The progress and civilization of Japan's ancient culture depends on the absorption and digestion of China's advanced culture, and chinese characters and Confucian classics were introduced to Japan from Baekje in the fifth century AD, thus accelerating Japan's transition from obscurantism to modern civilization.
However, the most profound and decisive influence on Japanese culture is not Confucian culture but Chinese-style Buddhist culture, and the spread of Buddhism has promoted the formation of Japanese culture and the development of art. Cultural exchanges between monks contributed to the formation of Japanese calligraphy.
Buddhist culture was transmitted to Japan in the first half of the sixth century AD. The Book of Japan records that Buddhism came from Baekje during the reign of Emperor Chin Ming: "Baekje Saint Akira Made Western Himeshi Dashi Nus Zhiqi and others to offer a golden bronze statue of the Buddha, a body covering several volumes of sutras." He also expressed his encouragement to believe in Buddhism, which was the beginning of the spread of Buddhism to Japan. As a great supporter of Buddhism, he was the first to promote the spread of Buddhism in Japan (574-622 AD). Prince Shengde, the regent, issued the edict of Xinglong Buddhism, built the Horyu-ji Temple to study Buddhism, and built the Four Heavenly Kings Temple to carry out various charitable undertakings. In 604 A.D., the Constitution of the Bu Dagger Was iron-bound, and its second article clearly stipulated that "respect the Three Jewels". He also devoted himself to the study of Buddhist teachings, and wrote commentaries on the Three Sutras of Righteousness, such as the Lotus Sutra, the Vimal Sutra, and the Shenghua Sutra. And personally wrote the draft of "Fahua Yishu", rich in the afterglow of the extremely strong Six Dynasties style, with a sense of affiliation in the wave disc, the style of writing is elegant and bright, the small characters are wide and open, and the pen is refreshing and rounded. Because Prince Shengde advocated Buddhism so much and practiced it himself, the promotion of Buddhism was accelerated.
The first Japanese scriptures were written in the first year of Emperor Tenmu's reign (673 AD). The "Main History" contains: "Shiju Shusheng wrote all the sutras at Kawahara-ji Temple." In fact, the writing of scriptures has existed as early as the Asuka era (552-645 AD), but it was copied through folk channels at that time, and it was still the nature of personal random causes. "Shiju Shusheng" can be understood as writing the Scriptures in an official organized form. According to the Japanese scholar Mr. Tanaka Soul Hall, the "All Sutras" written during the Tianwu Dynasty were copied based on the "Records of the Great Tang Dynasty". The total number of all the classics of the Tang Dynasty reaches 800 three or three or six volumes, and it is conceivable that the writing of all the sutras of Kawahara Temple is a great undertaking.
Qingyun's Third Year (706) "Theory of Pure Names", second only to the Vajrapani Sutra in importance and influence, is a representative relic of the style of writing in the late seventh and early eighth centuries. In order to promote buddhism, at a time when there was no printing technique, the copying of Buddhist scriptures was the first of all kinds of Buddhist affairs. People regard the writing of Buddhist scriptures as a great event of immeasurable merit. Whether it is a good man or a woman, or a monk or a layman, they are all devoted. The practice of writing Buddhist scriptures became a fashion.
However, the most glorious period in the history of Japanese scripture writing was during the Nara period (710-794 AD), when Buddhism was regarded as the state religion during the Tang Dynasty in China. After hundreds of years of actively absorbing China's advanced culture, Japan has perfected the canonical system, established a centralized legal state system, and entered a prosperous era of unprecedented economic and cultural prosperity.
During the Nara Dynasty, Sino-Japanese relations were very close. At that time, Chang'an, the capital of the Tang Dynasty, was the center of Chinese Buddhism and a sacred place to visit. The Japanese government has sent Tang envoys more than 20 times, as well as a large number of monks studying abroad. International students, studying in Chang'an, have long-term and in-depth contact with Chinese society, and have heard and heard about the Tang Dynasty culture. Famous people who accompanied Tang envoys to China included Yoshibe Makoto, Abe Nakamaru, Mochisumi, Kukai, and Yuanren. Most of them came to China as religious believers to study Buddhism as a scholar, and at the same time, they were all people who were familiar with the history of scriptures and were good at literature and art. When they returned to China, they not only received the true transmission of Buddhist teachings, but also brought back a large number of authentic Chinese calligraphy masterpieces and Buddhist classics, as well as various Buddhist arts. Due to the worship and attachment to the culture of the Tang Dynasty, after returning to China, he also tried his best to promote the Sino-Tong culture and formulated a system that imitated the education of the tang dynasty nobles, making outstanding contributions to the reform and development of Japanese culture. At that time, profound changes and unprecedented developments were made in various fields. For example, in terms of architecture, Tang Zhao Ti Ten created by Tang Monk Jian Zhen and the Great Tang Dynasty of the Buddhist Temple Garan Set Tang Dynasty; in terms of sculpture, the Great Buddha Statue of Lushena of Dongda Temple, the Statue of the Four Heavenly Kings of the Temple of The Ring Temple, and the Three Statues of the Medicine Master of the Golden Hall of the Medicine Master Temple, all show the majestic and thick, steady and static wall of fine art painting, the murals of the Golden Hall and the Five-Storied Pagoda murals of Horyu Temple are grand in scale, and the simple lines vividly express the three-dimensional sense of the object, and seem to be quietly flashing with dazzling brilliance. In terms of music, the government has set up music and liao, teaching song and dance, flute, Tang music, etc., showing a style of song and dance.
