Book theory of the middle and late Tang Dynasty and the Five Dynasties

Author: Pan Yungao
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 1999-12-01
Features: This series of Chinese calligraphy and painting theory books is a popular reading material, hence annotations and modern translations are provided; at the same time, it maintains academic rigor by offering an overview of each author before their works, introducing the author and summarizing the value of their theories. The selected works in this series are mostly excerpts from renowned collections of calligraphy and painting theory throughout history, which have had a significant impact on the history of Chinese calligraphy and painting theory, possessing certain theoretical or historical value. These works, as selected in this series, are preserved in their original form without. Annotations should thoroughly convey the original meaning, striving for accuracy, and cited examples must be precise to ensure reliable data. The works discussed in this book are selected from the masterpieces of the Tang Dynasty. They have had a significant impact on the history of Chinese calligraphy and painting theory, possessing certain theoretical or historical value. The book includes book theories from the mid-Tang to the late Tang, except for Zhang Huaiquan's standalone album, most of the valuable ones are included here, including two works by Li Yu from the Five Dynasties period. Although Zhang Huaiquan's book theories also discuss over ten calligraphers since the early Tang Dynasty, his focus lies in discussing calligraphy works before the Tang Dynasty. For the great calligrapher Yan Zhenqing, who embodied the style of the mid-Tang, as well as the two other masters Zhang Xu and Huai Su, and the earlier master He Zhizhang, not only were they not mentioned in his "Shu Duan" and "Shu Gu" written during the Kaiyuan and Tianbao periods, but they were also not referenced in his "Shu Yi" written in the first year of the Qianyuan era. However, it can be said that the series is the one that discusses the mid-Tang calligraphers and provides theoretical summaries. In his later years, He Zhizhang self-styled as "the Madman of Siming," fond of drinking, and when drunk, he would pick up a brush, his strokes being unrestrained, but once sober, his writing could no longer match. He expressed his frustrations through his "madness," reflecting his inner turmoil. Su Cong's "Lower Description of Calligraphy" states: "The blessings of lakes and mountains, the style of the madman. His brushwork is exquisite, with no rival. Like the colorful spring forest, it truly writes worries at a glance." Zhang Xu often relied on the inspiration of wine to enter a state of intoxication, becoming unrestrained and free. As "Lower Description of Calligraphy" describes: "Zhang Changshi, when drunk, is unrestrained, his spirit clear, his gaze back and forth, yet the wall remains unscathed. His brushwork is full of lingering joy." His calligraphy resembles flying dragons and serpents, with an endless, unrestrained momentum. Huai Su's calligraphy and drinking were even more closely intertwined. He was a wine enthusiast, often drinking heavily before writing. His "Self-Description" quotes Su Gong's poem, which vividly portrays his state after drinking: "A long corridor with dozens of rooms, small bursts of joy relieve the mind. Suddenly, a few loud cries, across the wall, countless words in every direction." They all wrote while drunk and produced their best works, but once sober, their writing could not match. Su Cong's "Description of Calligraphy" mentions He Zhizhang's point, and Huai Su's "Self-Description" quotes poems by Xu Yao and Dai Shulun, who also discussed this. Xu Yao's poem goes: "Intentions are novel and unpredictable, ancient and lean, half without ink. Drunk, he writes a few lines, but sober, he cannot match it." Dai Shulun's poem states: "The heart and hand teach each other, the trend becomes more extraordinary. Strange forms and shapes are most appropriate. Everyone wants to ask about this wonder, but Huai Su says he didn't know at first." This might seem puzzling—why is artistic creation better when drunk than when sober? Upon reflection, it aligns with the ancient Chinese aesthetic theory that artistic creation requires a "vacant and quiet" mind. It also resonates with Cai Yong's "Brush Theory," which states: "Calligraphy is dispersal; before writing, one must disperse their thoughts." They used wine to achieve a "vacant and quiet" state, freeing themselves from the shackles of "worldly thoughts" to better express their calligraphy skills and emotions. They all expressed themselves through cursive calligraphy, their emotions. He Zhizhang's cursive calligraphy "writes worries at a glance"; Huai Su's is "madly lightens the world, truly knows the truth in drunkenness"; and