Complete Collection of Chinese Calligraphy, Volume 35

Author: Liu Zhengcheng
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2003-08-15
Features: This book collects calligraphy works from the Shang and Zhou dynasties to the contemporary era, totaling over one hundred volumes. The organization is divided into two major categories: 1. Chronological volumes; 2. Calligrapher volumes. Each volume is categorized by era and included in one of the ten sections, with additional sections for Seal Engraving, Treatises, Appendices, and Supplements.
Chronological volumes include works such as oracle bone inscriptions, bronze inscriptions, bamboo slips, silk documents, pottery and brick inscriptions, steles, epitaphs, carved stones, cliff carvings, sculptures, and Buddhist manuscripts. These works are classified and organized chronologically.
Calligrapher volumes are divided into three types:
- Class A volumes feature works by a single calligrapher.
- Class B volumes feature works by two to four calligraphers.
- Class C volumes feature works by multiple calligraphers from a specific era.
The table of contents for each volume, excluding the preface and general index, follows the two types of organizational structure.
Chronological volumes include:
- Color illustrations of original artifacts or rubbings
- General introductions and specialized discussions
- Plate illustrations of works
- Explanations of plates
- Chronological tables
- Maps showing the distribution of artifact and work discoveries
- Main reference bibliographies and literature
- Plate index
Calligrapher volumes include:
- Calligrapher portraits (for Class A volumes)
- Color illustrations of original calligraphy albums or selected works
- Critical biographies and specialized discussions of calligraphers
- General introductions to calligraphy in specific eras (for Class C volumes)
- Plate illustrations of works
- Explanations of works
- Selected annotations on calligrapher’s theories
- Chronological tables of calligraphers
- Maps showing the calligrapher’s life journey
- Main reference bibliographies
- Plate index
In Class A calligrapher volumes, supplementary volumes feature relatives and direct disciples of the calligrapher to clarify mutual influences.
The Appendices include:
- Chronological table of Chinese calligraphy (with name index and work index)
- Illustrated history of calligraphy in minority scripts
- Illustrated history of calligraphy overseas
- Illustrated history of the Four Treasures of the Study
The Supplements include several volumes that categorize important works omitted during the compilation process.
All maps in this book are based on the Historical Atlas of China edited by Tan Qixiang. The book is printed in traditional Chinese characters to avoid confusion between ancient and modern scripts.
The Complete Collection of Chinese Calligraphy covers the Shang and Zhou dynasties to the contemporary era, totaling 108 volumes. The organization is divided into two major categories: 1. Chronological volumes; 2. Master calligrapher volumes. Each volume is categorized by era and included in one of the ten sections, with additional sections for Seal Engraving, Treatises, Appendices, and Supplements.
The book meticulously prints over 30,000 masterpieces of Chinese calligraphy from all dynasties preserved worldwide, along with over 20 million words of academic papers and explanations. Many plates are published for the first time.
Each volume includes:
- Critical biographies of calligraphers (or specialized discussions on specific eras)
- Plate illustrations
- Selected theories of calligraphers
- Chronological tables of calligraphers
- Maps showing the calligrapher’s life journey
- Explanatory notes and captions for plates
- Reference bibliographies
This book is not merely an art album but a comprehensive, systematic, in-depth, and meticulous study of Chinese calligraphy, a traditional cultural art spanning thousands of years. Such a comprehensive and scholarly examination of an art form is rare not only in China but also in the global academic community. This book holds immense value for calligraphy experts, researchers, enthusiasts, and collectors.