Writing is a symbol for recording language and a tool for communicating ideas. The emergence of writing is an important sign that society has entered the civilized period. The earliest writing in China is oracle bone inscriptions, which were written in the pre-Qin period. In order to record historical facts, long texts were carved on oracle bones with knives and preserved. Many words are engraved on a piece of oracle bone, large and small, in a well-proportioned manner. Not only can one see and understand the meaning of the words, but also the beauty of the arrangement and combination of the words can be seen. This is the budding stage of the art of calligraphy. The art of calligraphy puts writing into the aesthetic category. It is not limited to the practicality of words, but also pursues the beauty of writing.
Bronze inscriptions appeared slightly later than oracle bone inscriptions, and bronze inscriptions are also called bell and tripod inscriptions. The Shang and Zhou dynasties were the age of bronzes. The ritual vessels of bronzes were represented by tripods, and the musical instruments were represented by bells. "Zhongding" is synonymous with bronzes. Therefore, bronze inscriptions are inscriptions engraved on bronze vessels. Compared with the slenderness of oracle bone inscriptions, bronze inscriptions are slightly thicker, simple, and have the atmosphere of gold and stone. Later, Shiguwen came into being. The Stone Drum Inscriptions are the earliest stone inscriptions in my country and are known as the "ancestors of stone inscriptions". There were more characters, more consistent character creation principles and styles were established, and writing became more aesthetically pleasing, gradually forming the large seal script. During the Qin Dynasty, Qin Shihuang unified the writing system, improved the large seal script, and unified it into the small seal script. Later, the Li style developed from the Seal style, which was also affirmed and appreciated by Qin Shihuang, and was widely adopted.
The Han Dynasty was an era when official script flourished, and it was also a critical generation in the history of the development of Chinese calligraphy. During the more than 400 years of the Han Dynasty, society was stable and prosperous, and culture and art experienced unprecedented development. Therefore, the Han Dynasty became a critical period in the history of calligraphy. It developed towards ease of use and beautiful fonts, with various calligraphy schools and styles. While the official script matured, there was also the official script that broke the official script, and it developed into Zhangcao, running script, and real script. During the Three Kingdoms period, official and regular script coexisted. During the Wei and Jin Dynasties, Kai, Xing and Cao were popular, establishing the pattern of modern calligraphy. After the Jin Dynasty, the theory of calligraphy developed, which promoted the improvement of the art of calligraphy.
Wang Xizhi, known as the sage of calligraphy, was a representative figure of calligraphers in the Wei and Jin Dynasties. Wang Xizhi perfected the modern calligraphy of regular script, running script and cursive script, and was regarded as the model of regular script and "the best running script in the world" by all dynasties. His representative works include "Huang Ting Jing" in regular script, "Lanting Preface" in running script, "Seventeen Tie" in cursive script, etc. Wang Xizhi's calligraphy was cherished by people at that time. "Book of Jin·Biography of Wang Xizhi" uploaded, one day Wang Xizhi met an old woman selling hexagonal fans in Jishan. He inscribed five characters on each fan of the old woman, saying that if the words were written by Wang Xizhi, he would get one hundred coins. The old woman did as she was told, and for a while everyone was competing to buy it. Wang Xizhi's son Wang Xian later became a famous calligrapher. He was as famous as his father and was known as the "Two Kings" in history.
After the establishment of the Tang Dynasty, there was social stability and prosperity for more than a hundred years. Li Shimin, Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty, loved calligraphy and admired Wang Xizhi's calligraphy to the highest level. He praised his calligraphy as "perfect" and "the best in ancient and modern times". Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty purchased 3,600 pieces of Wang Xizhi's calligraphy from the private sector with a large sum of money, and established "calligraphy", which became one of the subjects in the imperial examination.
The Tang Dynasty was also a period when the art of calligraphy achieved unprecedented development. The representative figure at that time was Ouyang Xun, who was good at regular script and was known as the "crown of calligraphy and calligraphy". He also made great achievements in running and cursive scripts. He studied Wang Xizhi's various calligraphy and created his own artistic style. His most famous representative works are "Jiucheng Palace Liquan Ming" in regular script, "Meng Dian Tie" and "Zhang Han Tie" in running script.
In the mid-Tang Dynasty, the development of calligraphy reached a climax. Calligraphers represented by Yan Zhenqing and Liu Gongquan created a new situation of dignified, plump, powerful and majestic calligraphy.
Yan Zhenqing's calligraphy was rated as "incorporating ancient methods into new ideas, and creating new methods out of ancient ideas." He created a new style of calligraphy, known as "Yan style calligraphy style". During the Anshi Rebellion, more than 30 people in the Yan family were killed. With tears in his eyes, he wrote a "Manuscript for Nephew Commemoration" for his nephew Ji Ming, who died tragically at a young age. His expression was full of energy, his writing was majestic, and his gestures were full of natural beauty. It is known as "the second running script in the world".
