Research On Calligraphy And Culture Of Gaochang Epitaph

The epitaph of Gaochang refers to the burial written materials unearthed in Turpan area of Xinjiang in order to record the deceased's life and related conditions.There are many well-preserved and exquisitely carved epitaphs in the existing epitaphs spanning about 330 years from the 13 th year of Daliang Chengping(455)to the third year of Jianzhong(782)of the Tang Dynasty.These epitaphs not only reflect Gaochang's funeral culture and the calligraphic features of Northwest China,but also have great significance in studying the relationship between calligraphy and culture in Gaochang and Central Plains.Therefore,under the cultural background,the author classified more than 300 tombs unearthed in Gaochang,analyzed the style of calligraphy in different periods macroscopically and studied the characteristics of different types of calligraphy microcosmically.The author makes a diachronic arrangement of Gaochang epitaph by means of quantitative statistics,classification and summary.In the course of the study,the author makes a synchronic discussion on the Central Plains epitaph,compares the calligraphic styles of Gaochang epitaph and Central Plains epitaph by means of word comparison and picture examples,summarizes the similarities and differences between the two places,and briefly analyses the causes.Turpanology has aroused scholars' attention to Gaochang,but there is still a lack of research on the calligraphy of Gaochang epitaph.Based on the historical and cultural background of Gaochang,this paper explores the development of calligraphy in Gaochang epitaph.The first chapter mainly summarizes Gaochang's history and funeral customs from the cultural point of view,and summarizes the basic situation and content of Gaochang's epitaph.Chapter two divides Gaochang epitaph into three periods: Daliang regime,Gaochang Kingdom and Tang Xizhou.It combines the calligraphy of Central Plains epitaph in the Northern and Southern Dynasties,Sui and Tang Dynasties to explore the relationship between Gaochang and Central Plains.Chapter three classifies and counts the calligraphy of Gaochang Epitaph,and systematically summarizes and studies the calligraphy in different ways,styles and types of calligraphy.In the fourth chapter,the author tries to analogize the status and division of work of Gaochang epitaph calligraphers and engravers based on the situation of Zhongyuan book engravers,and objectively expounds the limitations of the engravers.More than 3/4 of Gaochang epitaphs are brush calligraphy.Most epitaphs can intuitively express the writing process and the original appearance of Gaochang area from the Northern and Southern Dynasties to the Sui and Tang Dynasties.During the Daliang regime,the form of epitaphs was not prevalent,and the calligraphy form of a few epitaphs unearthed was similar to that of the Central Plains epitaphs.The relationship between Gaochang Dynasty and Central Plains Dynasty was gradually close.There were many kinds of calligraphy styles coexisting in epitaph calligraphy,which lagged behind the level of calligraphy and funeral culture in Central Plains.During the Tang Xizhou period,Gaochang was under the jurisdiction of the Tang Dynasty.The study of the calligraphy and culture of Gaochang epitaph is of great significance to the study of the cultural context of calligraphy in Gaochang and the Central Plains and to the maintenance of national unity and unity.