Calligraphy

Author: Liu Heng
Publisher:
Publish Date: 1999-07-01
Features: In this era of renewed prosperity for traditional calligraphy, we have compiled and published this modest-sized series of books. Our main intention is not to add another colorful bloom to the already vibrant garden of calligraphy, but rather to provide a refreshing drink for the—hoping to assist them in understanding calligraphy knowledge and learning the art of calligraphy. We dare not claim to be guiding them through the maze, but perhaps we can serve as a starting point and guide. At the same time, we hope this series will benefit researchers of calligraphy art—at least by offering a perspective and the value of reflection. As is well-known, since the "calligraphy fever" of the early 1980s, the continuous calligraphy activities and the ever-increasing calligraphy publications have been overwhelming. Clearly, the stance, methods, level, and quality of these activities and publications vary greatly. For calligraphers and scholars with high standards and the ability to choose, selecting the best and participating or purchasing is no problem. However, for beginners, it is often difficult to discern the true from the false and to make a wise choice amidst the confusion. Therefore, we invited some mid-to-young-aged researchers with expertise in calligraphy to write the series individually. The series consists of eight books, each focusing on one or two calligraphic scripts as its central theme, respectively discussing the origin, development, and historical evolution of that script, briefly introducing its name and meaning. Next, it provides evaluations and analyses of the historical masterpieces of that script, with a focus on either artistic style, historical context, visual form, or aesthetic connotation. It does not aim for perfection but for authenticity, simplicity in expression, and accuracy in argumentation. Finally, we hope to offer a high-level perspective on contemporary and current calligraphy creation based on the historical evolution of the script, combining specific artistic practices to provide technical guidance. It does not seek to be overly detailed but strives for precision, avoids empty rhetoric, and emphasizes practicality. In summary, this series is one that combines appreciation with practicality, research with application, academic rigor with readability. It is rooted in academic while also focusing on the academic nature of popularization. It can be said that each contributor shared this vision and put in corresponding efforts to achieve their respective writing effects. Clearly, due to differences in artistic concepts, academic expertise, aesthetic perspectives, and writing methods among the authors, there are inevitable variations in the level and writing style of each volume. I believe these differences are acceptable—they reflect each author's unique style and the free realization of their own ideas and individual values. This very difference embodies the tension between the research subject and the researcher, and we must respect this reality. Indeed, we have seen a natural harmony based on this reality. The hard work of the eight authors and the diverse styles of their writings have provided us with emotions and reflections from different hearts. As one of the chief editors, I am deeply moved and sincerely grateful. If there were only differences, this series might have been difficult to unify and would not have formed a cohesive collection. Therefore, while encouraging and respecting the independent insights and expression methods of the authors, we also insisted on a consistent format. This uniformity serves as a binder for the series. In this way, readers may find consistency and connection among the volumes, even though they are loosely linked. Considering the visual nature of calligraphy art, this series includes numerous illustrations, not only for the convenience of the authors' explanations but also to provide readers with a concentrated collection of calligraphy images, increasing the information content and meeting their visual needs. It can be said that this format itself reflects our editorial intent, and through it, we also reveal a part of our artistic research philosophy. The reason we did not use color illustrations but opted for black-and-white plates was primarily due to the current consumption level of our readers. Individually, each book contains approximately 100,000 words and 130 to over 200 illustrations, which can be considered "small books." However, each author put in significant effort and did not take these "small books" lightly. Some authors even devoted considerable time to revising their manuscripts and collecting illustrations. This reminded me of the "lion hunting an elephant" spirit repeatedly praised by the renowned painter Li Keran. Traditional Chinese art emphasizes "seeing the great in the small" and "" ( means ""). How we hope this small series can fulfill this common wish of all the editors and publishers. In the past, the great master of Chinese studies Liu Shipei wrote "A History of Middle Chinese Characters" in just 70,000 to 80,000 words, truly a masterpiece that demonstrated the great in the small and the complex in the simple. It is no wonder that Lu Xun highly praised it, believing it "greatly helped our research." Similarly, Zhou Zuoren's "The Origin of New Chinese Literature" and Lu Xun's "A Brief History of Chinese Fiction" are also classic works with tens of thousands of words, yet they have been passed down through generations. I mention these works here only to illustrate that small books can be great works—as long as they are meaningful, reasoned, and well-supported!