In recent years, some scholars have conducted research on calligraphy issues in novels, and the earliest relevant papers that can be retrieved are Jing Xuan's "Traditional Painting and Calligraphy in the Dream of the Red Chamber" published in the Journal of The Dream of the Red Chamber in 1994, and other earlier ones are Zhang Shijun's "Calligraphy Meditation Methods of Commenting on Ming and Qing Novels", Liu Dachuan's "Calligraphy Scenes in Zhong", Meng Baoyue's "And Calligraphy Culture", Liu Chao's "Historical Examples of Calligraphy in Ming and Qing Novels - Taking He as An Example", Sun Xiaotao and Li Jikai's "On Wang Zengqi's Calligraphy Cultivation for His Novels". The Influence of Prose Creation", etc.
Dream of the Red Chamber and Calligraphy Culture
These thesis all study calligraphy culture as an independent element in the novel, and they either point out the performance, role and significance of the calligraphy culture in the novel, or use the calligraphy culture as a reference to evaluate literature or history, and have achieved gratifying results. For comparative research on the calligraphy culture in "Dream of the Red Chamber" and "The History of Ru Lin", I have not yet seen relevant articles.
Calligraphy is closely related to the lives of the Chinese people and occupies an important position in traditional culture. Scholar Ji Jiansheng said: "Calligraphy is not only a graceful and rhyme event, but also a way of survival that connects with the roots of Chinese culture and continues with the literati tradition." [1] Xiong Bingming believes that "calligraphy is a direct expression of the mind, both individual and collective; both conscious and subconscious." ”[2]
Through calligraphy, we can understand the psychological soul of the individual and the national nature and cultural spirit of the Chinese nation. Lin Yutang said more directly: "Because this art has a history of nearly 2,000 years, and every calligrapher strives to use a different rhythm and structure to mark the new, in calligraphy, perhaps only in calligraphy, we can see the ultimate of Chinese artistic mind." ”[3]
Novels are the literary carriers that can most faithfully reflect reality, and it is not only necessary but natural to study Chinese novels through calligraphy culture. However, in reality, this research perspective has not received enough attention.
Calligraphy culture in ancient Chinese novels often plays an important role in organizing the structure of novels, narrating storylines, shaping character images, and expressing character emotions. If you savor carefully, you can find that the calligraphy culture in different novels has different performances, which is worth chewing slowly. There are many calligraphy cultural contents in "Dream of the Red Chamber" and "Rulin's Outer History", all of which use the expression role of calligraphy culture and achieve good expression effects.
Here, the differences in calligraphy culture between the two novels are compared, and the comparison can not only see the unique expression role of calligraphy culture, but also deepen the understanding of the novel text and the meaning of calligraphy culture.
Feng Qiyong wrote the Grand View Garden
First, comprehensive and profound and local spot dyeing
The cultural content of calligraphy in "Dream of the Red Chamber" is grand in scale. Its structure construction, scene layout, character portrayal, narrative method, etc. are inseparable from calligraphy culture, and the role of calligraphy culture in novels is multifaceted. The novel covers many aspects such as calligraphy display, calligraphy positioning, calligraphy function, writing scene, writing instrument, and trading and circulation of calligraphy works.
Limited by space, the scale and volume of the calligraphy culture content discussed here in "Dream of the Red Chamber" may wish to first take Jia Baoyu's life as the perspective to do a peeping leopard-like exploration.
Jia Baoyu and Zhen Shiyin are also true and illusory, really a relationship of one person, and one of the important messages cao Xueqin gives to show this relationship is that they have both been to the same place in daydreams, seen the same plaque, and the same couplet. The plaque is "too illusory", the couplet is "true and false when pretending to be true, there is nowhere to do anything"; Jia Baoyu is "partial to all" and "miscellaneous learning", and the earliest talent he showed was calligraphy.
It was in the eighth time, Baoyu went to visit Xue Baochao, on the way met several leaders of the stewards, they all said that they saw Baoyu's writing "Dou Fang'er" in several places, "the calligraphy is getting better and better"; Baoyu returned from Xue Baochao's house, Qingwen came out and asked him to finish the ink left in the morning, it turned out that Baoyu wrote the plaque of "Daiyun Xuan" before going out, this plaque Qingwen has been hung on the door bucket, and the plaque written by Baoyu has also received Daiyu's praise: "Everyone is good." How to write this well? Ming Er also wrote a plaque with me"[4]126.
"Baoyu and Daiyu" New Year painting
Baoyu loves calligraphy. He entered the Grand View Garden, and every day he was with his sisters, "or reading, or writing, or playing the piano and playing chess, painting and chanting poems", and he even copied the poems of his sisters on the fan and took them out of the Grand View Garden, so that he provoked outsiders to "seek poetry and find words, And Qianhua to ask for problems", he was tireless, "Zhen Rijia did these foreign affairs".
