The New Folk Art Review | the centuries of writing and ink in the maritime book world

Carefully curated by the famous calligraphy and painting seal engraver Han Tianheng, the "Hundred Rivers Entering the Sea - A Great Exhibition of Representative Calligraphers on the Sea in the Twentieth Century" is being exhibited at the Han Tianheng Art Museum in Shanghai. Haipai calligraphy has a unique position in the history of the development of Chinese calligraphy and has played a huge role. This exhibition is a historical review and classic tour of Haipai calligraphy.

Illustration: Kang Youwei calligraphy works official picture

Genealogical composition

This exhibition focuses on the century-old glory, genre genealogy and style composition of Haipai calligraphy, from Wu Changshuo, Shen Zengzhi, Li Ruiqing, Zeng Xi, Kang Youwei, Zhao Shuru, Li Shutong, Shen Yinmo to Wu Hufan, Liu Haisu, Zhang Daqian, Wang Yuchang, Sha Menghai, Pan Boying, Ma Gongyu, Bai Shuo, Lu Yushao, Xie Zhiliu, Cheng Shifa, etc., a total of 228 masterpieces by 99 Haipai calligraphers and literary masters.

When talking about the concept of this exhibition, the 82-year-old Han Tianheng once said emotionally: "This is an extraordinary collective appearance, whether it is the interpretation of the ancient style of the master, or the innovation of ingenuity; whether it is a huge production, or a ruler inch note, we can more fully appreciate the unprecedented achievements of the last century's maritime book art and beauty, pen and ink flowing." Indeed, from the traceability of the rise, the composition of the group, the flow of pen and ink, the context of the teacher's inheritance to the influence of style, the excellence of achievements, etc., this exhibition has done comprehensive combing, academic evaluation and theoretical thinking. As Liu Xun said in "Wenxin Carved Dragon": "Zhenye seeks roots, And Guanlan seeks the source." ”

Commemorative significance

A major contribution and outstanding highlight of this exhibition is the phenomenon-level historical confirmation of the role and status of Haipai calligraphy in the history of the development of Chinese calligraphy.

Haipai calligraphy rose in the late Qing Dynasty and early Ming Dynasty, and with its vigorous aesthetic creativity and strong artistic inclusiveness, it expressed an open sense of pen and ink, advanced creative concepts and an active genre group. Especially after Wu Changshuo settled in Shanghai in 1912, a famous calligraphy group composed of Wu Changshuo, Shen Zengzhi, Li Ruiqing, Chen Sanli, Zeng Xi, Kang Youwei, Zheng Xiaoxu, etc. was formed in the future, which marked the end of Haipai calligraphy becoming ancient calligraphy, and the beginning of modern calligraphy, which is of landmark significance.

Historically, the final establishment of the Haipai calligraphy art style and the greatest influence of the art genre are inseparable from Wu Changshuo's leadership role, artistic energy, pen and ink effect, and personality charm, and his "Golden Stone Spirit" has become a spirit of the times, thus supporting the wind and bone of the Haipai calligraphy. Especially this year is the 110th anniversary of Wu Changshuo's settlement in Shanghai, and the holding of this exhibition is undoubtedly of historical commemorative significance and humanistic retrospective feelings.

Eclectic

In the sense of cultural sociology, the form and connotation, ink and inheritance, genre and style of calligraphy creation activities are accumulated in the entire aesthetic system and active in the entire process of artistic practice. It is precisely because of this integration, flexibility, renewal and inclusiveness of the times, artistic tension and pen and ink charm that Haipai calligraphy has forged a colorful movement in the history of Chinese calligraphy.

This exhibition shows and observes the pen and ink path, the source of the method, the style creation and the evolution of the genre of Haipai calligraphy. For example, the first generation of Haipai calligraphers Wu Changshuo, Shen Zengzhi, Li Ruiqing, Kang Youwei, etc. pushed the combination of heavy steleology, love of gold and stone, and Daofa, laying the foundation of Haipai calligraphy and the composition of pen and ink. The second generation of calligraphers Shen Yinmo, Wu Hufan, Bai Shuo, Pan Boying, Ma Gongyu, etc., took the thesis as the sect, took the inscription and pursued the Jin and Tang Dynasties, forming the classic demeanor and scroll atmosphere unique to Jiangnan calligraphy. Later, Wang Yuchang, Sha Menghai, Lu Yushao, Xie Zhiliu, Cheng Shifa, Hu Wensui, Zhao Lengyue, etc. took the method of multi-headed, the inscriptions were compatible, the style of writing was exquisite, and a new atmosphere of unbridled pen and ink, vigorous lines, and smooth and beautiful lines appeared. It can be said that "the new meaning is in the law, and the magic is in addition to the extravagance." ”

Passing on the torch

The reason why Haipai calligraphy can appear in the twentieth century is that there are masters, elites gathering, classics passed down, and famous articles are inseparable from the cultivation of talents, the refinement of teachers, the advancement of teaching, etc., thus forming an excellent echelon of passing on the torch and the collection of young and long salty collections.

This exhibition provides us with a rather rare flow chart of the inheritance method of the Hai school of calligraphers, such as Wu Changshuo teaching Pan Tianshou, Sha Menghai, Wang Geyi, Qian Shutie, etc., Li Ruiqing and Zeng Xi teaching Zhang Daqian, Yu Youren, Wang Yuchang, etc., Kang Youwei teaching Xu Beihong, Liu Haisu, etc., Zhao Shuru teaching Chen Julai, Ye Luyuan, etc., Shen Yinmo teaching Hu Wensui, etc., thus supporting the door of the century-old master, fully demonstrating a kind of cultural self-confidence, pen and ink ideals and aesthetic peaks.

It is worth mentioning that these famous masters of Hai school calligraphy have also carried out in-depth theoretical thinking and writing cultivation between the strokes of pen and ink, such as Kang Youwei's inscription "Guangyi Zhou Shuangyi", Shen Yinmo's writing of the thesis classic "Two Kings Law Book Pipe Peep", etc., which is also the artistic background and academic orientation highlighted by this exhibition. (Wang Qisen)