A Study On Wang Shizhen's Thought Of Chinese Calligraphy Critique

As a main propellant of the movement toward classicalism-revivals of Old Chinese literature and the traditional Chinese art during the Jiajing, Longqing and Wanli periods of Ming Dynasty, Wang Shizhen achieved fame not only for his broad and deep thoughts of art-critique concerning Chinese calligraphy and traditional Chinese painting, but also for his notable contribution to Old Chinese literature. Among Wang's brilliant achievements, however, his thought of Chinese calligraphy critique has been obviously under-researched by his modern counterparts. The present paper is a tentative review with regard to Wang's contribution to Chinese calligraphy critique.Chapter One is a survey investigating the formation of his thought of Chinese calligraphy critique: financially, the abundant family circumstance made his appreciations and collections of Chinese calligraphy possible; individually, his old and well-known calligraphy-traditional family that made him proud endowed himself with the inner-motivation to be engaged in the calligraphy critique; technically, his thought was influenced by Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism, propelled by both Old Chinese literature and the traditional Chinese painting, and edified by associations with other artists.Chapter Two moves further to examine in more detail the essence of Wang's theory of Chinese calligraphy critique, which underlies such theoretical framework of Chinese calligraphy practice as leaves studied following the former. Wang's theory of Chinese calligraphy critique investigates the interrelationship among three factors of artistry, implication and artistic attainment, laying a special emphasis upon harmonious nature and abundant intention. Wang's theory of Chinese calligraphy critique is historically valuable to enrich our approaches to the contemporary Chinese calligraphy theoretically and practically.