When Tanchun was ill, he sent Yan Zhenqing's calligraphy inkblots; Baoyu himself celebrated his birthday, and some people gave him calligraphy as a gift, which can be said to be a true knowledge of Baoyu; the seal text on the psychic treasure jade and the seal text of the golden lock to ward off evil spirits seem to be a pair, making people feel that Jia Baoyu and Xue Baochao are destined to be golden and jade.
Jia Zheng was an official outside, and everyone wrote calligraphy homework for Baoyu, but Dai Yu not only wrote more, but also the handwriting was "very similar" to Bao Yu's, which showed the depth of Dai Yu's deep affection, which made people think that Jia Baoyu and Lin Daiyu's wooden stone former alliance was the real feeling; when going to school, Bao Yu should follow the teacher's requirements, "get up early to write, write after dinner, and read articles at noon"[4]1151.
On many occasions, you can see the scene around Baoyu while talking and writing, such as once he passed through Fengjie's door, Fengjie asked Baoyu to keep accounts for her, that is, Fengjie wrote while saying Baoyu; Baoyu wrote the poem "Visiting Miaoyu Beg Hongmei", which Baoyu said while Saying, Dai Yu wrote; the painting material needed by Xichun Painting Garden is baochao while saying, Baoyu writing; what is more interesting is that Jia Zheng was able to condescend to personally record Baoyu when Baoyu wrote "Words of Concubines", and such a long poem was written by Baoyu while reading and Jia Zheng wrote it.
Baoyu is particularly sensitive to what is written. Qin Keqing took him to find a place for a lunch break, he saw that the room was hung with a couplet with "everything is knowledgeable, and human feelings are trained is an article", and when he saw the couplet hanging on the "tender cold lock dream because of the cold spring, the aroma cage is the aroma of wine", he even said that it was good there.
Stamp "Divine Journey Too Unreal Mirror"
In addition to the above, readers can also see that when Baoyu went out, Tanchun entrusted him with some calligraphy and paintings; Baoyu's Yihong Courtyard hung a plaque of "Yihong Fast Green"; Baoyu chose ice fish hub to write "Furong Daughter Recitation", and so on. The perspective of Baoyu alone is enough to illustrate the scale of calligraphy culture in Dream of the Red Chamber.
The discussion of calligraphy in "Dream of the Red Chamber" is very accurate and quite high, which is of great significance for understanding the essence of calligraphy and its position in traditional culture. After the grand view garden was completed, Jia Zhen asked Jia Zheng to see what was wrong, Jia Zheng listened, "pondered for a while", and said: "Great scenery, a number of pavilions, no word title, but also feel boring, even if there are flowers and willow landscapes, it must not be colored." ”[4]217
This sentence is Cao Xueqin's judgment on the importance of calligraphy in the language of literature, which was said after Jia Zheng "pondered for a while", and the word "broken" was also used in the discourse, and the tone was cut to the point. The Grand View Garden is actually the Grand View Garden of Chinese culture, and the Grand View Garden is complete with everything, but if it lacks the finishing touch of calligraphy, it will not be able to "make color".
Xue Pan spoke bluntly, and once he was going to have a birthday, he asked Bao Yu in person what gift he was going to give him, and Bao Yu replied, "Do I have anything to give?" If I talk about what money eats and wears, it is not mine, but only if I write a word and draw a picture, it is considered mine. [4] 357Why is it his that only he writes a single letter?
Dai Dunbang paints Xue Pan
Cao Gong did not give a direct answer. The Western Han Dynasty Yangxiong put forward the proposition of "words, heart voices, books, heart paintings" in the "Fa Yan Qing Shen", which can be used to explain Bao Yu's words. Books are heart paintings, only writing a word can represent his heart, And Baoyu is a person who really understands calligraphy. These are enough to show Cao Xueqin's profound understanding of calligraphy.
The Outer History of Ru Lin also describes many aspects of calligraphy culture, but it is relatively small compared with "Dream of the Red Chamber". The calligraphy culture in the "History of Ru Lin" is mostly dotted, but even the dot-like ones also play an important role, often pointing and pointing and knowing everything, which can express the author's profound thoughts.
