Song and Yuan Calligraphy Shadows

Author: Shanghai Yuzheng Book Bureau (compiled)
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2001-02-01
Features: Ancient Chinese books, with Song and Yuan edition being the most precious. With the invention of paper and the development of engraving, the art of picture and calligraphy, as well as engraving techniques, had reached maturity during the Song and Yuan dynasties. A large number of books with meticulous writing and exquisite engraving were published during this period, forming a unique style of Song and Yuan book designs. The characteristics of Song edition book designs include handwritten regular script with strict strokes, giving a [solemn yet fluid] impression. Yuan edition book designs still retain the legacy of the Song dynasty, with clear and eye-catching layouts. Due to their age, surviving Song and Yuan books are extremely rare, even fragments and scattered pages are considered treasures, and ordinary readers find it difficult to see their original appearance. To visually understand the style of Song and Yuan books, Jiangsu Guangling Ancient Books Engraving and Printing Society published an exact facsimile of the bound-line edition of Song and Yuan Book Shadows. This book is also known as Song and Yuan Book Designs, and was facsimiled by Shanghai Yuzheng Book Bureau during the Republican era. It is divided into the four classical divisions—Confucian classics, history, philosophy, and literature—and consists of four volumes. It approximately collects the most direct materials of Song and Yuan book pages, serving as a key reference for identifying the style of Song and Yuan books. It can be said that Song and Yuan Book Shadows is the most direct material for understanding Song and Yuan edition books and an excellent textbook for identifying them.