Nguyen Tien Lun/Text
Abstract: Influenced by the change of context, contemporary calligraphy creation has detached itself from "practical" writing, forming a transformation from textual to pictorial. The pursuit of vision occupies the vast majority of the creator's effort, so the selection of written content is gradually patterned and programmed, which weakens the relationship between written content and works to a large extent. However, for calligraphy, which objectively exists in pure art form, what constitutes the ontology of calligraphy is still a synthesis of visual form and writing content, and the two mutually restrict and promote each other. This paper attempts to analyze the significance of the written content to the creator and the appreciator in the process of the formation of calligraphy works, and then to analyze the significance of the written content to the creation and appreciation of calligraphy in ancient classics.
Keywords: writing content, calligraphy, creative appreciation
The context of contemporary calligraphy creation has undergone the transformation from classical Chinese to vernacular, traditional to simplified, vertical to horizontal, non-sentence reading to sentence reading, and brush to hard pen brought about by the New Culture Movement, and the rise of electronic input has rapidly occupied the field of practical writing. The emergence of the trend of personality emancipation and the rendering of exhibition hall culture have highlighted the visual function of calligraphy, and the writing content has become the form carrier of "visuality". Although the aesthetic feeling at the visual level can also form a certain meaning of the work, when some viewers further shift their attention to the written content, they will find that the written content is disconnected from the meaning of the work, which inevitably causes a regret, which makes it difficult to appreciate calligraphy to a broader level. What is calligraphy? As a calligraphy composed of both visual form and written content, can its written content only be reduced to a "carrier" of form, and can the written content affect the meaning of the calligraphy work?
1. The relationship between the written content and the calligraphy work
Chinese characters are the basic elements that constitute the visual level of calligraphy, and its richness and mystery make it have sufficient artistic expression, which makes calligraphy inherently superior to the writing art formed by other ethnic languages. It is precisely this superiority that makes people's attention often focus on the Chinese characters themselves and their structural changes, in order to find the possibility of calligraphy. It is undeniable that objectively, a calligraphy work is first composed of dot painting to form the structure of Chinese characters, and then from Chinese characters to form a complete chapter. However, for the expression of the meaning of calligraphy works, what really constitutes the visual level of calligraphy is the text content organized by Chinese characters and has a certain connotation, rather than just the independent structural form of Chinese characters. Zhang Huaijun's "Book Break" cloud: "The article is for use, it must be a book, and the book is a sign, and the period is in line with the Tao." Therefore, those who can play the literati are not close to books", and books and texts have always had a "natural" connection. In the pre-Qin period, the content of oracle bone inscriptions was mainly "divination" and "memorization inscriptions". The same is true for the bronzes from the end of the Shang Dynasty to the carved stones and bamboo silks of the Qin and Han dynasties. Until the end of the Han Dynasty, the Wei and Jin dynasties, under the influence of Taoism and Xuanxuan, calligraphy completed the aesthetic "self-consciousness", and the content of writing began to expand from the original practical words to literary content, and began to revolve around the spiritual world of the writer. or write their own content, or use the words of others to express their own opinions, and the content they choose to write becomes more and more closely related to "people".
In modern times, under the influence of Western modern and contemporary art, the boundaries of the selection of writing content in calligraphy creation have been further broadened. Although it is still dominated by multi-word and complete written content, some special words and even disordered content are endowed with a certain concept and connotation in a certain atmosphere, such as Inoue Youyi's "Poverty" and "Foolishness" and other works. In this way, single words that can express a certain connotation and disordered combinations of Chinese characters also belong to the writing content referred to in this article.
2. The significance and value of the written content in calligraphy works
From the "Book Spectrum" "to reach its temperament, to form its sorrow" to the "Art Overview" of the "Book of Books, such as." Such as its learning, such as its talent, such as its ambition. In short, it is said that "as a person" and then to Inoue's proposal of "liberating calligraphy from 'calligrapher's calligraphy' and turning it into 'human calligraphy'" (1), the connotation of calligraphy works has gradually formed a broad expression mechanism, which generally includes the visual level and the meaning level. The visual level refers to the visual composition of dot painting, structure, and chapter in the work, as well as the aesthetic feelings conveyed, and the implication level refers to the emotion conveyed by the work, the learning and cultivation of the creator reflected, the characteristics of the times, and the artistic concept. Written content plays a role in both of the above, and it is explained from the perspective of both the creator and the viewer.