Here are two examples. Zhou Jin made a living teaching at the Xuejiaji Guanyin Temple before Ren Xuedao, when he was poor and destitute, and was ridiculed by the newly enrolled Mei Jiu, so much so that "the red and purple on his face were ashamed".[5]12 After Zhou Jin took up the post of Xuedao, Mei Jiu saw that the Guanyin Temple still had a couplet written by Zhou Xuedao, and although "the red paper has been pasted white for a long time", he still said to the monk: "It is still the handwriting of Zhou Da's grandfather, you should not paste it here, take some water to spray, take it off and frame it, and put it away." ”[5]49
From the attitude towards this couplet, it can be seen that Mei Jiu's courtesy to Zhou Jinqian is disgusting. Ma Er is a typical representative of the readers in the "Outer History of Ru Lin", once he followed Hong Xianxian to the Wu Xiangguo Temple, and when he entered, he saw a calligraphy work inscribed by Hong Xian on the back, which read: "Nandu has traveled here for many years, and now it is no better than the old wind." The lake and mountains are full of rogues, waving their hands across the ten continents. [5] The drop above 101 is "Rooftop Hong Xian Xian Title".
Ma Er was worthy of being a reader, and he had been writing for more than three hundred years according to the content of his writing, and at this time he actually believed that Hong Xianxian was more than three hundred years old. Through this work, the reader can see what a pedantic reader he is! After reading a book, I was like a (Hong means coax a bitch).
Cheng Shifa painted "Mr. Ma Er's Tour to the West Lake"
Second, structural significance and general description
The structural issue of "Dream of the Red Chamber" has received attention earlier, and many views have been formed and more results have been achieved, but there are also obvious deficiencies, that is, ignoring the role of calligraphy culture in structure. In fact, calligraphy culture has outstanding structural significance in Dream of the Red Chamber. If the content of calligraphy culture is removed, the whole novel will become full of holes, and there will even be a danger of collapse.
Calligraphy culture is the foundation that underpins the Red Mansion. The novel begins with the statement: "And by means of 'psychicism, this book of Stones' was also written"[4]1, and from then on we know that the whole novel is written on stone.
This is Cao Xueqin borrowing the Chinese inscription tradition to present the content of the novel. This stone used by Cao Gong is also a monument: "Twelve Zhangs of the High Scripture, Twenty-four Zhangs of the Fang Jing"[4]2. This huge stele has a stele Yang Stele Yin, the Stele Yang is engraved with "Stone Record", the stele Yin is engraved with a poem, the novel is written like this: "There is another Song Of The Clouds in the back: There is no material to make up for the heavens, and it is like a long year of red dust." This is the matter before and after the body, who remembers to make a strange legend? ”[4]4
In China, the cultural connotation of stele is particularly rich, and many important classics have been preserved by means of inscriptions, such as the Tang Dynasty Kaicheng Stone Stele in the forest of steles in Xi'an, which preserves twelve kinds of Confucian classics such as "Zhou Yi" and "Shang Shu". Regarding the stele, there is also the saying of "stele, sadness", which is also reminiscent of the tragic color of the novel "Dream of the Red Chamber".
Cheng Jia Ben stone embroidery
This stele also has a connection with the gems worn by Baoyu in past and present lives. The gemstone is also engraved with seal characters such as "Psychic Treasure Jade" and "Mo Lost and Unforgettable, Xianshou Hengchang", and when Jia Baoyu and Xue Baochao compared "Psychic Baoyu" and "Golden Lock to Ward Off Evil Spirits", Baoyu saw the seal characters such as "Do not abandon and do not abandon, Fang Ling Yongji" on the golden lock, and Xue Baochao also said: "It is also a person who gave two auspicious words, so it was put on the hammer, called to carry it every day; otherwise, what fun is heavy." [4] The inscriptions on the 121 giant stele and the seal book on the gems constitute the basic background color of the novel "Dream of the Red Chamber".
"Dream of the Red Chamber" clearly has a symmetrical structure before and after, and the fifth and penultimate numbers (the 116th time) play an important role in this symmetrical structure. Throughout the book, readers can see that the most critical couplet plaques in the book appear in these two times.
The supporting materials used on the surface of the symmetrical structure of "Dream of the Red Chamber" are those architectural beams and columns, but the reader should know that the beams and columns are only external forms, and the couplet plaques on the beams and columns are the most core content.
Further study of these couplet plaques can also be seen that both in form and content, the penultimate fifth time and the positive number of the fifth time are echoed in the distance, such as "too illusory realm" and "true as a blessed land", "false when true is true, there is nowhere to have nothing" and "false to go to the truth to win the false, nothing is true or false, nothing is true or false", "evil sea love day" and "good and bad luck", "thick land high heaven, lament the ancient and modern love is inexhaustible; foolish men and women, poor wind and moon debts are difficult to pay" and "the past and the future, mo is wise and wise can break; antecedents and consequences, It is necessary to know that closeness does not meet", "Spring hates autumn sorrow is self-inflicted, flowers and moon looks like who is Yan" and "Laughter and sorrow are false, greed and thoughts are always because of delusion" and so on.
