The evolution of Chinese calligraphy can be simply summarized as follows:
Oracle bone inscriptions (Shang) → Bronze inscriptions (Zhou) → Xiaozhuan (Qin) → Official script, cursive script, running script (Han) → Regular script (Wei and Jin Dynasties)
The development history of Chinese calligraphy is introduced in detail as follows:
1. Pre-Qin calligraphy
It is the earliest ancient Chinese character material in China recognized by the academic community. Oracle and bronze inscriptions from the middle and late Shang Dynasty (approximately 14th to 11th century BC).
2. Calligraphy of the Qin Dynasty
The writing after the unification of the Qin Dynasty is called Qin seal script, also called Xiao seal script. It is based on the bronze inscriptions and stone drum inscriptions and simplified them.
3. Calligraphy of the Han Dynasty
The Han Dynasty was divided into the Western Han Dynasty and the Eastern Han Dynasty. During the three hundred years of the two Han Dynasties, calligraphy changed from seal script to official script, and from official script to Zhangcao, Zhenshu, Running script, by the end of the Han Dynasty, the Chinese calligraphy style was basically complete. Official script was a calligraphy style commonly used in the Han Dynasty.
4. Calligraphy of the Wei and Jin Dynasties
The Wei and Jin Dynasties were an important historical stage that completed the evolution of calligraphy styles. This is a generation that has perfected all the styles of seal script, official script, official script and cursive script. Han Li finalized the basic form of square Chinese characters so far. The process of the emergence, development and maturity of official script gave birth to real script (regular script), while cursive script sprouted almost at the same time as official script was produced. The finalization of real calligraphy, running script and cursive script occurred during the two hundred years of Wei and Jin Dynasties.
5. Calligraphy of the Southern and Northern Dynasties
The calligraphy of the Southern and Northern Dynasties entered the era of Northern Stele and Southern Tie. At this time, Wei Stele was the most successful in calligraphy. Wei stele is a general term for the stone carving calligraphy of the Northern Wei Dynasty and the Southern and Northern Dynasties that are similar to the calligraphy style of the Northern Wei Dynasty. It is the calligraphy of the transition period from the official script of the Han Dynasty to the regular script of the Tang Dynasty.
6. Calligraphy of the Tang Dynasty
The calligraphy of the Tang Dynasty as a whole is both inheritance and innovation from the previous generation. The development of regular script, running script, and cursive script in the Tang Dynasty has entered a new realm. The characteristics of the era are very prominent, and the impact on future generations far exceeds that of any previous era.
6. Calligraphy of the Five Dynasties
The situation of division and chaos lasted for fifty-four years, during which time wars broke out one after another. Although the art of calligraphy continued from the late Tang Dynasty, it has formed a general trend of decline due to the influence of war and war.
7. Calligraphy of the Song Dynasty
From 960 to 1279 AD, for more than three hundred years, calligraphy developed relatively slowly.
8. Calligraphy of the Yuan Dynasty
Looking at the calligraphy of the Yuan Dynasty, the greatest achievements are still in the true cursive script. As for seal script and official script, although there are several famous ones, they are not very outstanding. This type of calligraphy, with Zhen, Xing and Cursive scripts as the mainstream, did not change until the Qing Dynasty.
9. Calligraphy of the Ming Dynasty
The Ming Dynasty, like the Song Dynasty, was also a generation where calligraphy flourished. The transmission and engraving of Dharma texts is very active. Throughout the Ming Dynasty, most calligraphy styles were in regular script, which cannot be traced back to the Qin, Han and Northern Dynasties. Seal script, official script, eight-point script and Wei style works have almost disappeared, while regular script is characterized by its delicacy and beauty.
10. Calligraphy of the Qing Dynasty
It is another renaissance period in the history of the development of calligraphy, echoing the Tang Dynasty. The development of calligraphy in the Qing Dynasty can be roughly divided into three stages according to time. The early period (around the reigns of Shunzhi, Kangxi and Yongzheng) was the continuation of the calligraphy style in the Ming Dynasty and belonged to the period of tie. The middle period (around the reigns of Qianlong, Jiaqing and Daoguang) saw the decline of calligraphy and the gradual rise of stele studies. The late period (around Xianfeng and Tongzhi) , Guangxu, and Xuantong periods), it was the resurgence period of stele studies.
11. Modern calligraphy
As the calligraphy world becomes diversified today, the art of calligraphy has been elevated to a high level of conceptual change, which is undoubtedly a big step forward. The modernity of calligraphy does not simply depend on the form, structure, lines and other external aspects of calligraphy art, but on the modernization of the inner spirit. The spirit of calligraphy modernity refers to the value trend of modern society embodied and transmitted by contemporary calligraphy art.
Extended information:
China’s five thousand years of splendid civilization and unparalleled rich written records have been recognized by the world. In this extensive and profound history, the art of Chinese calligraphy and painting has It reproduces this diachronic evolution process with its unique artistic form and artistic language. The sister arts of calligraphy and painting have interpreted the connotation of traditional Chinese culture with their complementarity and independence in the evolution of history.
Because the tools and materials used in calligraphy and painting creation are consistent.
When talking about the origin of ancient characters and pictures in "Records of Famous Paintings in the Past Dynasties", he said: "At that time, calligraphy and painting were of the same body without being separated, and the image system was created but still sketched, and it was impossible to convey its meaning. Therefore, There is a book; its shape cannot be seen, so there is a painting." Although calligraphy and painting have the same origin and are comparable, their subsequent development has developed and changed in a complementary and independent manner.
The formation and development of Chinese calligraphy art are inextricably linked to the emergence and evolution of Chinese characters. So what exactly is "calligraphy"? We can understand it from its nature, aesthetic characteristics, origin, and unique expression techniques. Calligraphy is an abstract symbolic art with four-dimensional characteristics based on Chinese characters and written with a brush. It embodies the basic law of "unity of opposites" in all things and reflects the spirit, temperament, knowledge and cultivation of human beings as the subject.
Reference: Baidu Encyclopedia-History of Chinese Calligraphy