1. From the creator's point of view
As far as the objective process of creating calligraphy works is concerned, the vast majority of creations start from the selection of writing content, and then gradually complete the dot painting, structure, and chapter method. Inoue once said, "The word 'foolish' came to my mind, and I thought it was good, so I wrote it down." Indeed, the words you discover yourself allow you to put your heart and soul into the creation of your words. Conversely, when the motivation is not sufficient, nothing can be accomplished. So, the way of calligraphy, most importantly, what to write. The key to this statement is the word "motivation". In Inoue's view, when a creator has a certain emotion and expression intention, it constitutes a complete creative motivation, and such motivation is often directly reflected in the "what to write", that is, the choice of written content. "How can you know the verbal words, take the meaning of coquettishness, yang soothing yin miserable, the heart of heaven and earth. (2) We receive a certain kind of information from the outside, and then transform it into an idea, or express our hearts directly, and write the content of the calligraphy by ourselves, or find the person who is most suitable for our own creative motivation in the classic texts of the past and present, so as to complete the connection between the creator's motivation and the meaning of the work to the greatest extent, and form the independent "spirit" of the work.
The content written or chosen with sufficient motivation sets the tone for the work, which is a prerequisite for the creation of calligraphy and also affects the creative state of the creator. Chen Yiyun of the Yuan Dynasty: "Joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness, each has its own score." Happiness is harmonious and the word is comfortable, anger is rough and the word is dangerous, sadness is depressed and the word is restrained, and happiness is calm and beautiful. "Only when the tone is set can we naturally use the appropriate stippling shape, structure and style to form the visual level of the work, and then together with the meaning of the written content, the meaning level of the work can be completed, so as to complete the expression of the meaning of the calligraphy work to the greatest extent.
As far as the creator's creative state is concerned, Sun Guoting once said "five good and five together":
Another time and a book, there is a good and a good one. If you are together, you will be charming, and if you are obedient, you will be sparse. Briefly explain the reason, each has its own five; Shen Yi is leisurely, one is also together, the feeling is favoritous, the second is also, the time is harmonious, the three are also, the paper and ink are together, the four are also, and the occasional desire to write, the five are also ...... When it is obedient, the advantages and disadvantages are different. It is better to get the right time than to get the instrument, and it is better to get the right thing than to get the will. ③
This theory points out that mood, climate, and materials are factors that affect the creative state of the creator. Sun Guoting believes that calligraphy was a literati game at that time, and what was implied behind it was the general pursuit of a leisurely life. Of course, in the history of calligraphy, there are some works created by creators in special periods, such as "Funeral Post" and "Manuscript for Nephews". Although it does not conform to the theory of "five combinations", its logic is the same - that is, when the creator's creative state is consistent with the meaning of the work, it is conducive to creating a work of "spirit".
"The monks of the academy have a young master (Yang Ningshi) who has not left an inscription, and they must first decorate their walls, clean them, and wait for them. If you are admitted to the hospital, you will see that the wall is clean and lovely, that is, you will look at it, as if you are crazy, you will draw the pen and sway, and chant and the book, the pen will meet with God, and the wall of the book will be exhausted, and there will be no tiredness. (4) Although the example of Yang Ning's "accidental desire to write" in this paragraph cannot be seen as the specific motive of Yang Ningshi, it can also illustrate the importance of the state of creation to creation. The words "and chant and write" also show that Yang Ning has a deep understanding of the content of writing when he is in his creation. It is difficult for us to imagine that when he is in a state of "seeming to go crazy", he can write what he is not familiar with and do not understand, and he can still reach the state of "pen and god".
2. From the viewer's point of view
The presentation of the meaning of a work not only has the creator's skillful means of artistic expression, sufficient motivation, and appropriate creative state, but also the appreciator's own interpretation of the meaning of the work. From the perspective of the appreciator, the significance of the written content in the calligraphy works lies first in the guidance and restriction of aesthetic feelings. Similar to the title (5) in the title music, such as the guqin song "Mountains and Flowing Water", this title often enables the viewer to imagine the distant landscape scenery when enjoying the music. The content of calligraphy is more thorough than the title of the music, and it is carried out throughout the work with the changes of time and space. The viewer can more accurately approach the creator's own expression through the written content. Provided, of course, that it faithfully reflects the desires of the creator.
For example, Master Hongyi's masterpiece "The Intersection of Sorrow and Joy" (Fig. 1). "On the first day of September, the four characters of the book's 'intersection of sorrow and joy', and the waiter Miaolian, are the last strokes. (6) The four-character dot painting is vertical and horizontal, the structure has been stripped of the rigor of the past, the ink color has changed from thick to light, the transition is free, and the rules and regulations have not returned to the past. Master Hongyi had a complete motive when he chose the four characters of "the intersection of sorrow and joy" as the content of his masterpiece.