These contents are extremely important in the expression of the will of the book and the reading hints. Without understanding the significance of these couplet plaques, it is impossible for the reader to understand the essence of the whole book. They are like the four dimensions of the Red Mansion, supporting the framework of the novel.
Stamps Jinling 12
Calligraphy culture is a common narrative method used in Dream of the Red Chamber. The Jinling Twelve Books and Paintings have condensed the fate of the daughters in the Grand View Garden. If you don't understand the contents of the booklet, you don't understand the whole novel.
In order to express that Jia Fu has a royal patron, the novel moves out the "Rongxi Hall" signboard inscribed by the emperor himself; to describe the history of the Jia family, it shows the former emperor's imperial pen "Xinghui Fubi"; in order to tell the reader that the entire novel "Although the text is shallow, its meaning is deep", it borrows the couplet of "There is more than enough behind you to shrink your hands, and there is no way to turn back in front of you".
This expression is everywhere in the book. Let's look at two detailed descriptions: Jia Fei Province, entering Jia Province, first to a courtyard to fall and change clothes, "only to see that all kinds of flowers in the courtyard are burning, all tied with yarn, very exquisite." There is a plaque lamp on it, and the words 'Body RenMu De' are written on it. ”[4]237
These four words were the first content that Concubine Jia saw when she entered the Grand View Garden. The provincial activities were intense and orderly, and at the end, Concubine Jia arrived at a Buddhist temple. The book reads: "I suddenly saw the Buddhist temple around the mountain, and I was busy with another hand to go in and burn incense to worship the Buddha, and a plaque was inscribed: 'Bitter Sea Cihang'. [4] 248 Here Concubine Jia specially wrote the "Bitter Sea Cihang" plaque, which is used to contrast with "Body RenMude".
This contrast is meaningful to the author, and on the surface, Yuan Chun was chosen as a concubine, and the glory was very great. Provincial pro-family activities to get the royal permission, is "Mude", to "body benevolent", and in fact, in the process of provincial pro-family, Jia Fei tears continuously, she is in the "bitter sea", in the Buddhist temple to write "bitter sea Cihang" is hoping to get the rest of her life. Here, "Bitter Sea Cihang" is a ruthless exposure of the hypocrisy of "body benevolence and morality". The meaning contained in these two plaques is by no means partial.
From the above examples, it is not difficult to see that the calligraphy culture in "Dream of the Red Chamber" has structural significance in both form and content.
Body RenMude
There are also some descriptions of calligraphic culture in the "History of Rulin", which serve as a needle and lead. For example, Du Shaoqing went to Anqing to thank Lord Li, but the road was not smooth, and the coiling was less. When he passed by Wuhu Jixiang Temple, he saw a bucket on the wall that read: "YanLiwei Expounds the Xuan Manuscript"[5]227, and only then did he know that Wei Sitaiye was also in the temple. Later, Fourth Master Wei generously gave Du Shaoqing ten pieces of silver when he was most embarrassed.
Without this doufang, Du Shaoqing's meeting with Wei Sitai in a different place would make people feel too abrupt, and with this doufang, their encounter would be much more natural. Here, the fighting side plays a role in running through the plot before and after. For another example, in order to know how his lifelong officialdom was, Wang Hui asked Chen Li of the Sushan Immortal Machine Divine Number to help him, and Chen Li actually invited Guan Shengdi when he helped him.
"That luck pen is like flying", the qiyu is a poem "Xijiang Yue", the full text is as follows: "After the name of Xian Ergong, a branch is bright red." The smoke and waves of the great river disappeared without a trace, and the Yellow Hall sat on the two days. Only the road is opened, the original Tianfu Dragon, Qinse Pipa Road, a mellow mash heartache! [5] 51 Wang Hui was completely puzzled by this.
Wu Jingzi made full use of the calligraphy culture to explain the content of the poem: Wang Hui was elected as the prefect of Nanchang, his predecessor Yu Taishou was quiet and quiet, and went away with half a boat of calligraphy and paintings, and Wang Hui was awarded the title of "The First Able Man of Jiangxi" because of his harsh governance.
Later, when the King of Jiangxi Ning rebelled, Wang Hui was promoted to "Nangan Dao", he did not arrive for a long time, came to a mansion, saw a plaque hanging on the main hall, the red paper wrote "Hua Xiao Open Road", and then there was a strong wind, blowing the red paper off, revealing four big characters on a green background: "Tianfu Dragon", at this point Wang Hui knew that the Guansheng Emperor's judgment was spiritual, and only then did he know that the "two days" of the "Two Days of the Yellow Hall" were the "Chang" characters that used the word measurement method to guide Changfu.