During the Tianhu period of Emperor Zhishengmu (701-756 AD), with the increasing prosperity of Buddhist culture, the Buddhist writing business also made great progress. In the second year of the Holy Wu Emperor ShenGui (725 AD), in order to pray for the peace of the country, the monasteries of the princely states were ordered to carefully recite the "Golden Light most victorious king sutra" to protect the country. Emperor Shengde reigned for twenty-five years, deeply believed in Buddhism, and in the twelfth year of Tenpyeong (74 AD), he built the Todaiji Temple, and divided it among the nations, with toho-ji Temple as the main kokubun-ji temple, and ruled over the Kokubun-ji Temple. At the same time, the writing institute is divided into three types: government, temple, and private. The Scripture Writing Institute is like a printing house, a classic production house set up to enrich the Scripture Collection. Todaiji Temple is of course the highest authority of the Scripture Writing Institute. Everything will be carried out under the unified management of the state. Thus laying the foundation for Japanese Buddhist scripture writing.
Both Emperor Shengwu and Empress Guangming were passionate about the art of Chinese calligraphy, and they pursued Wang Xizhi's calligraphy history with all their hearts and spared no effort in their research. Emperor Shengmu was hailed as the first person to learn the style of the King's Calligraphy. In the Imperial Household Account of Shosoin in Japan, there is the 31-year-old imperial book "Chenhan Miscellaneous Collection", which collects more than 140 poems about Buddhism between the Six Dynasties and the Sui and Tang dynasties. The posture is calm and vigorous, majestic and rigorous, vividly revealing the characteristics of the Six Dynasties people's calligraphy, and from time to time revealing the atmosphere of the Tang Dynasty. In addition, there are also "Todaiji Temples", with a solemn and steady posture; the "Copperplate Edict" is full of strength and is respectful. After the abdication of the emperor, he took the monk's name Shami Shengman, which shows his devotion to Buddhism.
Empress Guangming (700-760 AD) was the empress of Emperor Shengwu, who was proficient in Han Chinese culture, and once converted to Buddhism with the emperor, and established the Sorrowful Field Temple and the Shi Medicine Temple, purifying all sentient beings with boundless compassion. The Empress is good at calligraphy, known as the "ancient spirit wrist" reputation, high style, respected as "Japan's first, the horse is above the 'three strokes'". Wang Xizhi's "Treatise on Le Yi" can be called her masterpiece, with vigorous penmanship and ancient style still existing, directly approaching Wei Jin's demeanor. "Du Jia Li cheng miscellaneous book outline" is also her proud work, the pen is strong, spicy, full of rich sense of rhythm and pulsating beauty.
In the Nara period, as clan politics collapsed, the political side began to move towards the path of centralization, and Buddhism shifted from the clan temple supported by the original clan to the national monastic system. That is, writing has moved from the individual and arbitrary form of the previous generation to an organized system, and the clan has transitioned from the purpose of fulfilling wishes or beliefs to the enrichment of the scriptures as its main purpose, and the state-run scripture writing institutes have emerged, and the writing of scriptures has become a specialized profession. The government writing institute has played a role in enriching the Buddhist scriptures, with the aim of protecting the country. The writing style of the Nara period can be divided into three periods.
The first period, from the reign of the Daimu Dynasty to the early Tenpyeong period (686-729), is represented by the "Wako Five-Year Nagaya King WishIng Daban ruojing" and "Divine Turtle Five-Year Longhouse Wishing Daban ruojing" collected by Taihe-ji Temple in Shiga Prefecture, Tokimei-ji Temple, and the Nezu Museum of Art in Tokyo. This is the law. During the period when the system was established, the Buddhist system became more and more complete, the decrees and systems of the imperial court and monasteries were also established, and the cause of writing scriptures was also being carried out in an organized manner under the jurisdiction of the central court and the nobility. In these writings, it can be seen that while the residual charm of the Six Dynasties style is retained, it is still in the transitional period of digesting and absorbing the Sui and Tang styles.
