The Resurgence And Finis: The Transmutation Of Small Seal Script In The 8～(th) Century

Informative abstractThe 8^th century was an important period of the development of Chinese small seal script, during which, Li Yangbing was a key person. In the present article, certain elements of the transmutation of small seal script during 701—754 A.D. (before An-Shi Rebellion against Tang reign) and 755 -800 A.D. (after An-Shi Rebellion against Tang reign) have been reviewed separately, and the turning point that Li Yangbing had brought to the small seal script has been probed into as well, that indicated whether he had resurrected or finished the small seal script? Prior to Li Yangbing, the hanging-needle seal characters in the works《Three Styles of Stone Classics During Zhengshi》, is the most important example of small seal script writing in Tang Dynasty; After late Tang, Li Yangbing' s dew-drop seal characters had gradually become the most important example of small seal script. As Li Yangbing put it, "Since the Master Si to my humble self" , the later generations held the same ground. Li Yangbing "Explained the《Origin of Chinese Characters》, revised the technique of writing that made the scholars follow and the writing of small seal characters resurrected, his contribution was not to be neglected. However, after Li Yangbing, the small seal character writing has long remained unchanged, which is also the fact.The 8^th century was also the key era of Tang Dynasty history and culture. As Chen Yinke put it, "In discussing the history of Tang Dynasty, the reign of Xuanzong must always be the dividing line of times" , "the Guanlong bloc established by Yu Wentai was totally collapsed, the power of ruling classes of Tang Dynasty shifted, rose or fell at this period." The reign of Xuanzong was during 712—756 A.D., which was basically at the first half of 8^th century. The An-Shi Rebellion happened during 755 - 763 was in the middle of 8the century. "A character of milestone inheriting the past and ushering in the future in the academic history of Tang culture" As Chen Yinke said. Han Yu (768—824 A.D.) raised on Zhenyuan 8^th year (792 A.D.), "Revised the words and clarified the reasons" , the golden time of Classical Chinese writing had therefore started since then—the end of 8^th century. The present article intends to source out the interrelations among the turning point of small seal character in the 8^th century, the turn of Tang reign in the 8^th century and the turning point of 8^th century literature- Classical Chinese writing.