Although China's ancient calligraphy aesthetics focused on masculine beauty and feminine beauty, it did not neglect either side. It emphasizes the simple combination and dialectical unity of the two, opposes the simple, rigid and purely soft and paranoid party, and advocates the "neutralization" of "combining rigidity with softness" and "matching flesh and blood". It believes that "pure bone is not beautiful, pure meat is weak", and only "fat and thin, bone strength is commensurate" can be achieved. From the perspective of "rigidity" and "softness", "straight is rigidity, curved is softness, folded is rigidity, turned into softness, light and heavy strokes are rigidity, and the beginning and end are even and soft." The combination of the two, "the combination of rigidity and softness is the best" (on Zhao Yiguang's book in Ming Dynasty). From the perspective of "yin" and "yang", we can see that "books should have yin and yang" In a word, "Yin and Yang are firm and soft, so they can't be biased", "High rhyme and deep affection, strong spirit, all of which are books" (Liu Xizai Art Outline). It believes that the paranoid side will lead to disadvantages, thus reducing the aesthetic value: "Ray's books have to be written by pen, with strong emphasis, but single thinking, less reserved and quiet, and its products are not expensive" (Liang Yu's book review post). Pure rigidity and softness are not allowed. "Pure as a cone painting stone, pure and soft as mud, not round and not slippery, the immortal is dead" (Lu Xie's Linchi Tactics). Therefore, the combination of the two is required to bring out the best in each other, with rigidity in the middle and rigidity in the middle, so as to achieve the "neutral" state of combining rigidity with softness, that is, "graceful and restrained, smooth and restrained" and "elegant and sinking, delicate and vigorous". This "moderate" "temperature" is difficult to grasp, and it is often "steady and suitable, and there is no courage; Seek boldness of vision, strength, instability, appropriate to borrow "(Liang Yi book review post). Ancient calligraphers have been discussing how to grasp this degree of "neutralization". The ancients said that "it's strange to be flexible in writing" (Cai Yong), and pointed out the artistic expression function of writing brush. This word "soft" combines rigidity with softness. "Combining rigidity with softness is softness, and combining rigidity with softness is softness" (Liu Xizai's Art Outline). They emphasize "gaining momentum by taking advantage of the situation, and abstracting rhyme with emptiness" (Dong Qichang's Essays on Painting Zen Rooms), and achieve the harmonious unity of "bone", "strength" and "potential" with "rhyme", "taste" and "interest".
The ideal of "neutralization" in ancient calligraphy aesthetics is also highlighted in the worship of Jin people's calligraphy, especially Wang Xizhi's calligraphy. Jin people's calligraphy shows the realm of peace and nature, implication and euphemism, combining rigidity with softness and perfection, and has become a model of "neutralization" beauty. Like western ancient Greek art, it has always been a model for future generations to learn. The development of China's ancient calligraphy art and aesthetics can be said to be developed in the conflict between respecting and opposing gold, and it is constantly regressing to the calligraphy style of Jin people, and also evolving in the opposition between "neutralization" and "anti-neutralization". People think that "Jin", "Jin Shu's charm is chic" and "Jin Shu takes rhyme". This "rhyme" is mainly manifested in a peaceful, natural, implicit and euphemistic artistic conception of "neutralization". When the ancients talked about the Book of Jin, they almost admired it, showing their yearning for an unattainable beauty. They think that "Jin people have high manners, so their books are elegant and superior to scholars, natural and unrestrained, with elegant posture and a sense of dust" (Fang Xiaoru's Xunzi Zhai Ji). In the calligraphy of Jin people, especially the "two kings" (mainly kings) are extremely worshipped. It is believed that Wang Xizhi has reached the highest state of perfect and neutral beauty, which is a model throughout the ages: "Refined, perfect and perfect" (Zhang Huaiguan's Book End), "Perfect, Wang Yi is rare!" (Li Shimin's Biography of Wang Xizhi). Wang Xizhi "thought carefully, yearned for peace, did not make waves, but followed the rules" (Sun Shupu). Isn't this the highest emotional realm that the ancients yearned for? They described Wang's words as follows: "Seeing the clouds with my husband, hibiscus emerges from the water", "Like the four seasons of Yin and Yang, the cold and summer are smooth, and the rock gallery is spacious and solemn", "Like the breeze coming out of the sleeve and the next month in my arms" (Li Si's true book), which is really beautiful. It is precisely because Wang Xizhi occupies such a high aesthetic position in people's minds that he is further regarded as an important standard to measure the artistic value of calligraphy. For example, the so-called "Yu Shinan won the beauty of the right army and lost his handsome"; "Ou Yangxun gained the strength of the right army, but lost his tenderness"; "Chu Suiliang defeated the right army and defeated its change"; "Yukime won the right army and lost his embarrassment"; "Li Yong got the positive military law and lost his madness"; "Zhenqing gained the strength of the right army, but was defeated by coarseness" (Li Yu). Although these calligraphers all have some characteristics of Wang Xizhi, they can't reach the perfect artistic realm like Wang Zi.
