A Brief Receptional History Study Of Qing Dynasty North Tablet-calligraphy

At present，the tablet-calligraphy theory in the Qing dynasty is discussed morecomprehensive and macroscopic, which studied from the era factors and classicinscription theories, combining with the classic calligraphers’ cases. This articleintends to sum up Qing peoples’ attitude by stages, cognition, practice scale andcreation orientation, and preliminarily describes the development and evolution of thenorth tablet-calligraphy, from a large number of Qing peoples’ evaluation, learningpractice of the tablet-calligraphy theory by the methods of the effect history,interpretation history, influence history of receptional theory.Chapter one discusses from the perspective of "pursuing beauty" and traditionalcharacters in early Qing dynasty, the early Qing literator unconcerned about the northtablet-calligraphy generally, with the influence of its ugly and naked style, incorrectcharacters, mixture of the calligraphy of Seal and clerical script phenomenon. But atthe same time, the early Qing literator began to recognize the positive understandingof the north tablet-calligraphy, which included the character style, calligraphy styleand artistic style. Some north tablet-calligraphy was thought to have “ancientmeaning”, some accepted to have learners for its vivid, towering forceful style andcorresponding with aesthetic standard of the“Tie"school.Chapter two represents the attitude change of the scholars in the period ofQianlong and Jiaqing towards the phenomenon of incorrect characters and the mixtureof the calligraphy of seal and clerical script on the north inscription from theperspective of philology. The atmosphere of the Zhao style and Tangtablet-calligraphy existing in parallel makes more north tablet-calligraphy correspondto the aesthetic standard at present. In addition, Deng Shiru and Liu Yong’s practiceon the north tablet-calligraphy and Ruanyuan’s two “Discussion” set the stage for thenew situation of the tablet-calligraphy theory.Chapter three describes the slow development of the north tablet-calligraphyunder the prevalentness of Tang tablet-calligraphy from the two attitudes ofaffirmative and negative towards the north tablet-calligraphy and then analyzes two groups of people’s interpretation and creative orientations. The calligraphers ofrunning script led by Bao Shichen considered the north tablet-calligraphy to be “freeand easy” and pursued “bone modality” in practice while the calligraphers of Tangofficial script appreciated and ran after its “strength and stick”. In addition, thecalligraphers concurrently relevant to both the calligraphy of Seal and clerical scriptsuch as He Shaoji and Chen Jieqi also discovered the characters of the calligraphy ofSeal and clerical script.Chapter four firstly reflects the two attitudes of worshiping tablet-calligraphy anddegrading the“Tie"school and combining both together from the perspective ofinterpreting the script of the north tablet-calligraphy. Secondly it describes theexpansion of the scale of taking the north tablet-calligraphy calligraphers as model.As to the north inscription, the various works of Longmen were firstly praised highly,and then the novel statues were also taken as model,“Zheng Wengongtablet-calligraphy” gradually received more attention, and enjoyed great popularitywith “Zhang Menglong tablet-calligraphy” after the Mid-Guangxu period. By meansof analyzing the above tablet-calligraphy we can see that the key points of Tongguangscholars towards the north tablet-calligraphy changed from clumsy, square and heavyto novelty and flow. As to the practice, the calligraphers of Tongguang deeplyabsorbed the stroke of the north tablet-calligraphy and structure to make the feature ofthe works more various.The research findings of this paper are: Firstly, there are some concrete receivingconditions on the previous studies on the tablet-calligraphy theory, which was littleaccounted in the period of early Qing, Qianlong and Jiaqing dynasty, and the studiesplayed a basic role for the development of the tablet-calligraphy theory afterwards.Secondly, there had been a basic understanding of the north tablet-calligraphy beforeRuanyuan, and there was little development of it after Ruanyuan. Therefore, we can’temphasize Ruanyuan’s affection on one side. Thirdly, there were some otherevaluations and imitations on the north tablet-calligraphy while Bao Shichen and hisfollowers took the north tablet-calligraphy as their model. Fourthly, the predecessors’explanation of regarding “Xiantong Period” as the north tablet-calligraphy period should be analyzed specifically, and the reasons are as follows: first, the scholars justbegan to admit the position of the north tablet-calligraphy universally in the earlyTongzhi period; second, most of the masters of the tablet-calligraphy theory began toimitate the north inscription at that moment; third, numerous officials just began totake the north tablet-calligraphy as their model in the period of the end of Tongzhi andthe early Guangxu. Therefore, I think that the tablet-calligraphy theory just becamemore powerful and prosperous after Tongzhi dynasty. Fifthly, people in Qing dynastypaid attention to different north tablet-calligraphy in different period, and the aestheticstandards also changed continuously.