Figure 1
On the visual level, the lush dot painting and thin structure of this work can naturally lead us to a feeling of "detachment" and tranquility. However, on this basis, the simple words "intersection of sorrow and joy" enable the viewer to try to empathize with Master Hongyi's feelings before his death, and further associate with Master Hongyi's life of being extremely romantic and then escaping into the empty door. At this moment, the feelings and visual images of history and philosophy together constitute the full meaning of the work. Since then, the viewers have different understandings of the work due to their different knowledge of calligraphy, history, society, philosophy, etc. Scholar Mr. Ye Shengtao explained the word "Xin", he has "lived well" all his life, and now he has "died well", happy and satisfied, and has no regrets. Professor Qian Renkang of the Shanghai Conservatory of Music believes that "'sadness' is compassion for the suffering of sentient beings, and 'xin' is glad that oneself has been liberated." (7) The content of the writing increases the breadth of the meaning of the work to a certain extent, and even with the enrichment of life experience and the change of life experience, the feeling of the meaning of the work will also change, so as to give the calligraphy work a fresh sense of life.
3. What is written in the classics
Among the classics of the past and present, there are many works whose writing content matches the visual level of the work and complements the meaning conveyed by the work.
The Orchid Pavilion Preface (Fig. 2) is an example of this. It was written during the most chaotic, painful, and liberating Wei and Jin dynasties. The first eleven lines can be used as a paragraph, which records useful things such as dates, environments, and moods. When "the sky is clear and the air is clear, the wind is harmonious", Wang Xizhi and his friends gathered, surrounded by "lofty mountains and mountains, lush forests and bamboos", and "clear streams and turbulence" on the side, happily sighing at the size of the universe and the prosperity of the category, so "wandering eyes" and "believing in Coke". (8) Therefore, it is in such a relaxed state of mind that the first paragraph expresses the joy enjoyed in the present of life with elegant content, comfortable discipline, partial italized structure, and unexciting tone. However, "although Wang Xizhi was deeply influenced by Huang Lao's idea of tranquility and openness, and had the Taoist color of elegant, graceful and detached from tranquility, he was also influenced by the tragic consciousness that was strengthened by the 'chaos and separation of the world' at that time, and formed an aesthetic psychology of taking sorrow as beauty." (9) In the midst of his pleasures, he suddenly realized that all pleasures were "for the time being" and that the length of his life was "at the end of his life." With the sigh of "sad husband", the reader of the sigh will also feel Sven. (10) It is precisely with the emergence and application of Wang Xizhi's complex thoughts on life, time, and destiny that the chapter of the Orchid Pavilion Preface gradually tightens from the twelve lines, the interspersed movement between the rows and columns becomes more intense, and the tilt of the structure becomes more exaggerated.
Figure 2
The close relationship between the content and the meaning of the work in Yan Zhenqing's "Manuscript for the Sacrifice of Nephews" is also typical.
Different from the subtle emotional expression in "The Orchid Pavilion Preface", the emotions expressed in "The Manuscript of the Sacrifice of Nephews" reinforce the atmosphere of tragedy through the rapid fragmentation of the beautiful memories in memory. Thinking of the situation at that time, the hatred for the traitor and the thief, the memory and sadness of Yan Gaoqing and Yan Jiming were expressed, until it was pushed to the final climax, and he sighed "woohoo lament".
The whole article is calm and majestic with the pen, and the stretch is completed in one go, and the wind and horses at the killing pen are calm and happy. At the beginning, when explaining the daily content such as the period and official position, the overall rhythm is slow, and the knots are mainly in italics. With the intense changes in the emotions and the continuous superposition of pathos in the written content, the calligraphy gradually transitions to the grass, and the final four characters of "woo hoo lament" have a tendency to pour thousands of miles. As Wang Peng said in "The Inscription of the Void Boat": "The Heart and Liver of the "Manuscript of the Sacrifice Season" are torn apart, and they can't bear it, so their books are frustrated and depressed, and they can't be controlled. ...... The so-called fun side laughs, the words have sighed, the situation is different, the calligraphy is also different, and the reason for the feeling is also. (11) The pathos contained in the written content and the changes in the visual level of the work complement each other. The implication space opened up by the two corresponds to each other, and together they build a complete aesthetic field and promote the expression of the overall meaning of the work.
"Writing "Le Yi" is melancholy, the book "Painting Praise" is about wonders, "Huang Tingjing" is Yi Yi nothingness, and "Taishi Zhen" is full of twists and turns. Ji Hu Lanting Xingji, Siyi Shenchao, private oath, and miserable feelings. The so-called music party laughs, and sighs with sadness. (12) This sentence of the "Book Pedigree" also reflects an in-depth grasp of the meaning of the written content, which can enable us to maintain a certain creative state to complete the work, in order to achieve three-dimensional and fullness at the meaning level of the work.
In many ancient and modern classics, the written content plays an important role. For example, Lu Weizhao's book Mao Zedong's poetry collection "Draw the Sword and Bind the Dragon" (see Figure 3), Sha Menghai's book Mao Zedong's "Qingpingle Liupan Mountain" (picture 4), like a precarious dragon entangled, breathtaking, without the help of the content of the writing?