Stamps of the History of Rulin
The following year, King Ning broke the official army of Nangan, and Wang Hui surrendered and was rewarded with the post of "According to Chasi". The King of Ning is the Eight Kings, and the so-called "Qinse Pipa" in the judgment also refers to the Eight Kings by the method of word measurement.
These calligraphy cultural contents in "The History of Rulin" have the functions of leading and explaining, but throughout the book, calligraphy culture does not have the significance of the novel framework like "Dream of the Red Chamber".
3. Poetic rendering and white painting techniques
The two novels show different ways of calligraphy culture, "Dream of the Red Chamber" is often poetically described, while "Ru Lin Wai Shi" uses more white painting techniques.
Cao Xueqin has a poetic feeling, and his feelings may not be well displayed in the real society, but in his "Dream of the Red Chamber", he can express it freely. Cao Xueqin uses different expression techniques such as foiling, foreshadowing, and contrasting when telling stories with calligraphy culture, so that her narrative is twisted and euphemistic and poetic.
The Jia family has its own hobbies. When describing their hobbies, Cao Xueqin uses a curved pen. Tanchun is fond of calligraphy, but the author does not say a word directly. Tanchun's calligraphy hobby is described in a way that flatters expression.
Comic strip "Yuan Fei Provincial Relatives"
Readers who read the text carefully can see the information related to calligraphy given by the author of Tanchun: when Princess Yuan was provincial, she asked Bao Yu, Bao Chao, Dai Yu, Ying Chun and others to write poems, and after the poem was completed, "he ordered Tan Chun to record a total of more than a dozen poems with color notes"[4]247; Tan Chun said in his letter to Bao Yu that Bao Yu had given her a couplet of Yan Zhenqing; Tan Chun's Yahuan was called Shu Shu and Cui Mo; Tan Chun gave himself an elegant name related to the calligrapher Huai Su - "Banana Guest". Tanchun saved pocket money to ask Baoyu to buy some calligraphy and paintings and other items for her when she went out; Tanchun's room was spacious, with a large case of pear marble, and there were various celebrity legal posters on the case, as well as dozens of square treasure stones and various color pen holders, pen seas, pen holders, and brushes in the pen sea like woods; on the wall of Tanchun's room hung Yan Zhenqing's couplet of "Yanxia Idle Bones, Quanshiye Career". Cao Xueqin used these calligraphy cultural symbols or related information to three-dimensionally point out Tanchun's calligraphy hobbies.
In the novel, Tanchun said in the letter that Baoyu sent her Yan Zhenqing's words in the 37th time, describing that the couplet of Yan Zhenqing hanging in the Tanchun room was in the 40th time, this couplet was given to Tanchun by Baoyu, and the two things were separated by distance but so related that the plot echoed each other. This is Cao Xueqin's method of using the Thousand Mile Of Volta. This method creates a sense of space, adds room for imagination for the reader, and gives people the final thrill of enlightenment.
Bao Yu not only wrote calligraphy well, but also had a good grasp of calligraphy knowledge. In the 26th time, Xue Pan had a birthday, and Bao Yu was ready to give it to him with calligraphy and painting, and Xue Pan said, "When you mention the painting, I only remembered it." Yesterday I saw a picture of the Spring Palace, and the painting was really good. There are still many words on it, and I didn't look closely, only looked at the fallen model, which is really good for the 'Genghuang' painting! ”[4]357
Bao Yu thought that xue pan's "Genghuang" might be "Tang Yin", and wrote it out for Xue Pan to identify, and sure enough. Baoyu's precise inference would not have been possible without knowledge of calligraphy. Here, the comparison between Baoyu and the ignorant Xue Pan shows Baoyu's calligraphy knowledge.
Stills of Xue Pan in the TV series "Dream of the Red Chamber"
The white depiction method is to use simple language to depict characters and events, often relying on the character's behavior to directly tell and objectively present, and hide the author's feelings and attitudes, without subjective evaluation, without exaggeration, without gorgeous decoration, without clouds and moon. White painting techniques can often play a finishing touch.
Wu Jingzi is good at using detailed descriptions to reflect large social problems, and he often gives typical instantaneous behaviors to readers in the form of white paintings. Although the reader sees a fragmentary display, it is associated with social roots, and the story is given a profound social meaning. This kind of expression seems to have no emotional intervention and does not move, but it is not.
Wang Yuhui was a pedantic man, and Wu Jingzi described him as having an ambition in his life, that is, to compile three books to learn from Jiahui Hou, including the "Township Covenant Book", the purpose of which was to persuade the foolish people. He had four daughters and two widows at home.
