Collection of Calligraphy by Cai Xiang

Author: Li Songchen
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-11-01
Features: What is calligraphy? The Cihai dictionary explains it as: "One of the traditional arts of China, referring to the method of writing with a brush." The Modern Chinese Dictionary states: "Calligraphy is the art of writing characters, specifically referring to the art of writing Chinese characters with a brush." The Concise Britannica provides a detailed explanation: "Calligraphy is the art of writing, involving knowledge of character forms and writing techniques, requiring proper layout and proportion of each part of the character, so that it is recognized by experts as an art piece." It also emphasizes that "East Asian calligraphy has always been considered equally important as painting in terms of art," and that "calligraphy in China, Japan, and Korea is a pure art form, all developed based on the written form of Chinese characters." Western massive reference books that dedicate entire pages to introducing Chinese calligraphy with text and printing exquisite calligraphy works are none other than the Great Encyclopedia. It explains the "Calligraphy" entry as follows: "Chinese calligraphy is the art of writing with a brush, closely related to painting. For centuries, Chinese scholars and artists have been engaged in the creation of calligraphy art." "When students first start school, they must learn to hold a brush straight, placing their fingers in fixed positions, maintaining stability in their wrists while keeping their hands flexible. Students usually use the regular script style of a certain calligrapher as a model and only progress to running script or cursive script after reaching a certain level. For centuries, the Thousand Character Classic has been one of the standard models for copying." The Great Encyclopedia uses two full pages to explain the "Calligraphy" entry, printing a picture of the Mao Gong Ding, a picture of an elderly person holding a brush and writing, six ancient inkstone pictures, and seven exquisite examples of ancient Chinese calligraphy (including four by Wang Xizhi: the Lanting Preface, the Painting of Dongfang Shuo, the Official Servant Letter, and the Morning and Evening Letter). A comprehensive Western dictionary (not a specialized reference book) can use so much text and space to introduce Chinese calligraphy, which shows that calligraphy not only holds an important position in the art hall of the Chinese nation but is also recognized by the world as a treasure of human culture.