Figure 3
Figure 4
Another example is Master Hongyi's book "The Void Joy of the World" (picture 5), which is completely fading and the dust is not clean, while Xu Shengweng's book "Fuxian Guan Sutra" (picture 6) is almost crazy. All say Buddhism, far from each other, is to note each other with books and texts, to get the interest of "I have seen Guo Xiang note Zhuangzi, and the person who knows the cloud: but it is Zhuangzi note Guo Xiang".
Figure 5
Figure 6
Another example is the four characters of "The Wind in the Sky" written by Zen Master Liangkuan for children to borrow the wind (see Figure 7), perhaps the "good deeds" will be associated with "busy taking advantage of the east wind to release paper kites". The four characters show a free and easy attitude that ignores the inertia of writing, and the structure is almost fragmented and pure natural ingenuity, which seems to have some kind of relationship with the wind......
Of course, not all works in history have some kind of connection between what is written and what they mean. For example, it is difficult for us to analyze many of Wang Duo's works from this perspective, and this does not prevent his works from being important and unique. However, it is worth noting that in the vast majority of cases, the content of the writing has the potential to enrich the content of the work.
Figure 7
epilogue
To sum up, for the creator, the choice of written content, as the first step of the creator's creation, contains the creator's complete motivation. In this way, the written content sets the background for the work and establishes the relationship between the creator and the work. At the same time, due to the temporality of calligraphy works, the written content has the effect of influencing the creative state of the creator. Of course, for the formation of creators' motivations, the touch of written content is not the only way. The desire to convey a certain concept, the desire to express the feelings of all things, etc., are enough to constitute a complete creative motivation.
For the appreciator, first of all, the written content will form a certain degree of guidance for the transmission of the meaning of the work, and the meaning contained in the written content will make it easier for the appreciator to get close to the real ideas of the creator. Secondly, the content of writing also broadens the boundaries of calligraphy aesthetic groups to a large extent, so that more people from different fields and with different knowledge backgrounds can enter the field of calligraphy appreciation, and then present a multi-level and multi-perspective interpretation of the meaning of calligraphy works.
Of course, the discussion on the relationship between the content of writing and the creation and appreciation of calligraphy works is easy to be far-fetched, and it is easy to fall into the misunderstanding of subjective fabrication. Objectively speaking, the interpretation of any work cannot verify whether its final presentation is consistent with the creator's motives, and the author himself does not have the absolute right to interpret the meaning of the work. However, the famous assertion of the French thinker Roland Barthes in the twentieth century that "the author is dead" provides a breakthrough in this dilemma. He believes that once a work is completed, it has an independent life. Combining the theory that "the author is dead" with Mencius's view of "knowing people and discussing the world", the meaning of a work is constructed by the creator and the viewer. For calligraphy works, the contrast between the written content and the meaning of the work – either "intentionally" or "coincides" – gives the work a broader space for expression at the level of meaning.
Exegesis:
(1) [Japanese] Masachen Hai, "There is a person on the Inoue: Calligraphy is the art of ten thousand people", translated by Yang Jing and Li Jianhua, The Commercial Press, 2018 edition, p. 188.
(2) [Tang] Sun Guoting, "Book Pedigree", Zhonghua Book Company, 2012 edition, p. 145.
(3) [Tang] Sun Guoting, "Book Spectrum", Zhonghua Book Company, 2012 edition, pp. 91-93.
(4) Li Jianguo, "Legends of the Song Dynasty", Zhonghua Book Company, 2001 edition, p. 50.
(5) Qiu Zhenzhong: "Calligraphy", Chinese Renmin University Press, 2011 edition, p. 113.
(6) Zheng Yimei, "Anecdotes of the Literary Circle in the Late Qing Dynasty and Early Republic of China", Xuelin Publishing House, 1987, p. 59.
(7) Fang Ailong, editor-in-chief, "The New Theory of Master Hongyi", Xiling Seal Publishing House, 2000 edition, p. 75.
(8) [Tang] Fang Xuanling et al., Book of Jin, Vol. 80, Zhonghua Book Company, 1974 edition, p. 2099.
(9) He Laisheng, "Orchid Pavilion Preface and Its Cultural Significance of Calligraphy", [Graduation Thesis], China Academy of Art, pp. 20-21.
(10) [Tang] Fang Xuanling et al., Book of Jin, Vol. 80, Zhonghua Book Company, 1974 edition, p. 2099.
(11) [Qing] Wang Shu, "Inscription of the Void Boat", Phoenix Publishing House, 2017 edition, p. 58.
(12) [Tang] Sun Guoting, "Book Pedigree", Zhonghua Book Company, 2012 edition, p. 145.
(Meng Yunfei transferred from "Literary Life (Art China)" 2023 Issue 3 P138-142)