On The Structure And Formation Of Ancient Calligraphy Education

Differentiated from the modern educational system, the calligraphy education in ancient China would be named as the education of the "subject of learning calligraphy", which is a mixed and comprehensive concept, and which contains ancient Chinese's almost all the basic ideas and understandings about calligraphy. The "subject of learning calligraphy", an elementary subject in ancient China, refers to schoolchildren's professional education including "Shu (calligraphy)", "Shu (mathematics)", "Fang", "Ming". The "subject of learning calligraphy" also is a professional education of calligraphy in the governmental education organization, which started in Sui dynasty and was handed down to Tang and Song dynasties. It is about in Tang dynasty that the "subject of learning calligraphy" have had the meaning of calligraphy art. In the ancient theoretical works, the "subject of learning calligraphy" was described as a systematic knowledge made up of different branches. All these content should be the objects of the study on ancient calligraphy education, which has the particular structure and formation.Learning calligraphy mainly depends on the great calligraphy works handed down from the past as the example and model, and the theoretical book mainly concerning the skill of calligraphy is the textbook of handwriting teaching for its universality, practicality and easy to teach. The model of calligraphy in the education transformed in three stages from the ancient calligraphy dictionary and stone inscription of classical works, models of great calligraphers to stone inscription and pan-models, among which the first two, the ancient calligraphy dictionary and stone inscription of classical works, played an important role in history. In calligraphy education, these two, united the form of Chinese character, standardized the usage of words, regularized the style of character, and so on, however, they diminished the beauty of calligraphy as well. These two models closely related to the idea of "all types are good" and the phenomenon of absorbing all types of calligraphy to form new one.Teaching in family and in school are the chief methods and ways of calligraphy education in ancient China, which mainly focus on the skill of using brush. In the long procedure of teaching, the theory of practice order founded. The theory of practice order, regarded as the "ancient calligraphy pedagogy", provides essential reference value for us to construct and improve the modern calligraphy pedagogy. Different theories of practice order reflect different cognition of calligraphy history. Changing and accumulating gradually, the development history of teaching calligraphy technique passed three stages: the formation of first ancestor in the family tree of great calligraphy teachers, link and explanation the basic system of those great masters in calligraphy technique in history, and the additional and extended interpretation of the basic system of teaching family tree made by scholars in Ming and Qing dynasties. Through the case study of three different families, Yian Tuizhi, Zheng Banqiao and Zeng Guofan, especially their materials of family instruction, we can gain the idea and condition of calligraphy education in these scholar-officials' family in feudal China. Sticking to family methods of calligraphy, carrying forward family tradition of calligraphy, competing for the first in the handwriting of letters, and handing down the technique of calligraphy secretly are the elementary characteristics of calligraphy education in the calligraphy family from Wei and Jin dynasties.Hongdumeng School built by Ling emperor in Donghan dynasty was the start of calligraphy education, and brought about the basic nature of calligraphy education, which enlightened the later calligraphy teaching. In Wei and Jin dynasties, professional education of calligraphy founded, and then in Tang and Song dynasties, the "subject of learning calligraphy" formulated a perfect system of teaching materials and courses, examination, management, etc. However, because these institutions built and abolished in several times, so the position was weak. The flourishing situation of calligraphy in Tang dynasty was not closely related to the establishment of the calligraphy school.To some degree, the policy, examination rules related to official selection is the leverage for calligraphy education in ancient China, and directed the development and the style and school of calligraphy. When the imperial civil examination system was established, the relation between calligraphy and official selection become more clear and close. In the development of calligraphy history from "Zhou", "Shi", to "Zhangcheng", "Yuan Style", "Taige stlye", and "Guange style", the great influence of governors in different dynasties would be seen.Confucianism has great impact on the idea of ancient calligraphy. In the thought of calligraphy, affected by Confucianism, to model great man in quality and moral was the main goal, and so did in calligraphy education. Not pursuing the aim of being a kind of art, but seeking the good man in quality and moral according to Confucius way was the last goal of calligraphy education, and at last imply the saint's thought governing the country.Actually, calligraphy education in ancient China is the education of "subject of learning calligraphy". The deep study of it provides us some treasures for improving modern professional education of calligraphy, and promotes the calligraphy education from the education of "subject of learning calligraphy" to the calligraphy art education.