The ideal of "neutralization" beauty analyzed above is the dominant idea in China's ancient calligraphy aesthetics. Although some aesthetic thoughts of "anti-neutralization" appeared in the development of calligraphy aesthetics (which will be mentioned later in historical analysis), they did not run through ancient society like the ideal of "neutralization", and did not become the mainstream and occupy a dominant position.
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From the historical development of China ancient calligraphy aesthetics, it can be divided into three stages: the first stage, from Han Dynasty to Tang Dynasty. It is dominated by "neutral" beauty, but it is also biased towards masculine beauty, which is a stage that emphasizes the unity of reason and reason. Among them, the Han Dynasty was the beginning of germination. Wei and Jin dynasties reached the peak of development and reached the level of "neutralization" beauty model of combining rigidity with softness. The Tang Dynasty also emphasized rational balance and moderate harmony. Under this general trend of "neutral" beauty, we emphasize "bone", "strength" and "potential" and pursue a powerful momentum. The Tang Dynasty was the pinnacle of this grand ideal. The second stage, from Song Dynasty to Ming Dynasty. At this time, emotion is the main factor, including "arrogance" factor and "ugliness" factor, which shows individuality and disharmony. The Mad Grass School, which began in the Song Dynasty, reached its climax in the Ming Dynasty. Judging from the beautiful and magnificent ideal development of "Zhonghe", the dominant trend at this stage is female beauty, which prevailed in the Yuan and Ming Dynasties. The third stage, the Qing Dynasty. This is a stage of synthesis and summary, and it is also a period of transition to modern aesthetics. On the basis of comprehensively expounding the first two stages, it explores the combination of emotion and reason, and emphasizes the dialectical unity of beauty and magnificence on the basis of magnificence. This will be discussed in detail below.
The Han Dynasty, especially the end of the Han Dynasty, is the germination and initial period of China's ancient calligraphy aesthetics, and it is a period when the aesthetic consciousness of ancient calligraphy art is consciously independent. In the practice of calligraphy creation in Han Dynasty, theoretical discussions were made, and the dialectical laws of formal beauty of calligraphy, such as "the upper part covers the lower part, the lower part inherits the upper part", "left and right review" and "going to the left first, then returning to the left" (Cai Yong's Nine Potential), were put forward. From the discussion of "potential" and "strength" in Han Dynasty and the description of natural beauty as the intermediary of aesthetic association, we can see that they advocate a powerful and powerful beauty of flying. Cai Yong said, "Cover your ears and protect your tail. Your strength lies in words. The hardness of your writing makes your skin beautiful. Therefore, it is said that when the tide reaches the deep stone, it is unstoppable ... "("Nine Trends "). He discussed the aesthetic relationship between "force" and "potential" and the unique artistic function of brush in expressing "force" and "potential" in painting. With "strength", there will be "deep application" and "unstoppable" Han Dynasty initiated the aesthetic ideal of masculine beauty.
