When I saw the topic "the highest art", my first feeling was surprise. There is a simple reason. As far as calligraphy is concerned, no matter how brilliant a book history is, no matter how calligraphers and calligraphers dominate it, no matter how many emperors like and support it, no matter how many literati claim that calligraphy is the "highest art" ... but from the aspects of academic logic, people's cognition of calligraphy, calligraphy and the realistic status of calligraphers, it cannot be proved that calligraphy is the "highest art". After all, "literature is not the first, and martial arts is not the second", and the subject of literature and art cannot be as conclusive as mathematics and economics. If there is no specific standard to say that calligraphy is the "highest art", then this problem does not exist and is meaningless, even though Emperor Taizong issued several letters affirming that calligraphy is the "highest art" in the Tang Dynasty. From a philosophical point of view, it is normal for things to change from quantitative to qualitative, and only "change" will be "unchanged". Even if calligraphy flourished at a certain time and place, it cannot be inferred that it will flourish forever. In the past, literature was the first art in China, and the chairman of the Writers Association enjoyed the treatment of ministerial leaders. Now some changes have taken place. Judging from the recipients of calligraphy, most of the 55 ethnic minorities in China have their own spoken and written languages, and they are all members of the Chinese nation. Calligraphy centered on the Han nationality is of little use in their lives, let alone the highest.
Pursuing professionalism and high standards is valuable in itself, so it is not surprising that all walks of life like ranking. There are Fortune 500 companies in economic circles, universities in education, world records in sports, happiness index in life, and "singing gods" and "dancing gods" in entertainment circles. And some things with poor rankings are also necessary. The reporter called them "uncrowned kings" and the teacher called them "the most glorious profession under the sun". Of course, calligraphy is also ranked. It is recognized that there are "the first running script" to "the third running script", but there are no "the fourth running script" to "the hundredth running script". Perhaps it is because some things are not comparable at all, so any ranking may be questioned, just like the previous saying, "There is no first place in literature, and there is no second place in martial arts." Even if the happiness index ranks, people in some countries even have problems with food and clothing, but when facing the camera, perhaps most people feel happy.
"Quality and cultural metabolism, the world goes with it" (Liu Xie), the form, content and status of any art will change with the development of the times. Musically, all instrumental music has its own masterpiece. It can't be said that the piano is better than the violin, and the guitar is higher than the erhu. In painting, different kinds of paintings have their masterpieces, such as the Mona Lisa in the west, sunflowers and frogs from guernica, Fuchun Shan Jutu, founding ceremony and China flowing out of Shili Mountain Spring, which makes it impossible to distinguish men from women. In terms of calligraphy, it can't be said that regular script is the highest style of five-style calligraphy, nor can it be said that "Yishan Monument" is worse than "Twin Towers". Even in such a highly comparable exhibition as Yan Ti Kai Shu, some works may not be completely distinguished. For example, one work is good in content but slightly poor in composition, while the other work is just the opposite, which really depends on the personal taste of the judges. Similarly, as far as the art category is concerned, it cannot be proved that any art is higher than other levels, and it has become recognized as the "highest art".
There is a famous "witchcraft theory" about the origin of art in the west. The means of recording words may evolve into calligraphy. However, it is worth studying why writing has not evolved into the "highest art" in the West. Is it because the core of western philosophical spirit is different, for example, Logogism leads to the rationality and imitation of art?
From a certain point of view, I think it is true that an art is "the highest". From the perspective of expressing emotions, music and dance should be the most important; From the hieroglyphics, painting and photography are the most important; From the perspective of imagination, literature should be the most important; From the perspective of comprehensive expression ability, the most important time for film and television ... I believe that any theory of "the highest art" has certain limitations or is in a specific context, otherwise it is exaggerated. For example, Liang Qichao said: "If you can express your personality, this is the highest art, then writing is the highest among all kinds of arts." Zong Baihua said: "China music declined, but calligraphy took its place and became a national art that expressed the highest artistic conception and sentiment." If these preconditions are removed, the theory of splitting the "highest art" of calligraphy is not serious.