Zhang Xu's is even clearer in Han Yu's "Preface to Sending the Venerable Gao Xian." The text states: "In the past, Zhang Xu was skilled in cursive calligraphy, mastering nothing else. Anger, sorrow, poverty, worry, joy, freedom, resentment, longing, drunkenness, boredom, and frustration—whenever something moved his heart, he would express it through cursive calligraphy." Of course, this self-expression was carried out through imagery, that is, through the calligrapher's aesthetic mind responding to external things, forming calligraphy imagery. As "Preface to Sending the Venerable Gao Xian" describes Zhang Xu: "Observing things, seeing mountains, waters, cliffs, valleys, birds, beasts, fish, and insects, flowers and fruits, sun and moon, stars, wind and rain, fire and water, thunder and lightning, singing and dancing, battles, and the changes of heaven and earth—joy and shock are all embodied in calligraphy." Yan Zhenqing, a representative of the mid-Tang calligraphy style, also expressed himself through calligraphy. His robust and dignified style was a reflection of his upright and loyal character. His regular script works were very different from the of Zhang Xu and others, but in expressing themselves through imagery and emotions, they were consistent. Lu Yu's "Biography of Huai Su" records: Zhang Xu's cursive calligraphy "like a lone reed shaking itself, startling sand flying." Wu Tong's cursive calligraphy "vertical pulls like the foot of an ancient hairpin." Huai Su learned "summer clouds and strange peaks," and also learned "the path of wall collapse." Yan Zhenqing talked about learning "the trace of water dripping through a roof." They all expressed themselves through their perception of external images, transforming them into calligraphy imagery. This emphasis on self-expression and emotions differed significantly from the tradition of inheriting and learning ancient methods since the early Tang Dynasty. This thought had already emerged in Zhang Huaiquan's "Theory of Characters," though not yet clearly articulated. He stated: "What I have created does not follow ancient methods, but explores the essence of ink and brush, seeking the original spirit of all things. I establish form with bone and muscle, and enrich it with spirit to explore imagery, entering this framework—suddenly like lightning flying, or as if stars falling. The momentum arises from flow and ease, and the spirit emerges from the sharpness of the brush." Here, he proposed not imitating ancient methods but exploring on one's own, using "spirit" to "enrich," thus forming one's own style. By the time of Su Cong's "Description of Calligraphy," the concept of "naturalness" was introduced. To make calligraphy aesthetic imagery appear natural, it was impossible to achieve through imitating the ancients. He proposed to be "vivid," only then could one approach naturalness. He described Shu Ruo's calligraphy: "Shu's appearance is like vitality with divine support, connecting naturally without bounds." He also proposed the requirement of "forgetting emotions." He described Wei Dian: "Traces are left behind, emotions forgotten, entering divine understanding." He described Fan Ning: "Removing the ordinary, forgetting emotions, remaining simple and unrestrained." He described Ying Zhan: "True and natural, rarely forgetting emotions." He demanded that calligraphy writing be "forgotten emotions," not that one should lack passion, but rather forget "worldly thoughts," the shackles of worldly joys and sorrows, and possess a "vacant and quiet" aesthetic mind, only then could one "enter divine understanding" and make the calligraphy imagery "true and natural." Therefore, from Zhang Huaiquan to Su Cong, their theoretical views were completely consistent with the calligraphy creation of the mid-Tang calligraphers. Many texts on calligraphy techniques are included in this book, reflecting the prosperity of Tang calligraphy and the subsequent emphasis on calligraphy techniques. The Tang people were no longer satisfied with the dissemination of the "Eight Methods of the Character 'Yong'" that had existed since the Wei and Jin periods, but had added many techniques they had summarized from their own calligraphy experiences. Moreover, when discussing calligraphy techniques, they often linked them to their perceived calligraphy imagery, integrating techniques into imagery. For example, Yan Zhenqing's "Twelve Meanings of Zhang Changshi's Brush Techniques." These "twelve meanings of brush techniques" were already discussed by Zhong Yao, and when Zhang Xu taught Yan Zhenqing, he also discussed his experience with Cui Suiliang's "sealing ink painting sand," integrating this imagery with brush techniques to explain powerful, deep, and stable strokes. This shows that they also placed great importance on their own experiences in calligraphy techniques.