Later, the husband of the third daughter died. The third daughter wanted to go on a hunger strike and martyrdom, and her in-laws resolutely opposed it, and Wang Yuhui was able to persuade her in-laws that the little girl's martyrdom was real, but it was up to her to do it. He also said to his daughter: "This is a matter of leaving a name in the history of Qingqing, do I stop you?" You're just doing that. On the day of his third daughter's hunger strike, he "still read and wrote, waiting for her daughter's message." ”
After her daughter died of starvation, the old and children of his family cried to death, and Wang Yuhui said to her: "Your old man is really a nerd!" The third daughter has now become a fairy, how can you cry to him? He died well, but I'm afraid I won't be able to die like him in the future! Inyang Tian laughed and said, "It's good to die!" Die well! ”[5]326
Comic strip "Wang Yuhui"
In this description, Wu Jingzi used the simplest language to say that there were no branches and leaves. In particular, Wu Jingzi seized the moment when Wang Yuhui was able to calm down to read and write when his daughter was dying. Reading and writing need to be calm, the daughter will die, but he can calm down to read and write, which in the eyes of outsiders needs a lot of concentration! This description makes people feel waves and sigh after reading it. Wang Yuhui himself was extremely ignorant, and it was really sad and ridiculous to persuade the foolish people to wake up.
At the end of the novel, Wu Jingzi also uses white painting techniques to describe the "four guests", the first of which is the "writing" Ji Xiannian. The author's description of Ji Xiaonian's life, calligraphy hobbies, writing characteristics, and the events he experienced is flat and straightforward, straightforward and without any comment. And when the reader experiences the deep meaning of the image of Ji Xiaonian after careful reading, he admires the author's ability to express quietly.
For example, when describing the characteristics of Ji Xiaonian ("Ji Liannian") writing with the meaning of "hope in the distant future") in the book, he said: "His writing is the best, but he refuses to learn the ancients' Fa Ti, but he only creates a style that he created, and he writes it with penmanship." ”[5]367
Ji Xiaonian's refusal to learn the fa of the ancients is actually an echo of Wang Guan's denial of the method of "three years and one subject, using the Five Classics" and "Four Books" and "Eight Strands of Literature" in the novel wedge, and Wang Mian once said: "This law is not well determined!" In the future, readers will have this path of prosperity and will take the source of the text lightly. [5]7 When the reader understands and understands these things, he will be stunned. The depiction seems peaceful, but it makes people feel whipped and thrilled. [6]
Stamp "Crown Painting Lotus"
Fourth, beautiful displays and ugly whipping
"'Dream of the Red Chamber' is a well-created cultural masterpiece, whether it is the quality of the novel itself or the cultural group reflected in the novel, it should be a representative of elegant culture worth exploring." [7]
"Dream of the Red Chamber" mainly describes the family life of the upper nobility in feudal society, and its presentation method is aesthetic and elegant. The author shows the beauty of the Red Chamber in a three-dimensional way through various ways such as scenery depiction, utensils, rhetoric, and poetry and song. The novel also expresses aesthetic imagery through calligraphic culture, and this expressiveness is on a par with the expressiveness achieved in the book through poetry and song.
When Cao Xueqin describes beauty, she always likes to use ugliness to set off it. The beauty presented by "Bao Dai Appreciation Character" in the 8th episode of "Dream of the Red Chamber" is not inferior to that of "Bao Chao Fluttering Butterfly", "Dai Yu Funeral Flower", "Xiang Yun Drunken Lying" and other pictures. Before and after the "Bao Dai Appreciation Word", the annoying Aunt Li appeared. Earlier Bao Yu said, "Without him, I am afraid that I will live two more days." [4] After 126, Baoyu smashed the cup in her hand because she ate maple dew tea.
This contrast shows the beauty of "Bao Dai Appreciation Word", and the presentation of beauty at this time is multi-layered:
First, Bao Yu got up early and asked Qingwen Tomo to prepare to write, and the content of the writing was his own name "Daiyun Xuan";
Second, Qingwen, who is skillful and skillful, personally climbed the ladder and posted the three words "Daiyun Xuan". How to post after the writing is written is a technical matter, the paste is not good, the effect should be greatly reduced. Qingwen, who can repair the Golden Fur, should be the best candidate to hang this character in Daiyun Xuan;
Stills of Qingwen in the TV series "Dream of the Red Chamber"
The third is to show Baoyu's thoughtfulness to Qingwen. Qingwen posted the words, her hands were frozen, and Baoyu held Qingwen's hand and looked up at the three words of the new book on the door bucket; fourth, the writing of the plaque was commented by Daiyu: "Everyone is good." How to write this well? [4] 126 Dai Yu also asked Bao Yu Ming'er to write a plaque for her.