The second period, from the sixth period of the balance to the years of the balance Shengbao (734-757). This period was also the heyday of the Nara period. Buddhism became the national religion, and the cause of scripture writing and the building of temples and statues once became the cause of the state. Judging from the "Edict of Emperor Shengwu", at this time, the traces of the influence of the human dynasty style of writing have been erased, showing the style of scripture that accepted the influence of the Sui and Tang dynasty styles. However, as a representative of the writing of the scriptures of this period, the "Imperial Wish Sutra of the Queen of Light" was first introduced, that is, the "May 1st Sutra"). This one was written in four years and seven thousand volumes, ranking first among many writers. In addition, there are the "Thousand Hands and Thousand Eyes Dravidian Sutra" of XuanFang's vows, the "Purple Paper, Golden Characters, Golden Light, and Most Victorious King's Sutra" and "February Hall Burning Sutra" placed in the pagoda of Guofen Temple. These scriptures are selected from the best writers to copy by hand, using the finest gold and silver clay to write, and their style of writing is more ouyang inquiry and germanium Suiliang's brushwork.
The writing of the Sutra of All Things flourished during this period. For the special classics of Gan, many copies of the same scripture scroll are popular, and they are popular in various versions. Among the many Buddhist texts, the most written at that time were the Lotus Sutra, the Most Victorious King Sutra, the Great Sutra, the Huayan Sutra, the Vajrapani Sutra, the Guanyin Sutra, the Amitabha Sutra, and so on. These sutras range from as few as a hundred to more than a thousand. The large number of writings of the same kind of sutra is related to the Buddhist organization at that time, and the copied sutras can reflect the monastic sects, beliefs, and so on.
In the first period, from the Baozi period of Tianping to the year of Baogui (757-770), with the change of thought, economy, and attitude towards life, its gentle style of writing gradually disappeared unconsciously, and it was replaced by a creative new style of writing. The Shōshū Shōshū Shōshū Sh This writing scripture breaks the conventional practice of writing the scripture in the past, the number of words in each line is not equal, it is a large character scripture with a broken grid, the size of the text is staggered, the frustration is clear, the weight is rich, the sharp edge is exposed to show domineering, it seems to be influenced by the Northern Wei Xiongqiang Dragon Gate statue writing style, showing a masculine one, thus ending the long-term pattern of scripture writing. Because to express the Supreme Yub Buddha, simple gentleness is no longer appropriate, and it is necessary to show a sense of solemnity and harmony
Deep charm. In addition, also influenced by this large-character writing scripture are the "Zhong'a HanJing", "Zengyi Ahan Jing", "Lotus Sutra", etc., which are different from the regular and thin and strict calligraphy of the most prosperous period, but are triggered by the style of the Great Sage Martial Writing, showing the Northern Wei Dynasty's majestic style of cutting iron, calm and painful, winning with leniency, and rich and masculine beauty.
The Nara Dynasty, where the scriptures were written, was a special existence. In the Nara Dynasty, many masters of calligraphy emerged, such as Kazuro Ichijō, Yamabe Princes, Okasa Satsu, Ōbe Hamazu, and Takaya Akamaru as outstanding representatives of this emerging style of writing. In their scriptures, it seems that the exudation of the personality book phoenix and the thick and simple beauty can be seen. Xin Guorencheng is famous for his calligraphy of Xi Qianqin; the claw worker Ma Lu De Ouyang inquired about the essence of the Kai Fa; Zhifei Ma Lu was deeply influenced by Chu Suiliang's calligraphy style; Ke Ye Worm Ma Lu and Shanbian Hua Wan Lu Su were famous for their square pens; and Jianbu Worm Ma Lu was famous for his round pen knot.
We can see from the text of the Longhouse King's Wish Sutra in the fifth year of the Divine Turtle (728 AD) that the writing of the sutra at that time was relatively complete in organizational form. The text contains the names of the writers, junior school cattle, ran school students, decoration, inspection envoys, inspectors, and other undertakers. The organizational form of this series is in line with what is seen in the texts of the Laozihua HuJing and the Miaofa Lotus Sutra in the Sui and Tang dynasties in China, which shows that the Nara era was faithfully inherited from the Tang system, and the early Tang style of advocating the Fadu also brought great influence to the writing of the scriptures. In the Nara period, writing sutras was regarded as a very sacred undertaking, and sutra writers copied Buddhist scriptures under the strict rules of the sutra writing institute. In order to show devotion and respect for the Dharma, the writing of the sutra must be written in small letters, no arbitrary actions are allowed, typos and omissions are allowed, and a large number of scripture scrolls act as textbooks for spreading Buddhist teachings.
