Okay, here is the translation following your instructions: 2005 China Hangzhou 1st International Cursive Calligraphy Art Exhibition Catalogue

Author: Xu Jiang
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-10-01
Features: The practicality of the brush has long been replaced by the hard pen. With the popularity of computers and the advent of the "paperless revolution," even the hard pen has been neglected. For the new generation raised alongside keyboards, the cultural environment of calligraphy has undergone a dramatic change. However, under these circumstances, the art of calligraphy remains deeply loved by people, and calligraphy activities, as well as the calligraphy market, are still thriving. This is primarily due to the thousands of years of historical accumulation of calligraphy culture, which has nurtured generations of people's aesthetic affinity for calligraphy. Calligraphy is not just the pursuit of calligraphers, but also a life interest eagerly pursued by the general public in daily life. In contemporary China, calligraphy can be considered a highly successful art that combines elegance and popular appeal, professionalism and public accessibility. Therefore, the decline in practicality does not signify the decline of the art of calligraphy; on the contrary, it may herald the arrival of a new era for calligraphy. While the practicality of writing has always coexisted with its aesthetic function in the development of calligraphy, its artistic essence has always played the key role in its inheritance as a culturally distinctive form. The charm of calligraphy ultimately stems from its rich artistic expressiveness, something that computer typing can never replace. In a sense, the "separation" of the practicality and artistry of Chinese characters is not entirely bad for calligraphy. While calligraphy may dilute its practical value, it may place greater emphasis on visual creation and poetic expression, achieving multidimensional exploration and significant development in the realm of artistry. Compared to painting, calligraphy possesses a purely abstract quality, where characters are composed of lines, and one stroke gives rise to two, three, or even countless strokes. Calligraphy is an abstract art, and among its various styles, cursive script is the most abstract. Wang Fanggang once sighed, "Only when standing alone in the empty mountains does one truly realize that nothing in the world is beyond cursive script." Everything in the world can be transformed into symbols, lines, or imagery. Shuowen Jiezi states, "During the Han Dynasty, cursive script emerged." From the historical perspective of calligraphy development, the earliest characteristics of cursive script were: preserving the essence of characters, discarding the rules of clerical script, being unrestrained and swift, and achieving rapid writing. It was called "cursive script" because of its innovative nature. Analyzing its developmental trajectory, it can be divided into three major stages: early cursive script, Clerical Cursive (Zhang Cao), and Modern Cursive (Jin Cao). By the Tang Dynasty, Jin Cao became even more unrestrained, with continuous, winding strokes and bizarre character transformations, known as "" (wild cursive) or "" (great cursive). In other words, the initial driving force behind the creation and development of cursive script was its practicality—writing quickly and conveniently. Many ancient cursive script works perfectly combine practicality and artistry, with Shi Qi being a prime example of this ideal fusion. For convenience, cursive script became increasingly concise and fluid, with the spiritual essence and implied meaning between strokes growing stronger. Today, the aesthetic value of cursive script far surpasses its practical value. Its function of conveying information has been minimized to the lowest extent, while its artistic and creative expression has reached its peak. Whether calligraphers create cursive script or people appreciate it, "recognizing characters" is no longer the primary purpose. The creative activities of calligraphers are no longer just "writing" in the general sense but "artistic creation." Artists use cursive script to express emotions, convey their innermost feelings, reflect the human spirit, and showcase the characteristics of their era. Achieving this is not easy. This actually places higher demands on cursive script masters. Excellent cursive script works can gather the spiritual essence of all things in heaven and earth, embodying the tension of life—the spirit of "one stroke." Like the creation of romantic poetry or music, cursive script requires passion, inspiration, serendipitous moments, and the ability to break and rebuild. Calligraphy is the art of lines. The lines of calligraphy are a collection of countless "dots," formed by accumulating dots into lines, through movement and transformation, achieving perfection through nature. The ancient calligraphers' principle of "no downward stroke without shortening, no forward stroke without returning" exemplifies the typical aesthetic characteristics of calligraphy line movement. And cursive script takes the transformation of lines to its extreme. The lines of calligraphy are purely abstract and do not attach to external objects. To give calligraphy vitality and life, ancient calligraphers skillfully drew inspiration from all things in the world. Suo Jing once wrote in Cursive Script Momentum, "The form of cursive script is graceful like a silver hook, swift like a startled phoenix, with wings unfurled but yet at rest." Emperor Wu of the Southern Liang Dynasty, Xiao Yan, described cursive script in Cursive Script Description as "swift as a startled snake losing its way, slow as clear water lingering." Su Shi once admired how Emperor Wu of the Southern Liang praised calligraphy, skillfully using imagery. Jiang Kui's Continuation of the Calligraphy Spectrum described cursive script more specifically: "The body of cursive script is like a person sitting, standing, bowing, or competing, riding a boat or horse, singing or dancing, in all its transformations, none are accidental." These metaphors were used by predecessors to emphasize the lines and forms of cursive script. These insights from the past are worth reflecting upon. They all indicate that to become an outstanding cursive script master and create refreshing works, one must not only inherit tradition and master solid fundamentals but also delve into life and appreciate nature, achieving harmony between mind and hand, and achieving brilliance through serendipity. The phrase "Nothing in the world is beyond cursive script" is bold and profound, inspiring contemporary cursive script masters to create works of grandeur that reflect the spirit of the times. They must also continuously elevate their mindset and temperament, seeking forms of change from all things in the world, and ultimately entering the highest realm of winning through artistic rhythm, passion, and spirit. "The world" includes oneself. Cursive script often represents the highest achievement of calligraphy in a given period, reflecting the cultural characteristics and spirit of an era. Throughout history, there have been many peaks of cursive script prosperity, with numerous great masters emerging. In recent years, while calligraphy art has developed rapidly, the field of cursive script has remained relatively quiet, with some viewing it as a daunting challenge. The "2005 Hangzhou International Calligraphy Festival" organized by the China Academy of Art and the Hangzhou Federation of Literature and Arts, featuring both the "International Cursive Script Art Exhibition" and the "International Modern Calligraphy Art Exhibition," holds deep significance. Cursive script and modern calligraphy share common ground in their high degree of abstraction, and their collision and mutual inspiration will greatly benefit contemporary calligraphers. This cursive script art exhibition, judged by the number and scope of participating calligraphers, as well as the innovative exploration and artistic quality of some works, is highly commendable. Leaders from Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou City, and the China Academy of Art have provided excellent conditions for hosting such a large-scale international art event. The planners and organizers of this calligraphy event possess a spirit of inclusiveness and grandeur. If I have not misunderstood, the name of this event, "?——" (Calligraphy? Non-calligraphy—An Open Space for Calligraphy), reflects the organizers' philosophy and stance. From a deeper perspective, the background of "?" implies the collision, differentiation, and permeation of historical and contemporary, Eastern and Western cultures, resulting in a pluralistic landscape. We need to stand on the shoulders of history and move forward boldly yet cautiously.