This description shows Baoyu's writing ability, Qingwen's liveliness and dexterity, and Daiyu's appreciation of Baoyu can even be said to be the beginning of admiration, these aesthetic images can not make people feel more beautiful under the background of the evil grandmother?
Standing in the water, there are windows to view the scenery on all sides, and there is a bridge to connect with the two sides of the river, which is a beautiful place. As for the lotus champs themselves, the author does not use much pen, and its exquisiteness is mainly expressed through two calligraphy works, which are one real and one virtual.
The actual writing is the couplet of black lacquer inlaid mussels on the pillar that Jia Mu took everyone to see - "The hibiscus shadow breaks the orchid paddle, and the rhombus lotus deeply writes the bamboo bridge". "Black lacquer inlaid mussels" is to use glittering mussel shells on the base plate of black paint to highlight the strokes of the text. The production of this couplet is time-consuming and laborious, and it looks glittering and luxurious. With such a beautiful couplet contrast, the exquisite and beautiful nature of the water pavilion need not be said more, this is not written.
Jia Mu looked at the couplet and "looked up at the plaque again", the author did not say that she saw any plaque, this plaque is written falsely. Although the content of the plaque is not stated, it is not difficult for the reader to guess that it is "Lotus Champs". The plaque of "Lotus Champs" was personally inscribed by the Yuan Princess when she was a provincial relative, and its production must be very elaborate, only in this way can it match the couplet of black lacquer inlaid mussels.
The plaque of "Lotus Champs" reminds Jia Mu of the "Pillow Pavilion" at home when she was a child, and compared with the "Lotus Pavilion", the plaque of "Pillow Pavilion" is more imaginary across time and space. There are real and virtual, virtual reality is born, coupled with these beautiful writing contents, naturally brings beautiful associations and enjoyment to readers. It can be said that the beauty of "Dream of the Red Chamber" is largely stained with calligraphy.
Dai Dunbang paints Jammu
Unlike "Dream of the Red Chamber", "Ru Lin Wai Shi" does not aim to express beauty, but to expose ugliness as the main purpose. This can also be clearly seen through the perspective of calligraphy culture. "The History of Ru LinWai" depicts the living conditions of a group of ugly Confucians and the ugly behavior of some officials and businessmen, and Wu Jingzi reflects their ugly faces through calligraphy culture. Let's take a look at the image of the two calligraphers described by Wu Jingzi.
Niu Yupu is the ghostwriter of Wan Xuezhai . In ancient times, there were two kinds of ghostwriters, one was to write on behalf of others, and the other was to write articles on behalf of people. Judging from the plot of the book, Niu Yupu wrote both for the generation and for the article. What about the character of Niu Yupu?
First, his surname is Niu, and he is a braggart. Before telling Niu Pu that he was the ghostwriter of the Wanjia family, Niu Yupu bragged about how many high-ranking officials he knew. He also bragged in front of Wan Xuezhai: "Just because my reputation is too big, as soon as I arrived in Beijing and lived in the Cheng'en Temple, there were many people who came to ask for it, some who sent Dou Fang, some who sent fans, and some who sent albums, who asked me to write and write poems; and there were those who had divided the topics and limited rhymes to ask for teachings." Day and night are not clear. [5] 152 He bragged and could not do without writing essays;
Comic strip "Fake Cow Cloth Cloth"
Second, he was a man with inflammatory tendencies. Although he said in front of Ushiura, "And now in this owner's Wan Xuezhai family, he is not a very important person." [5] When he arrived at Wan Xuezhai in 151, he still tried everything to seduce the salt merchant. He once showed Wan Xuezhai's poetry to the Second Duke of Guogong, In order to please Wan Xuezhai. Later, he offended Niupu, and in order to retaliate against him, Niupu deliberately tempted him to say in front of Wan Xuezhai the "Mr. Cheng Mingqing" that Wan Xuezhai was most afraid of being mentioned, because "Cheng Mingqing" meant that "the whole process of the situation was clear and clear", and he knew that Wan Xuezhai was disgraceful and prosperous. Sure enough, when Niu Yupu bragged that Cheng Mingqing was a friend of his twenty-year alliance, Wan Xuezhai was angry and cold hands. This time the slap on the horse's ass was slapped on the horse's hoof;
Third, Niu Yupu is a vicious person. When he learned that he had gone to Ushiura, he took Ushiura to an uninhabited place by boat, "and told the two rammen to strip Away The clothes of Ngawa, the hats, shoes and socks were not left, and the rope was tied up, and the stink was beaten, and carried to the shore, and his boat was pulled up and carried." [5] 157 If no one had passed by, no one would have known where Uwapo died;
Fourth, Niu Yupu is still a self-deprecating person. Ironically, Wan Xuezhai drove Niu Yupu away or took advantage of his ability to ghostwrite and write. He first asked Niu Yupu to give Niu Yupu a post, which read: "Engrave the seventieth birthday of The Yizheng King Han Ceshe's mother, and ask Mr. Li to make a shouwen and write it in a large pen, hoping to drive to Yifu immediately." Best of luck! Best of luck! [5] 156 After Niu Yupu arrived at Yizheng, Wang Hance told him, "I am here in Wanfu Xiadian." Xue Weng came yesterday with a book saying that he was not very decent, and that he was good at making friends with bandits, and from now on, he did not dare to work hard. [5] 157 Combining the above four points, it can be seen that the image of Niu Yupu is ugly.