In the Wei and Jin Dynasties, from the general tendency of aesthetic ideal, people emphasized the unity of reason and emotion, and advocated a kind of "neutral" beauty of combining rigidity with softness, matching bone with flesh, and harmonious unity of bone potential and charm. Jin people's calligraphy presents a peaceful, natural and implicit beauty realm, reaching the peak of "neutralization" beauty. Wei and Jin dynasties pursued the aesthetic realm of "harmony" and emphasized the "balance of potential and body" in the external form of calligraphy. Wei Heng said: "Look at his brushwork with pen and ink embellishment, be careful and expert, achieve a balanced posture, and never stop" ("Four-body Book"). Wang Xizhi believes that "Fu Shuzi is noble and upright" (book theory) and "all books are noble and quiet" (book theory). They are opposed to the wanton brushwork, demanding that "the distance is evenly distributed, the upper and lower positions are appropriate, and it is natural and stable", pointing out that "when it is necessary to cover up, it should not be exposed in isolation" (the teaching enlightenment of Chapter 7 of Wang Xizhi's Twelve Brushwork). Being alone and developing "and" showing teeth "do not meet the aesthetic standard of" peace " Harmony in Wei and Jin Dynasties is the sum of all kinds of changes. They demanded "all numbers and bodies" and "different meanings of each word". But this change is different from "harmony". Calligraphy aesthetics in Wei and Jin dynasties not only advocated change, but also demanded that it should not go beyond the overall "harmony" and emphasized that all kinds of formal beauty factors should be simple, harmonious and unified. "Make a word and look at each other; Make a line, bright and beautiful complement each other. " Dense and sparse "(Wang Xizhi's Book Theory) is not desirable, but it is like a dead snake hanging from a tree; It is not advisable to hurt short, and it is as short as stepping on a toad "(Chapter 12 Gestures). It requires the harmony and unity of moistening, surplus and deficiency, proper ups and downs and moderate distance, and the perfect combination of various contradictory factors as a whole. Wei and Jin dynasties pursued a kind of artistic beauty with bone as the main body, rich and fleshy, combining rigidity with softness, and emphasized the simple, harmonious and unified beauty of masculinity and femininity. Calligraphy aesthetics in Wei and Jin dynasties advocated "bone" and "strength", opposed the weakness of calligraphy, and regarded "bone" and "strength" as important aesthetic standards, holding that "the strong are sacred, and the weak are sick" (Wei said). The "bone" advocated by Wei and Jin Dynasties is different from the "bone" and "potential" in the later Tang Dynasty, and it is "strict", "broad" and "strong". Mainly a kind of "skinny" and "romantic". Judging from the description of calligraphy style at that time, "calligraphy is the son of Xie, and it is complicated but romantic" ("Comment on the Advantages and Disadvantages of Ancient and Modern Scholars"; "Tao's book of seclusion, like a child, describes that although he has not grown up, his bones are very strong and fast." Wang Youjun's books are like Xie Jia's children. Those who reply incorrectly have a refreshing breath "(Yuan Ang's Book Review of Ancient and Modern Times). The "vigorous", "romantic", "vigorous and quick" and "cool and energetic" here illustrate the artistic conception of Wei and Jin Dynasties. The "bone" in the Wei and Jin Dynasties is "bone rich and fleshy" and "bone with both rigidity and softness". It not only seeks strength and momentum, but also has the smooth charm of China Resources. They emphasize the unity of "bone strength" and "flattery", and they not only talk about "amazing brushwork", but also pursue "romantic interest" and "smooth brushwork" Wang Sengqian said: "The bones are plump and fleshy, and they enter the wonderful spirit" ("Ode to the Words"). Xiao Yan believes: "Pure bones are not flattering, and pure meat is weak; ..... fat and thin, with strong bones. " (Answer Tao's Book of Seclusion) It can be seen that it is impossible to emphasize "bone", "strength" and "pure bone" without meat. It can be said that the bones in Wei and Jin Dynasties are shape, spirit, ambition and law to combine bone with flesh, and to achieve the state of "rich bones and rich flesh", "fat and thin alternate, and bone and strength are commensurate". Here, the external "pen with bone" and the internal charm have reached a harmonious combination, and the form and spirit (form and content), meaning and law (purpose and regularity) have reached a perfect unity. People in Wei and Jin dynasties were noble and handsome, pursuing free and easy spirit and tolerance. This requirement for people's inner temperament and external demeanor is manifested in calligraphy creation, which creates an artistic artistic conception of flesh and blood, combining rigidity with softness, rigidity and strength, and endless charm. The beauty of "neutralization" advocated by Wei and Jin Dynasties is a kind of beauty of harmony and unity between emotion and reason, emotion and reason, personality and * * *. His emotional expression is consciously controlled by reason and reason, and his pursuit of personal sensibility and interest harmoniously follows the rules of reason and * * *. It is different from the beauty that won by law and reason in the Tang Dynasty, and even more different from the "crazy" beauty that won by interest, emotion and personality after the Song Dynasty.