang Xun, Chu Suiliang, Shen Chuanshi, and Duan Jizhan.
In the second year of Yuanyou, six paintings by Zhang Xuan, two paintings by Xu Haoshu and Shi Yigeng were exchanged for Li Yong's "Duo Re Yao Gefen Tie". Proof of his calligraphy, the inscriptions on the cliffs of Longyinyan in Lingui at the age of 24 are slightly impressive, but there is no trace of his own style; the inscriptions and postscripts of "Buchao Picture" at the age of 30 are also impressive
I feel that my talent is inferior to my academic ability. Mr. Mi is cunning, and it is reasonable to boast occasionally. As the predecessors said, "Self-importance is high." Mi Fu's self-descriptions of his studies were often somewhat mysterious. For example, he told the emperor that "I have been learning about appearance since I was a child." However, Mi Fu's success comes entirely from hard work and hard work, and there is no trickery at all. Mi Fu goes to the pond every day and cites two historical materials as evidence: "If you don't read for a day, you will feel dull, thinking that the ancients never used up their books for a while. "If Zhi Yong's inkstone turns into a mortar, it can reach Youjun (Wang Xizhi). If it penetrates Zhong (Yao) and Suo (Jing) Ye, it can be encouraged forever." His son Mi Youren said that he was even in the New Year. I didn’t forget to write in the first grade of junior high school. (According to Sun Zubai's "Mi Fu Mi Youren"). Mi Fu was rich in collections. When he went on official trips, he would often follow them wherever they went, and write a big banner on the boat "Mi Family Painting and Calligraphy Boat".
Mi Fu was fond of stones. This biography of "History of the Song Dynasty" has this story. Ni Zhen of Yuan Dynasty has a poem titled "Picture of Worshiping Stones at Minangong Palace": "Yuanzhang loved inkstones as much as stones, and he has been obsessed with exploring gems and picking out the wonders for a long time. Brother Shi worshiped at his feet and wrote pictures by himself, so he knew that Dian's reputation was well-deserved." According to this poem, Mi Fu was so proud of his hobby that he wrote "Pictures of Worshiping Stones". Later painters were also good at writing this picture, so Mi Fu's worship of the stone became a popular story and became a good story. There is also a strange stone in front of Mi's Baojin Zhai for people to play with. This stone is recorded in "Shu Yishi Tie". It is said that Mi Fu has the four-character stone method of "thin, beautiful, wrinkled, and transparent".
Mi Fu also loves inkstones. Inkstone is one of the "Four Treasures of the Study" and is a must-have for calligraphers and painters. Mi Fu has a long history of studying inkstones. The author of the book "History of Inkstones" is said to have made detailed discussions on the crystal samples of various ancient inkstones, as well as the similarities, differences, advantages and disadvantages of Duanzhou, Shezhou and other stone inkstones. He advocated that "instruments are used for their merits, and stone science is based on Making ink is the best.” "In Praise of Baojinzhai Dharma Book" quotes a post from "Shanlin Collection": "To insult the teachings, Bao inkstone is required... the inkstone is my first..." Mi Fu regards the inkstone as important as his own head, which can be said to be doting on him. deep. ("Tie Shen" also comes from "Praise to the Book of Dharma") Mi Fu, who has both stone and inkstone addictions, naturally attaches great importance to Inkstone Mountain. Inkstone is a kind of inkstone formed by natural peaks. At the foot of the mountain, it is flattened and can be used to polish ink with water. It can be used as a plaything in the study room and as a tool for dyeing ink near the pond. "Zhilin" records that Mi Fu found a mountain of inkstones and slept in his arms for three days. The most famous one was owned by Li Yu, the late emperor of the Southern Tang Dynasty. He transferred it to someone else in exchange for a piece of land for his house. Mi Fu missed it so much that he created the "Picture of Yan (Inkstone) Mountain" handed down to the world.
In his later years, Mi Fu lived in Dantu, Runzhou (now part of Jiangsu), where he had Shanlin Hall. Therefore, the collection of his poems and essays is called "Shanlin Collection", which has one hundred volumes, most of which are now lost. At present, there is "Baojin Yingguang Collection" handed down from generation to generation. Mi Fu could calligraphy and poetry, and his poetry was called "Ige". He was lofty and outstanding, and he was in his own family. He tried to write poems for Xu Chongyuan, who said that he "didn't offend anyone, and never recorded a single poem in his life that was devoted to nobles and nobles." His unique style was his strength, and his deliberate seeking of differences was his shortcoming.
Mi Fu’s paintings do not exist in the world. Mi Fu's "History of Painting" records his collection and appreciation of ancient paintings, as well as his preference for painting, aesthetic taste, creative experience, etc. This should be the best basis for studying his paintings. Mi Fu's success lies in achieving the literati taste he recognized through a certain attitude and theme selection of ink opera. Mi Fu realized that he could change the traditional painting procedures and technical standards to achieve new interesting purposes. The reason is: Mi Fu was first of all a wealthy collector and connoisseur, and he was well aware of the pros and cons of paintings of the past dynasties, and he paid more attention to the content of the painting itself; while Su Shi was first a literary giant, and then he became a famous painter. He expresses his views on painting as an amateur, and uses the standards of poetry (literature) to measure and demand painting. Although there is no shortage of insights, it is ultimately separated from painting. Therefore, most people later regard Mi Fu as a painter and Su Shi as an art theorist. What I am thinking about in my heart is Su Shi's painting theory, but what I practice in my hands is Mi Jia Yunshan. Although Su Shi has paintings handed down to the world, Mi Fu has none. As a historical study, it cannot but be pointed out that Mi Fu's artistic thoughts were far ahead of their time than Su Shi's.
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