Of course, the "highest art" theorists are also extreme. For example, some scholars say that "China's calligraphy is universally recognized as the highest art", and another scholar says that "China's calligraphy is not only an art, but also a pure art, which is the highest realm of art". The author does not doubt the knowledge of the two scholars but strongly questions their statements. This is an arbitrary conclusion without comparison with other arts, which is irresponsible. Perhaps, it only shows that they "love calligraphy" and don't choose words. I wonder if they can say to the young students studying calligraphy, "Do you know, classmates? Your major is the highest art in China. How happy you are! Congratulations! " I wonder how these classmates will feel.
Academic circles have questioned these theories. In the second issue of the Journal of Literature and History in 2007, Professor He Zheng wrote "The Position of Calligraphy in China Culture from calligraphy theory in Xiong Bingming", arguing that the position of calligraphy was raised by some scholars after the gradual prosperity of calligraphy theory, especially among some scholars with international artistic vision, such as Xiong Bingming's "China calligraphy theory System", pointing out that the core of China culture is philosophy, while the core of Chinese culture is calligraphy. He Zheng disagreed, and the main reason for his objection was based on Xiong Bingming's mechanical analogy. First of all, Xiong Bingming thinks that the core of China culture is philosophy, the metaphysical "Tao" is the core of philosophy, and the abstraction of calligraphy is similar to "Tao". He Zheng believes that the abstraction of Tao cannot be equated with the abstraction of calligraphy, and there is a limit. Secondly, Xiong Bingming thinks that calligraphy is related to the spirit of concentration, symbol and abstraction in the Book of Changes, and calligraphy embodies the spirit of the Book of Changes. He Zheng thinks this view is debatable. Although calligraphy has an abstract form, it has no connection with some concepts and no symbol system, so it can't explain any truth. Only when viewers see these forms, they have different views, and the abstract form of calligraphy cannot express the "abstract spirit" of the Book of Changes. Therefore, He Zheng believes that since the abstract form of calligraphy can't be compared with the abstract level of Tao and can't express the "abstract spirit" of the Book of Changes, the proposition that calligraphy is the core of China's cultural core is untenable.
The author believes that calligraphy and other sister arts should be the same, each with its own strengths and weaknesses, which cannot be replaced by each other, and each has its own value. Whether it is the cultivation and denial of calligraphy before the reform and opening up, or the infinite admiration and praise now, it has no practical significance. Just as there is no distinction between high and low labor, only the division of labor is different, and they are born equal. No matter how strong you are, you can't prove that it is the "highest art". Both the "highest art" theory and the "core core" theory have raised the status of calligraphy to an immeasurable height, not only above other art categories, but also above China's vast cultural fields. Whether the proposition is established or not is not conducive to calligraphy absorbing the nutrition of sister art and other cultures. As we all know, the use of brush and ink in Chinese painting is borrowed from calligraphy, and the so-called "exhibition hall effect" formed by drawing on the modeling factors such as black, white and gray, composition and color of painting has been widely welcomed and recognized at book fairs for many years.
When some people don't want to set up a book association for a long time because they think that calligraphy can't reflect life, is it appropriate for the book association to throw out the theory of "art first" just after it was established for more than 30 years? The author believes that instead of feeling good about yourself and being busy with the orientation of "art first", it is better to spend more time doing something of practical significance to the calligraphy industry. Unlimited promotion of calligraphy will not only affect the relationship between sister arts, but also be useless to the construction of calligraphy. It will even give birth to various "metaphysics" in calligraphy, such as mysterious brushwork theory, qigong theory, philosophy theory, health preservation theory, clothing theory, performance theory and so on. , and become a juggling art, I don't know what is the motivation to improve the status of calligraphy, is it for the sake of calligraphy itself, or to seek some practical utility? For example, the upgrading of disciplines, book associations and research institutions, or the price increase between booksellers and books? I only know that the current discipline orientation of calligraphy is quite awkward, and it belongs to the third-level discipline under the two disciplines of Fine Arts. In addition, there are still some difficulties in the employment of calligraphy graduate students. Some employers, such as primary and secondary schools, have made it clear that calligraphy is not a major as long as it involves art.
By the way, some arguments supporting calligraphy as the "highest art" are not worth refuting. It is said that painting techniques are far less difficult than calligraphy, because calligraphy never changes. Excuse me: Are Chinese painting and woodcut the same? Can they be erased with an eraser and started over? Furthermore, are there more books or more paintings written by pen at the same time? Are there many calligraphers or painters in the art world?