Ruan Yuan Calligraphy Ideas

Qing Dynasty was a time of great reform in the history of Chinese calligraphy. Under theinfluence of academic trends of Qing Dynasty, calligraphy in the middle and late Qing Dynastytook on a new look-with study of "Epigraphy" thriving and prospering and "Booklet andhandwriting calligraphy" declining and falling -which has influenced the calligraphic thoughtsand creation in modern, even contemporary times.In the turning period, a scholar named Ruan Yuan, with his distinguished political and academicposition. played an important role in the forming and developing of study of epigraphy in QingDynasty. This thesis first of all, introduced the theme of angle of study of Confucian classic, andinvestigated the origin of Ruan Yuan's calligraphic thoughts in three aspects: involvement ofQianjia School and Yangzhou School, dominance of study of inscription on ancient bronzes andstone tablets in study of Epigraphy and the general situation of calligraphy in the early and lateQing Dynasty background with study of Confucian classic. Next, though a comprehensiveanalysis of Ruan Yuan's short comment on "Lantin Xu", this author believes that Ruan Yuan wasseeking theoretical surport for advocating study of Epigraphy by writing the said short commentsas well as "On South and North Calligraphy "and "On Study of North Epigraphy and SouthBooklet and Handwriting Calligraphy" Then, through the study of the academic friends RuanYuan made, this author holds the opinion that there was a circle of calligraphy of inscriptions onancient bronzes and stone tablets, Ruan Yuan as the center, in the area of ZheJiang and JiangsuProvince and the area south to Nanling Mountain. In the meanwhile, owing to the enlightenmentof Ruan Yuan's calligraphy thoughts on Bao Shichen and Kang Youwei, study of Epigraphystepped toward maturity and then extremity, which led to the inclination of calligraphy creationtoward epigraphy in the Late Qing Dynasty and modern and contemporary times.This thesis endeavors to give an objective and comprehensive analysis of the historicalbackground, personal factors and the final historical effect of Ruan Yuan's calligraphic thoughts.and criticized the incorrect ideas in his "Views on Lanting Xu" and his epigraphic thoughts.approved the value of his theory in the history of calligraphy. The analysis of Ruan Yuan'scalligraphic thoughts, is a key to straighten out the development of epigraphy in Qing Dynasty.and enable us to have a clearer view on the calligraphic concepts and creation trend ofcontemporary times.