Research On The Calligraphy Of Seal And Clerical Script In Yuan Dynasty

During the wake of learning ancient-styled calligraphy movement in Yuan dynasty,various calligraphic forms and styles are restored. This is a unique phenomenon inthe history of calligraphy. In the past, the studies on calligraphy of Yuan dynastyare mainly focused on current styles such as regular, running and cursive scriptsother than archaism such as seal and clerical script. Seal and clerical scripts havedeclined in Song dynasty, but in Yuan dynasty they thrive again with some unusualreasons and significance. This paper is based on the remnant seal and clerical scriptworks of Yuan dynasty, tries to classify, compare a great amount of works, andsummarize the features of the prosperity of seal script and clerical script worksin Yuan dynasty according to the existing collections by adopting the methodologyof historical documentations. This paper also analyzes the factors which impactedthe formation of styles and the social reasons of the renaissance of seal scriptand clerical script.First of all, this paper lists and summarizes the amount of stone tabletinscriptions of Song and Yuan dynasty, the calligraphers of Yuan dynasty who aregood at seal and clerical script according to the documents, the extant of seal andclerical script calligraphy works of Yuan dynasty, single roll calligraphy worksof Yuan dynasty, etc. The characters and functions of the prosperous of seal andclerical script calligraphy are sorted out and are analyzed. The prosperous of itis comprehensive. From the high-ranking officers to ordinary people, seal andclerical script calligraphy is popular in every social level. Seal and clericalscript calligraphy becomes independent and enters the circle of scholar art.Secondly, this paper analyzes and summarizes the changes of style emerged inthe seal and clerical script calligraphic works of the representative calligraphersin Yuan dynasty. From the viewpoint of calligraphy learning in Yuan dynasty, theresources used as references for seal and clerical script calligraphy, theevaluation and collection of it are considered. The cognition and utilization oftradition, and the impact on the seal and clerical script calligraphy given by thestudy of script and inscription of Song and Yuan dynasty are emphasized. Furtherresearch reveals, on the one hand, the abundant collection and publication of thestudy of inscription and script in Song and Yuan dynasty give birth and push to theprosperous seal and clerical script calligraphy in Yuan dynasty; on the other hand, it influences the rigid, weak, and tedious style of seal and clerical scriptcalligraphy.The conclusions of this paper are as follows. Seal and clerical scriptcalligraphy are popular in every social class and widely fond in Yuan dynasty. Thereare requirements of innovation and breakthrough at that time. But the restrictionof the resources of seal and clerical script, the calligraphers' perspective toseal and clerical script, the impact of the taste of sutra clerk styTe in currentstyle calligraphy, and that of book engraving, make it impossible to breakthroughthe seal and clerical script styles of Tang and Song dynasties and the calligraphystyle become mediocre, normalized, rigid, and weak. The restoration of seal andclerical script in Yuan dynasty is because of the resultant force of the quaintfeature of it self, the pluralism of characters of the nationalities in Yuan dynasty,the scholars' consciousness of Man nationality which emphasizes on literal study,the requirement of popularizing seal and clerical script calligraphy in order toinherit Han culture, and the acceptation and acknowledgement to Han culture and itscalligraphy of the governing classes of Yuan dynasty, etc.