The ancient scriptures of Japan can be found in the writings of the Southern and Northern Dynasties period. At the same time, it can be said with certainty that the writing of sutras and stone carved Buddhist scriptures in the Southern and Northern Dynasties will also play a decisive role in the formation of the calligraphy style of the early Tang Dynasty scholars. The Tang Dynasty style of "Shangfa" also adapted to the requirements of copying Buddhist scriptures for writing sutras. The sutra is written with the practical purpose of promoting the Buddha as the starting point, not for the purpose of aesthetic appreciation, and its accuracy, beautiful font, and strictness are its ideal standards. Each line of the Buddhist sutra is usually seventeen characters, because it is necessary to write many words, which requires fast writing and correct and stable righteousness, so it has produced a style of writing that is suitable for writing the scriptures - the writing style. The Writing Institute has a set of strictly prescribed procedures, and rewards and punishments are implemented according to the quality of the scriptures to show it. To exaggerate the sacredness and solemnity of religion, and to create an extremely serious religious atmosphere in people's psychology in order to cultivate solid religious feelings.
In the Heian period (794-1192 AD) after the Nara Dynasty, for more than 400 years, in the frequent exchanges with advanced Chinese culture, and under the atmosphere of the times that immersed themselves in the jin and Tang dynasty cultures day and night, the calligraphers "Heian Sanbi" and "Old Ben Sanji" were finally conceived and created. This era was full of vigorous innovative spirit in the fields of religion, literature and art. The significance of this period for cultural history is immeasurable, and it is also of epoch-making significance in the case of The history of Japanese calligraphy.
After entering the eleventh century, a large number of decorative scriptures that were coordinated with the script of the sample script appeared dazzlingly. Like many song collections, the writing of the scriptures carries a strong decorative taste and rich visual effects; on the paper of various colors of scripture writing, gold and silver foil are sprinkled, and a slender and delicate pattern or Yamato pattern is depicted, with crystal or agate shaft heads, and the ropes and strips are also very elaborate, gorgeous and luxurious, which is consistent with the elegant and comfortable life color of the Heian Dynasty.
During this period, among the many decorative scriptures, the Lotus Sutra ranked first. According to the teachings of this sutra, writing the sutra can accumulate merit, and it is said that women can also become Buddhas, so the belief in this sutra is deeply rooted in the social life of women.
The oldest surviving decorative sutra in Japan is the "Kuno Sutra" (久能取經) is the Ichipin Sutra. The material paper used is extremely beautiful, and various patterns are painted on loose gold paper, and each volume of scripture is not the same, each with its own characteristics. Only three volumes of the Five Hundred Disciples' Pins and the Separate Meritorious Works were lost, and the rest of the sutras were hidden in tetsufuji Temple, the Goto Museum of Art, the Muto House, and the Tokyo National Museum. This sutra is an excellent expression of the aesthetic and righteous life of the nobles of heian who admired luxury, and also reflected the tendency of the religion of the past dignity to secularize.
In addition, there are a large number of decorative scriptures that are known for their beauty. For example, the Heike Na Sutra and the Lotus Sutra, which were enshrined to Itsukushima Shrine in order to pray for prosperity, created a new atmosphere by combining scripture writing with writing and painting.
Buddhism in the late Heian period turned to prayers for the peace of the nation, long live the holy life, and the abundance of grains, focusing more on the interests of this world. Buddhism is no longer as sacred as it once was, and the decorative scriptures cultivated from the aesthetic life of aristocratic high society even have a game-like character. From a religious standpoint, this may be the object of criticism, but from another point of view, it has left a splendid cultural heritage for the history of Japanese calligraphy.
Above, we have briefly sorted out the Buddhist scriptures of the Nara and Heian periods in Japan. As an important medium for spreading China's advanced culture, the copying of Buddhist scriptures brought a cultural awakening to Japan and also brought enlightenment to calligraphy. In order to shorten the distance between Chinese culture and calligraphy, the Japanese sent monks to introduce culture and build and develop their own culture in their frequent exchanges with China. Scripture writing is a great existence in the history of Japanese calligraphy, and through scripture writing, the art of Japanese calligraphy began to spread throughout the country, and the level of calligraphy of the whole people increased rapidly. As a medium for the dissemination of Buddhist culture, the sutra writing is perfectly combined with practicality and artistry, which has created an immortal achievement for the influx of foreign cultures into Japan. In the writing of the scriptures, it is revealed that the Japanese people have a book of the Six Dynasties
The admiration of the wind, the absorption and reference of the tang dynasty calligraphy, and the self-denial and innovation spirit selected in the acceptance of foreign cultures.