Why are calligraphers in the Jin and Tang Dynasties so famous? Let me introduce the relevant content to you in detail.
If we talk about character studies, Tang Taizong should write particularly strong calligraphy, but the calligraphy we see of Tang Taizong is all elegant and colorful, such as "Hot Spring Inscription" (Tang Taizong wrote Lishan Hot Spring He wrote a running script inscription, which is also the first running script inscription in the history of Chinese calligraphy. The original rubbing was originally stored in the Dunhuang Sutra Cave and is now in the National Library of Paris, France), as well as the cursive "Screen Tie" [Figure 8, It was written by Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty in the 14th year of Zhenguan (640). The original book was written on silk in both genuine and cursive styles. There were eleven paintings in total, but it was later lost. In the fourth year of Jiatai of the Song Dynasty (1204), Wang Yun first carved it in Yuhang and handed it down as rubbings. They are relatively delicate and colorful, so this is an interesting phenomenon. It was the fusion of the north and the south that made calligraphy in the Tang Dynasty begin to develop.
But there is one thing that people may easily overlook. It is easy to use the situation of the Song Dynasty to imagine the Tang Dynasty, which will produce a particularly large error. Most calligraphers in the Song Dynasty did not practice martial arts, while most calligraphers in the Tang Dynasty practiced martial arts. There is an essential difference between the two.
We know that the most important official positions in the Tang Dynasty were related to military positions, such as Jiedushi, governor and prefect, and the functions of civil and military were not as distinct as later imagined. For example, there is a word called "chujiangruxiang" ("chu" refers to being appointed to other places; "ru" refers to entering the court as an official. It comes from "Old Tang Book·Wang Gui Biography"). This word basically became invalid after the Song Dynasty. Because the Song Dynasty had a very clear distinction between civil and military affairs. The border generals or military governors of the Tang Dynasty were engaged in military activities. After meritorious service, they would return to the court and become prime ministers. For example, Zhang Yanyuan, the most famous art historian in the Tang Dynasty, wrote the first history of Chinese art, "Records of Famous Paintings of the Past Dynasties". Zhang Yanyuan's great-great-grandfather was Zhang Jiazhen, who once served as a border general and later returned to the imperial court as prime minister.
The Tang Dynasty practiced both civil and military affairs. The best calligraphy can only be produced in an era when both civil and military forces are valued.
Figure 9 "Jin Feng Tie" by Mrs. Jin Wei
I often chat with some calligraphers, such as my former neighbor and contemporary calligrapher Wang Yong Sir, he also talked about the word "force" in the Jin and Tang Dynasties (Eastern Jin Dynasty to Sui and Tang Dynasties). I also chatted with Sun Xiaoyun, a calligrapher in Nanjing, and he also said that Jin and Tang calligraphy are "powerful". Contemporary calligraphy theorist Mr. Qiu Zhenzhong also talked about the issue of "power". He believed that the first criterion for good calligraphy is "power".
I once joked with him: Powerful things are not produced in the usual way of writing. To be powerful, you must first have a strong wrist. The wrist that holds a sword has the same quality as the wrist that does not hold a sword. difference. Therefore, the great calligraphers of the Jin and Tang dynasties generally practiced martial arts. Poets like Li Bai also said that he learned fencing at the age of fifteen (the original text is "Fifteen Good Swordsmanship", from Li Bai's "Book of Jingzhou with Han"), indicating that he can use a sword.
During the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties, especially the Eastern Jin Dynasty, the calligraphy families were basically warrior families. For example, Wang Xizhi's teacher was the Wei family of Hedong [whose family included the calligraphy theorist Wei Heng, who wrote "Four Body Calligraphy Movements"). There is also the famous female calligrapher Mrs. Wei (Picture 9), whose real name is Wei Shuo and whose courtesy name is Maoyi. She is also one of Wang Xizhi’s calligraphy teachers. The Wei family in Hedong is a Wuren family and has produced many great calligraphers.
We also have many misunderstandings about the Langya Wang family. When we talk about the Langya Wang family, we often think that they are a literary family. This is just a partial view. In fact, the Langya Wang family is also a martial arts family. If they talk about mysteries, drink wine, and compose poems every day, they can and the Sima family "the king and his horse conquer the world" (this is a popular saying at that time, which means that the Langya Wang family and the royal family The Sima clan also controlled the power of the Eastern Jin Dynasty), which is impossible. In fact, the Langya Wang family held military power in the Eastern Jin Dynasty.