Liu Gongquan was greatly influenced by Yan Zhenqing's calligraphy style. His writing style has spirit and every word has bones. Later generations referred to it as "Yan Liu" and also said "Yan Jin Liu Gu". The style has also become the standard style for beginners to learn calligraphy. Liu Gongquan's calligraphy is famous for his proficiency in pointillism, meticulousness in frame, and strict rules. Calligraphy commentators in the past dynasties have spoken highly of Liu's calligraphy, calling it the "temple and Tang style". Liu has a lot of handed down calligraphy, including "Inscriptions and Postscripts on Sending Li Tie" and "Diamond Sutra Stele" and "Mysterious Pagoda Stele" on inscriptions.
In the Song Dynasty, Song Taizu did not attach great importance to the art of calligraphy. After Emperor Taizong of the Song Dynasty came to the throne, he purchased the ink calligraphy of famous officials of the previous emperors, edited and printed them, and gave them to ministers. The quality of the editor's rubbings was not high, and the level of people in the Song Dynasty was even lower. In addition, with the rise of the imperial examination system, the writing was even and neat, and the individuality of the calligraphy art was submerged. Until the period from Song Renzong to Song Shenzong (1021-1070), four calligraphers, Su Shi, Huang Tingjian, Mi Fu, and Cai Xiang, appeared. They proposed to "learn from the Six Dynasties and not adhere to the conventions of the Tang people" and advocated the abandonment of calligraphy and the formation of Song Dynasty calligraphy. The unique style of "Shangyi" also shocked the calligraphy art world at that time.
Although Yue Fei, a famous general of the Song Dynasty, was a wandering man throughout his life and spent his days in the rough and tumble of the army, he was good at poetry and lyrics, and his calligraphy was mainly composed of running and cursive calligraphy. Rigorous, precise in attitude, delicate and thick in character, strong but not soft. In August of the eighth year of Shaoxing in the Song Dynasty (1138), Yue Fei, who was attacking the Jin soldiers, passed by Nanyang and paid a visit to Wuhou Temple. "When it rained, he stayed in the temple." Because he was unable to sleep, Yue Fei held the candle and "looked carefully at the literary temples and poems of the teacher praised by the ancient sages on the wall" and was deeply moved. When he saw Zhuge Liang's "Lecture Notes" before and after, he was so moved by the scene that he "unconsciously burst into tears like rain." . He said to Niu Gao: "Sir, I came out of Qishan and won successive victories. However, because of the emperor's imperial edict, I missed the opportunity. Wouldn't it be an eternal regret?" The Taoist priest brought a pen and paper and asked Yue Fei to write a poem. He said, "It is difficult to express my feelings with thousands of words." , so he started copying the "Shi Shi Biao" and cried while writing it. After finishing it, he wrote the four characters "Give me back my rivers and mountains". His calligraphy is majestic and majestic, fully demonstrating his loyalty and integrity.
After years of war, the art of calligraphy in the Six Dynasties was in a state of decline. It was during this period of dynasty change that the famous calligrapher Zhao Meng?#92; was born. Zhao changed the Song Dynasty's style of calligraphy without seeking authenticity and advocated strict adherence to ancient laws and meticulousness, which promoted the trend of retro and revitalized the calligraphy art world that had been stagnant for a long time. Therefore, some people compare him to Wang Xizhi of the Jin Dynasty and Yan Zhenqing of the Tang Dynasty. His representative works include "Thousand Character Essay", "Luo Shen Fu", etc. However, a single tree cannot grow into a forest, and the art of calligraphy at that time could not finally take off. The art of calligraphy in the Yuan Dynasty did not achieve much development.
The emperors of the Ming Dynasty loved calligraphy. They stipulated that all imperial edicts must be copied by those who were good at calligraphy. Anyone who could write internal or external copies for the court could get an official position. The "Guange style" that was popular in Guange and imperial examination examination rooms at that time was square and smooth but rigid and rigid, which restricted the development of calligraphy art to a certain extent.
The practice of learning calligraphy was still prevalent in the Qing Dynasty, and calligraphy was at a standstill. In the middle and late Qing Dynasty, the study of stele was greatly developed. Many calligraphers studied stele and calligraphy together, and combined their own ideas to write their own styles. The calligraphy arts of seal script, official script, Xing script, regular script and other styles have all achieved unprecedented development, and also developed a new style related to calligraphy. The art of seal cutting is closely integrated with art. A calligraphy work with the opening chapter and the name seal at the end, black calligraphy and red seal embellishment, looks more beautiful. This is also one of the special achievements of calligraphy art.