Zhao Ziqian Dictionary

Author: (Japanese) Morimoto Jukun, Zhou Peiyuan
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2004-06-01
Features: This book categorizes and organizes the calligraphy of Zhao Ziqian from the late Qing Dynasty. The arrangement of the main entries follows the order of the Kangxi Dictionary as a principle. Each character is organized under its title, with styles including Regular Script, Running Script, Cursive Script, Clerical Script, and Seal Script, followed by the order of white seal, red seal, and oblique carving. Among various scripts, characters that best reflect Zhao Ziqian's calligraphic style are prioritized. In principle, only well-preserved characters are selected. Unclear characters are unfortunately excluded. However, if a character is considered outstanding and deemed necessary for inclusion, it may be used even if it is somewhat unclear. Rubbing prints and white seal engravings are published in reversed black-and-white. The size of most letters and engravings is retained in their original dimensions, while other works are mostly reduced. However, the reduction ratios vary. For authentic calligraphy, no modifications are made in principle, but minor corrections are made around the characters to facilitate appreciation. For the convenience of readers, a general index is appended at the end. The selected characters are rigorously chosen from over 60,000 characters, with 26,000 characters included, each labeled with a brief source reference.
Criteria for selecting materials: The initial step involves categorizing various materials by title. In the later stages, comparisons are made between similar scripts and styles within the same material, selecting the best among them. Rubbings are also selected based on their preservation.
Labeling sources: Most of the collected materials do not have clear names, and are labeled with the name of the work and a classification number in order. Detailed references can be found in the list of collected materials at the end of the volume.