| The value of calligraphy and painting products and their gradually improved market become necessary factors of the charity by them which has existed in ancient times. Calligraphers and painters, primarily scholar-bureaucrat, were affected by Chinese traditional thought which included Confucian, Buddhism and so on, so that they tended to charitable works. Serious social crisis actuated the transformation of Chinese modern philanthropy and the difficult situation of the victims and refugees evoked the compassion of all sectors of society during the late Qing dynasty. Calligraphers and painters wished to participate in social affairs by volunteer sale of the calligraphy and painting to improve their status with the introduction of new ways of charity and the expanding of philanthropist groups. The burgeoning charity by calligraphy and painting was also provided security by Shanghai special urban environment in modern times.Under the background of Ding-wu disaster, the charity by calligraphy and painting in modern Shanghai has two stages from the burgeoning to maturity. The charity by calligraphy and painting initially sprang up in 1878—1907 which was enthusiastically taken part in by large numbers of individuals and organizations. The benevolent capital was mainly collected by the income of calligraphy and Painting trading through the process of releasing declaration, indicating the writer or calligrapher, trading the calligraphy and painting, publishing expenses and receipts. During this period, the charity by calligraphy and painting was rapidly disseminated by the promotion of newspapers and periodicals to which philanthropists paid attention. Unfortunately, mass production bought about the simple achievements and low price and the insufficient strict organization system and supervision mechanism lead to social question.The charity by calligraphy and painting in Shanghai, gradually mature in 1907—1927, became the important financing method of beneficence whose advocators and organizers consisted of a great deal of social celebrities. It was the important symbol of the maturation of charity by calligraphy and painting that the long-term charitable calligraphy and painting associations such as Yuyuan charitable calligraphy and painting association, the pavilion demonstrating the mind by calligraphy and painting in Shanghai and so on, further promoting the scale growth of assistance activities, organizing, stylizing. At the same time, other charities, including the organization of countrymen and the Red Cross society of China, also regard the charity by calligraphy and painting as the vital method of beneficence. The charity by calligraphy and painting in shanghai tended to be mature in operation, mobilization of the movement, organizational and supervisory mechanism, what’s more, whose rescue object extended from victims and refugees to the poor, orphans, women, the disabled, workers and other large number of vulnerable groups during this epoch. Japan’s earthquake relief by calligraphy and painting circles in 1923 showed strong humanitarianism.The charity by calligraphy and painting in modern Shanghai, as the important part of the philanthropy, gradually developed into one kind of the way of relief which recognized by the general public and represented the tide of history. It, as a new effective finance approach, has an interactive relationship with the philanthropy in modern China, the urban culture in shanghai, the transition of calligraphy and painting circles. That, unfortunately, the mass creation can certainly exercises a great influence on the development of specialization of painting and calligraphy and the low hierarchical and organization supervision mechanisms offered convenience for the person who angled for prestige. Generally speaking, the charity by calligraphy and painting in modern Shanghai has made great contribution to the change of social culture in modern China during the long history development river, even though there are some limitations. |
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