Huang Binhong

Author: Huang Binhong
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-05-01
Features: Chinese calligraphy has a history of thousands of years. At first, it was practical and existed alongside writing. During the Song, Yuan, Ming, and early Qing dynasties, calligraphers mostly followed the styles of Wang Xizhi and Wang Xianzhi, taking the methods of scholars as their guide and revering the ancients, though there were also innovations. From the mid-Qing dynasty onwards to the early Republic of China, the study of stele calligraphy flourished, and the rules underwent significant changes, replacing the aesthetic of bookish elegance with the charm of inscriptions and artifacts. It surpassed the styles of Wang Xizhi and Wang Xianzhi, looking back to seal and clerical scripts, delving deep into Wei Stele calligraphy. At this point, calligraphers valued simplicity and pursued boldness and unrestrained brushwork, with sharp and lively brushstrokes, robust and expansive forms. They moved freely between the calligraphy of the Three Dynasties and the Han, Wei Stele cliff inscriptions, and in terms of artistic conception and context, returned to the natural and spontaneous charm. Calligraphy differs from music, painting, and sculpture—it is a unique art of the Chinese people. Over these thousands of years of calligraphic history, many masters have emerged, like brilliant stars, and this precious artistic heritage must be organized and preserved. Of course, there have always been many people who cared about calligraphy, and books about calligraphers and their biographies, as well as rubbings of steles and inscriptions, have become increasingly popular. It seems quite optimistic, and in recent years, our publishing house has also published a series of such books. Seeing how widely calligraphy is now practiced makes me feel happy, as if it were my own cause.