Chinese calligraphy reached its zeniths during the Jin and Tang Dynasties. Tang Dynasty in particular is praised as the golden age of Chinese culture, with calligraphy as one of its crowning achievements. In the Tang Dynasty the government set up academies for studying calligraphy. Calligraphy was used to asses the talents of a person and was considered as a way for selecting promising candidates .
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| Zhuan Shu (??) |
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| The Book of Changes written in Li Shu (??) |
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| Kai Shu (??) |
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| Xing Shu (??) |
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| Cao Shu (??) |
Japan adopted Chinese calligraphy most enthusiastically after the introduction of Buddhism there in the mid-6th century, but the art of calligraphy was not pursued until the early years of the Heian era (794 to 1185), when Japan's so-called Three Great Brushes (Sanpitsu ??) began practicing calligraphy as an art. The great strides in Japanese calligraphy progress occurred in the Kamakura Era (1185 to 1333). The introduction of Zen Buddhism to Japanese culture during this period contributed significantly to wide adaptation of calligraphy. Traditional Japanese Calligraphy is called Shodo (shodou) and is based on Chinese verse which uses couplets or quatrains of four, five, or seven syllables
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| "Ju" Longevity Replica of an 18th c. work by the famous Japanese calligrapher Hakuin. This type of calligraphy was presented to elderly family members or friends for special occasions. |
The Chinese ,Japanese and Korean calligraphers typically use thick black ink and ink brushes to write their characters (called Hanzi in Chinese, Kanji in Japanese, and Hanja in Korean). Chinese characters have a predetermined order of strokes which means every calligrapher must obey a particular sequence of strokes in writing the characters. A skilled calligrapher can use these strokes to create a whole range of moods. Shen Yinmo, for example, could write characters which the famous calligrapher Sun Guoting (648-703?) would have praised for being so sharp that you felt chilled when you looked at them, or so soft that they brought to mind the blush on a young girl's cheek or a pearl of dew on a lotus leaf. Sun Guoting also has said in his Manual on Calligraphy (dated 687) that calligraphy reveals the character and expresses the emotions of the writer.1
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| Ping An Tie, He Ru Tie, Feng Ju Tie |
Wang Xizhi ( ???, 303�361) was a famous calligrapher of the Eastern Jin Dynasty (265�420) and the greatest of all time, known as the Sage of calligraphy. He was a native of today's Linyi of Shandong Province. He also served as a general and an imperial officer, hence his another name - Wang Youjun.
Wang stdied calligraphy under Wei Shuo, and some of his best writings were preserved on carved stone tablets, Stone rubbings taken from them have been reproduced and reprinted widely. Hid most famous work is Lan Ting Xu (Preface to the Literary Gathering at the Orchid Pavilion).It is said that Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty (618-907) treasured the work and had it buried in his tomb.
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| Hoshi Sosei born Yoshimine no Harutoshi is a Japanese Calligrapher and poet. His father was the renowned Henjo, a Japanese waka poet and Buddhist priest, who is listed as one of the Six best Waka poets and one of the Thirty-six Poetry Immortals. In 885 he was ranked in Sojo and called Kazan Sojo (????). |
Hoshi Sosei was born around the year 850. He became a monk, writer and jurist .He directed the monastery Riyau-Inwin at Isono-kami, in the province of Yamato. He was a priest of the Tendai school. In 877 he founded Gankei-ji in Yamashina, in the southeast part of Kyoto. In 869 he was given another temple Urin-in in Murasakino, in the north of Kyoto and managed both temples. Hoshi Sosei's calligraphic artistry is very much in tune with his poetical sentiment. Here is one of his waka poetry contributed for a Hyakunin isshu (????)
Now I have to wait
Only for the Naga Tsuki morning moon* to appear,
But thy word of promise
To come and see me soon!
*Ariake in origina
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| Hon'ami Koetsu (?????, 1558-1637) |
He learned the art of calligraphy from Prince Soncho, who is said to have taught him the style of the famous classical Chinese calligrapher Wang Xizhi. He became one of the most prominent calligraphers of this era. Like many of Japan's greatest calligraphers he was inspired by the court writings of the Heian period.
He created a many artistic works, all in a flowing cursive style that were reminiscent of the classical tradition. Along with Konoe Nobutada and Shokado Shojo, he came to be known as one of the Three Brushes or Sanpitsu of the Kan'ei Era (?????, kan'ei no sanpitsu).
He created a many artistic works, all in a flowing cursive style that were reminiscent of the classical tradition. Along with Konoe Nobutada and Shokado Shojo, he came to be known as one of the Three Brushes or Sanpitsu of the Kan'ei Era (?????, kan'ei no sanpitsu).
Koetsu also developed his own unique style of calligraphy, and taught it to many of his students.
Hon'ami had a close artistic colaboration with the painter Tawaraya Sotatsu for about fifteen years. Sotatsu has decorated many of Hon'ami calligraphic works in gold leaf and paint. Sotatsu was a major member of the Rinpa school, and his paintings most likely inspired by Hon'ami's influence and style.
Hon'ami had a close artistic colaboration with the painter Tawaraya Sotatsu for about fifteen years. Sotatsu has decorated many of Hon'ami calligraphic works in gold leaf and paint. Sotatsu was a major member of the Rinpa school, and his paintings most likely inspired by Hon'ami's influence and style.
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| Huai Su (??, 737�799) |
Huai Su, also Known as Cangzhen (??), was calligrapher in the Tang Dynasty. He was born in modern Changsha, Hunan and later in life became a Buddhist monk. He made his national fame in his early thirties when he came to Chang'an, which was then capital of China. Famous poets of his time spoke highly of his works, including Li Bai.
His contemporary Lu Yu wrote in his Life of the monk Huai Su (????): "He was broke and had no paper for writing. So he planted tens of thousands of banana trees in his hometown [to obtain leaves] to practice his art (?????,??????????,????)".
In Chinese art of calligraphy he is famous for his cursive style. Less than 10 pieces of his works have survived.
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References
- See: CHIANG Yee, Chinese Calligraphy: An Introduction to Its Aesthetic and Technique, Harvard University Press, 2002, ISBN: 9780674122260
- See: KWOH Da-Wei, Chinese Brushwork in Calligraphy & Painting: Its History, Aesthetics, & Techniques, Dover, 1981, ISBN: 0486264815
- See: Mi Fu: Style & the Art of Calligraphy in Northern Song China, Struman Peter, Yale University Press, 1997 , ISBN: 0300065698
- See: LI Xiangping (Chief editior), China's Calligraphy Art through the Ages Chinese Traditional Culture Series, China Intercontinental, Press 2007, ISBN: 9787508511290
- Nakata, Yujiro (1973). The Art of Japanese Calligraphy. New York/Tokyo: Weatherhill/Heibonsha. ISBN 0-8348-1013-1.
- History of Japanese calligraphy (?????), Hachiro ONOUE (????), 1934
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works 3.0 Unported License.
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