Why do calligraphers refuse to write simplified characters? Let’s first analyze the formation process of simplified characters.
Simplified characters have existed since ancient times. In ancient times, most of them were called vulgar characters or lowercase characters, and they were widely spread among the people. Such as Guo, Liu, Shou, Wan, Luan, Wu, etc. Moreover, characters are a tool for us to communicate and understand the world. Characters have been simplified since their emergence.
The modern Chinese character simplification movement originated from the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom in order to improve the literacy rate. At that time, the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom’s jade seals and official documents were all in simplified Chinese. After the demise of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, the reform of characters also stopped. By the end of the Ming Dynasty, vulgar characters were not only popular among "traffickers" but also among intellectuals. Some scholars even consciously collected and used vulgar characters. For example, the famous thinkers Huang Zongxi, Gu Yanwu, Lu Liuliang and others in the late Ming and early Qing dynasties are all outstanding representatives. Lu Liuliang confessed in the annotation of the poem he gave to Huang Zongxi: "I like to use vulgar characters to copy books, which can save half the time." It can be seen from Huang Zongxi's manuscripts that have been preserved to this day that he consciously and systematically used vulgar characters, such as "Yiyi" ", "when", "difficult", etc. are all the same as the later simplification plan.
The essence of the Manchu Qing Dynasty’s policy of restoring writing was to guide intellectuals to face the old system and turn their backs on reality, and to use the tampered ancient books and ancient calligraphy as a barrier to isolate intellectuals from common people. Prevent them from connecting with each other and sparking a fire of resistance to alien rule. Coupled with the rise of stele studies and exhibitions, writing has become more diverse, and some calligraphers have deviated from the right track of calligraphy. For example, they treat oracle bone inscriptions without writing regulations as calligraphy.
The reform and popularization of simplified characters is China’s fifth great writing reform. The simplified characters improved in the early days of liberation, ***2 stems and many characters, most of which only changed the radicals, such as yan, horse, and see. , gold, shell, food, door, etc. next to the characters do not affect the recognition and learning of characters, and learning traditional Chinese characters is not difficult. Still within a Chinese character system. The strokes are simplified a lot, which indeed brings us a lot of convenience in writing and learning.
Writing as a tool and symbol, Japan can use Chinese character strokes as the basis, simplifying it beyond recognition, without affecting their ability to understand the world, and also accelerating their ever-changing technological development. Moreover, China has only simplified part of it, so there is no need to struggle with simplified and traditional characters.
Since the promulgation of simplified Chinese characters, a large number of books and dictionaries, science and technology, culture, agriculture, education, etc. have been published. It is no longer possible to make further changes.
Only in calligraphy. Most of the copybooks are in traditional Chinese characters. Therefore, when learning calligraphy, using traditional Chinese characters as copybooks can easily make people feel bored. Therefore, many people are unwilling to learn calligraphy. Many people in their fifties and sixties do not know traditional Chinese characters and are unwilling to read calligraphy works. For example, I have studied calligraphy for many years, but I do not want to read seal script. Those characters are too far away from us. There are many ways to write a character in seal script, some of which cannot be found.
Nowadays, many children are too busy studying, and they are even less willing to learn traditional Chinese characters. As soon as they heard that they wanted to learn calligraphy, they were reluctant in every possible way, which is why calligraphy is becoming more and more niche. Calligraphy, as the quintessence of Chinese culture, should be a basic skill that every person who writes Chinese characters must possess. It is also the original intention of the country to vigorously promote calligraphy. But now it has become an art that is as good as painting or even worse than painting. Most Chinese people write very ugly calligraphy and do not know how to appreciate calligraphy. It is really sad.
According to the data provided by the "Survey Data on the Use of Chinese Language and Characters", nationwide, 95.25% of people who mainly write simplified characters account for 0.92%, and those who write traditional Chinese characters account for 0.92%. Those who wrote both accounted for 3.84%. Isn’t it clear enough that traditional calligraphy has become “the trend of common people’s language”? Standing on the opposite side of 95.25% of the people, the result is self-evident.
It is imperative for the country to promote simplified calligraphy. Mr. Qi Gong has long seen this problem, so he was the first calligrapher to take the lead in writing simplified character calligraphy. The big-character posters and picture albums written during the Cultural Revolution all used simplified characters. However, after the calligraphy association was established, the country did not promote simplified Chinese characters, but instead encouraged the writing of retro seal scripts, official scripts, and innovative ancient characters. As a result, the perception of calligraphy became more and more extreme, and it gradually developed into a mixed exhibition of artistic calligraphy and calligraphy. Calligraphy has gradually lost its true meaning, which not only goes against the country's guiding principles for promoting calligraphy, but also goes against the development of writing and the pioneering and leading role of calligraphy as cultural dissemination.
According to Article 13 of the "Law of the People's Republic of China on the Standard Spoken and Written Language" (effective from January 1, 2001), the public service industry shall standardize Chinese characters as its basic service Use words. Due to public service needs, if signboards, advertisements, notices, signs, etc. use foreign characters and Chinese characters at the same time, standardized Chinese characters should be used. The public service industry is encouraged to use Mandarin as the language of service. Article 14 In the following situations, the national common spoken and written language shall be used as the basic language and words: (1) The language and words used in radio, film, and television;
(2) The language and words used in facilities in public places Words;
(3) Words used on signboards and advertisements;
(4) Names of enterprises and institutions;
(5) Packaging of goods sold within the country ,illustrate. Law of the People's Republic of China on the Standard Spoken and Written Chinese Language
Article 17 Under the following circumstances, traditional Chinese characters and variant characters may be retained or used:
(1) Cultural relics and historic sites ;
(2) Variants in surnames;
(3) Calligraphy, seal cutting and other artistic works;
(4) Handwritten characters in inscriptions and signboards;
(5) Needed for use in publishing, teaching, and research;
(6) Special circumstances approved by relevant departments of the State Council.
The "National Common Language and Character Law" implemented in 2001 stipulates that the characters used in facilities, signboards and advertisements in public places should be based on the national common language, that is, standardized Chinese characters. characters, clarifying the legal status of simplified characters.
Standardized language is not only conducive to economic development and civilization construction, but is also of great significance to safeguarding national sovereignty and national dignity. The work of standardizing language and writing should start from three aspects. First, schools are the "starting point" and standardization of language and writing should start from the campus; secondly, the general public must have the awareness of standardizing language and writing, and subtly promote language and writing work and promote simplified characters. calligraphy.
It is not difficult for real calligraphers to write simplified characters well, but ordinary calligraphers still need a period of training to write well. Therefore, it is the innovative path and historical responsibility of calligraphers to write good and beautiful simplified calligraphy. Popularizing simplified calligraphy is also an inevitable trend in promoting traditional culture and calligraphy.
2020.5.26 Liu Fang