The other writer was an inconspicuous figure whom Niu Yupu had met. When Niu Yupu arrived at Wang Hance's house, he saw that "a picture of golden characters shouwen was lit on the chair in the middle of the hall; there was a long table at the left window, and a xiucai wrote there with his head bowed." There is no doubt that these Shou wen were written by this Xiucai. Niu Yupu was shocked to see that xiucai was "wearing a cocoon silk straight jacket and a piece of oil on his chest"[5]156, remembering that he was the person he met in the restaurant in front.
At that time, Niu Yupu and Wang Yi'an were eating at the restaurant, and this show came in to see Wang Yi'an and scolded: "This is not the turtle Wang Yi'an who is the treasurer of the bitch's house in Fengjia Lane here!" [5]151, scolding and ripping off Wang Yi'an's square scarf, he punched Wang Yi'an in the face with a big mouth. Niu Yupu went up to persuade him, and was scolded by this man. We look at Wu Jingzi's writer, sloppy, hitting and cursing, where like a reader.
Conclusion
Calligraphy culture and Chinese life is extremely closely related, in terms of its expressiveness in the novel alone is very strong, through the description of calligraphy culture can reflect all aspects of social life such as good and bad, which is also a specific manifestation of the profundity of calligraphy culture. Liu Xizai said in the "Book Overview": "The Qin monument is powerful, the Han monument is thick, and the books of a generation are all like a generation of people and writers." "Golden Stone Sketch Sequence" Yun: "Looking at the Jin people's calligraphy and paintings, you can see the style of the Jin people; looking at the Tang people's books, you can see the tang people's canonical rules." 'Excuse me! ”[8]
"Liu Xizai's Book Overview Endorsement"
Through the above analysis, we can see the independent expression role of calligraphy culture in novels, the differences in the expression of calligraphy culture in different novels, and different expression effects, so as to deepen the understanding of the novel text and the meaning of calligraphy culture. When Commenting on "Dream of the Red Chamber", Lu Xun once said: "The intention of fate alone is based on the reader's vision: the scribes see Yi, the Taoists see adultery, the talents see entanglement, the revolutionaries see the rows, and the gossips see the secrets of the palace..." [9]
Reading novels can have different visions, of course, the study of novels should also have different perspectives, taking the perspective of "calligraphy culture" is a good choice, and using the key of "calligraphy culture" will definitely open up more unknown worlds in ancient novels.
Swipe up or down to view references
bibliography:
Meng Baoyue. Dream of the Red Chamber and Calligraphy Culture[M].Hefei:Hefei University of Technology Press,2017:2.
Xiong Bingming. Chinese Cultural Spirit from Calligraphy[J]. Jiangsu Education, 2017(1):22.
Lin Yutang. On Chinese Calligraphy[J].Jiangsu Education, 2017(2):29.
Cao Xueqin. Dream of the Red Chamber[M].Beijing:People's Literature Publishing House,2008.]
Wu Jingzi. History of Ru Lin[M].Beijing:Zhonghua Bookstore,2009.]
Meng Baoyue. Analysis of the Image of the Calligraphy Stranger Ji Xiannian in "The History of Ru Lin"[J].Journal of Huaibei Normal University (Philosophy and Social Sciences Edition), 2018,39(3):91-94.
ZHANG Yun. "Ya" culture in "Dream of the Red Chamber"[J]. Journal of Shanghai Normal University (Philosophy and Social Sciences Edition), 2021(4):48.
[8] Selected Calligraphy Papers of Past Dynasties[M].Shanghai:Shanghai Calligraphy and Painting Publishing House,1979:706.]
Lu Xun. A Brief History of Chinese Novels[M].Beijing:Zhonghua Bookstore,2010:251.]
Fund Project: Key Project of Humanities and Social Science Research in Universities in Anhui Province (SK2018A0362)