At that time, the South (Eastern Jin Dynasty) was fighting against the North. There were two most important military fortresses on the Yangtze River: the western fortress is now Jiujiang (Jiangzhou), and the eastern fortress is now Zhenjiang. The fortress in the west was controlled by the Langya Wang family, and later competed with the Yu family. Then the Wang family of Langya is with Xi Jian [zi Dao Hui]. A native of Jinxiang County, Gaoping County (now Jinxiang County, Shandong Province). Through the family marriage of the great-great-grandson of the Eastern Jin Dynasty official, calligrapher, and Eastern Han censor Xi Lu, Wang Xizhi's father-in-law, Xi Jian controlled Zhenjiang. In fact, the Langya Wang family also achieved control of another fortress. Wang Xizhi had a nickname called Wang Youjun. We say, "I learned from Mrs. Wei when I first learned calligraphy, but I never hated Wang Youjun." The general of Youjun is a military official. This basically formed a calligraphy tradition in the Jin and Tang Dynasties.
Figure 10 Jin Xi Jian's "Disaster Notes"
Wang Xizhi's father-in-law, Xi Jian, guarded what is now Zhenjiang. Xi Jian was a great calligrapher. We can still see his calligraphy in "Chunhua Pavilion Tie" (Figure 10). Of course, his original calligraphy has been lost. Xi Jian's daughter Xi Xuan (date of birth and death unknown, named Zifang. Wang Xizhi's seven sons and one daughter were all born to Xi Xuan) is also Wang Xizhi's wife. She is also a calligrapher.
So we can say that families such as the Gaoping Xi family, Langya Wang family, and Hedong Wei family all attach equal importance to civil and military affairs. In fact, they have more military identities.
Figure 11 "Tie to Yi Cai" by Yan Zhenqing of the Tang Dynasty
Figure 12 "Tie to Li Taibao" by Yan Zhenqing of the Tang Dynasty
In fact, the same was true in the Tang Dynasty.
These calligraphers in the Tang Dynasty also had military status. For example, Ouyang Xun's ancestors were all military officers, and Chu Suiliang's father, Chu Liang, was a military officer. Yu Shinan was a noble from the south of the Yangtze River. He came to Chang'an with his brother Yu Shiji very early. It is difficult for us to guess his specific identity. There is also Yan Zhenqing (also known as Qingchen, whose ancestral home is Langya Linyi, a famous official and calligrapher in the Tang Dynasty. He created the "Yan style" regular script, which had a great influence on later generations). He has a nickname called Yan Pingyuan, because he served as the governor of Pingyuan. During the Anshi Rebellion, He leads troops to fight, and he has the status of a warrior, so looking at Yan Zhenqing's calligraphy, you can feel that his hands are very strong and have internal strength (Figure 11, Figure 12). This should be a swordsman.
There is also Zhang Xu [also known as Bogao and Jiming, Han nationality, from Wuxian County (now Suzhou, Jiangsu) in the Tang Dynasty). He was alive at the time of Kaiyuan and Tianbao. He once served as the county captain of Changshu and the long history of Jinwu. Famous for his cursive script, he was revered as the "Cao Sage" by later generations, and together with Li Bai's poetry and Pei Min's sword dance, he was known as the "Three Wonders"] was also a martial artist. He was the long history of Jinwu, and was known as Zhang Changshi in history (Figure 13). According to current terms, he is an officer of the Guards. Guards officers must be wielding swords, so they are powerful.
Figure 13 Tang Zhangxu's "Late Reply" and "Fifteenth Day"
In the tradition of calligraphy, both sword and pen are emphasized, which is a secret of Tang Dynasty calligraphy. There was a saying in the past that "there are three ends in ancient times", the first one is the front end. What is the edge? It is the edge of a sword, the edge of a sword. The second is the tip of the pen, which is the brush. The third one is the tongue, which means having a sharp tongue, diplomatic ability and lobbying ability. So these three items are very important.
We noticed that when people in the Tang Dynasty judged calligraphy, they often used one word called "vigor" and another word "kuaili". It doesn't sound like he is talking about calligraphy, but rather swordsmanship. From this, we will also think of Zhang Xu, who "watched Aunt Gongsun's disciples dancing with swords" and his calligraphy skills greatly improved.
The ancients have a saying: the skill of writing can be compared to the skill of sword. This brushwork and swordsmanship have an internal and external relationship: externally it is swordsmanship, internally it is brushwork, and it is done with one wrist. this is very important.
We also noticed that the calligraphy of the Tang Dynasty, whether it was regular script or running cursive, the writing speed was not uniform but variable. He was able to write with such intensity thanks to shifting speeds. I think this should have something to do with the tradition of martial arts. In fact, these emperors of the Tang Dynasty, from Tang Taizong to Tang Xuanzong, actually had a military history - practicing martial arts, and they all had certain martial arts skills, so this formed a complicated relationship. After the Tang Dynasty unified the empire, the north and the south merged, and there were both civil and military achievements. Then some signs would appear. For example, when it comes to civil-military relations, a complex attitude emerges. Because according to legend, Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty particularly liked the calligraphy of the "Two Kings", which of course mainly refers to Wang Xizhi. He searched for Wang Xizhi's calligraphy and ink all over the country.