The Ugliness View Of Fu Shan's Calligraphic Theory And Ensuing Impact On Later Generations

Fu Shan lived at the turn of the Ming and Qing dynasties in the 17 th century,with frequent internal and external problems,overlapping of class struggles,and national contradictions,as social turmoil promoted the vigour of thinking.Meanwhile,a wave advocated the style of “high ancient and unique” had emerged,which was represented by Ming dynasty literati scholars,among whom there were an amount of mavericks and high-quality calligraphers and painters.Fu Shan became one of the topping representatives under the solid basis which was built on the high unity of personality and calligraphy by his own,who was highly praised by scholars of the current and future generations.Against the maladies for calligraphy at the time,Fu Shan proposed the famous theory named “Si Ning Si Wu”(i.e,Four Prefer & Four But-Not),which was specified as: “prefer ugly but not flattering,prefer clumsy but not trick,prefer distraction but not slick,prefer straightforward but not arrangement,and do one's utmost to stem a raging tide.” In particular,the proposal of “prefer ugly but not flattering” reflects the core opinion of Fu Shan's art system,moreover it is the first observation with judging ugliness in Chinese calligraphy history,and also the new personality aesthetics and artistic spirit formed by the traditional Chinese culture under the changing times.The connotation of ugly judging in the field of Chinese classical art began to awaken.The connotation of "prefer ugly but not flattering" is heavenly nature,which conforms to the tradition of Lao Zhuang Taoist aesthetics,give emphasis to the worship of heaven,earth and nature,and the aversion against vulgar and popular.Fu Shan' s calligraphic theory and writing style have always been highly unified.In the early stage,his writing style was goodly,elegant and chic,willing to take the traditional classics of calligraphy learning as a template;In the middle stage,his writing style was gradually evolving more dignified and primitive,absorbing Yan Zhenqing's brushwork and distracted expression;In his later years,Fu Shan's calligraphy was refined and old-schooled,and his writing style showed a wild and unrestrained attitude,make a fusion with the epigraphy spirit.This is closely related to the times and families changes to which they belong,the rise of steles visiting as well as epigraphy,and the reincarnation of the calligraphy aesthetic orientation.Fu Shan' s experience is very representative among literati scholars.Through his poetry,calligraphy and painting,the transformation and evolution of Chinese calligraphy aesthetics in the 17 th century can be witnessed.Fu Shan's calligraphy has the meaning of inheriting and inspiring from the end of the Ming Dynasty to the beginning of the Qing Dynasty.It contains the connotation of inheritance and innovation,which laid the tone for the transformation of the writing style in the middle and late Qing Dynasty.This article takes the ugliness view in Fu Shan's calligraphy as a clue,sorts out the view formation reasons and manifestations,analyzes the calligraphy style change in the late Qing Dynasty,peeks into the essence and development trajectory of the today's “ugly calligraphy” phenomenon.I hope that this article can provide some valuable ideas and contributions to the practice and creation of contemporary calligraphy.