Calligraphy works of famous masters through the ages in modern calligraphy

Author: Ding Yongkang
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-11-01
Features: In ancient China, any prose that did not belong to rhymed poetry or parallel prose—that is, any writing that did not rely on rhyme, parallelism, or antithesis—was generally referred to as prose. As prose continued to develop, its categories gradually expanded. The Qing Dynasty scholar Yao Nai of the Tongcheng School summarized ancient prose and divided it into 13 categories. The articles selected in this book, except for "The Preface to the Former Outing of Zhuge Liang," which belongs to the special genre of addressing emperors, all fall under the categories of "prefaces" and "miscellaneous records."
There are three types of prefaces:
1. Book Preface, also known as "preface" or "introduction," is an essay that explains the purpose of a book's composition or publication, its organizational structure, and the author's background. It may also include critiques of the author's work or discussions of related issues, typically written at the beginning of a book or article, such as "Preface to the Orchid Pavilion Collection" or "Preface to the Pavilion of Prince Teng." (Some are listed at the end, like "Preface to Sima Qian's Autobiography").
2. Commemorative Preface, which expresses sentiments on specific occasions or serves as farewell messages, often containing words of encouragement, admiration, or praise, such as "Preface to the Peach Blossom Garden Night Banquet" or "Preface to Sending Meng Dongye."
3. Poetry Preface, written before a poem, primarily explains the background of the story being sung or the reasons for composing the poem.
Records are divided into five categories:
1. Travel Records, which describe landscapes, natural scenery, and travel experiences, such as "Record of Yueyang Tower," "Record of the Peach Blossom Spring," and "Record of Shizhong Mountain."
2. Miscellaneous Records, which present events and observations without extensive commentary, such as "Record of the Waiting for Rain Courtyard."
Additionally, there are biographies that record the lives and achievements of individuals, short notes, and stele inscriptions carved on stone monuments to commemorate the deeds of notable figures.
The prefaces and records in this book, such as "Record of Yueyang Tower" and "Preface to the Orchid Pavilion Collection," are timeless masterpieces written in elegant regular script by calligrapher Ding Yongkang. They are suitable for practicing calligraphy, appreciation and collection, or as gifts for friends and family. A book of multifunctional value, it is truly worth its price.