Research On Lin Yutang's Calligraphy Identity Thought

In the history of Chinese calligraphy,the Republic of China period is an extremely important link in the traditional chain,an important transition period that inherits the past and opens up the future.Under the cultural background of "learning from the West to the East",a group of scholars who had originally received a good education in Sinology went abroad,and under the baptism of social trends such as "sorting out the national history"and "scientism",they achieved scholars in the new era who had both the cultivation of traditional literati and the cultural vision of Western studies.In this process,the artistic value and identity judgment of traditional Chinese calligraphy have also become the object of debate by many scholars.Among them,Lin Yutang especially affirmed the artistry and aesthetic value of calligraphy.Nourished by Western-style education and inherited by Oriental culture,he opened the way for the modern transformation of calligraphy identity with modern thinking logic,and raised the status of calligraphy to the level of Chinese art representative."Calligraphy as the foundation of Chinese aesthetics,the full meaning of which will be further seen when studying Chinese painting and architecture," Lin said."To appreciate Chinese calligraphy is to disregard its literal meaning,people only appreciate its lines and structure.Thus,in studying and appreciating the strength of this line and the beauty of its structure,Chinese acquires the freedom to remain completely free to concentrate on concrete forms and content aside.(My Nation and Our People,1935).This statement really illustrates the "artistic" identity of calligraphy.In the text,Lin Yutang made a comprehensive analysis of the origin of the beauty of calligraphy,as well as the formal beauty and rhythmic beauty of calligraphy.Its theoretical concepts also elaborately expound the "practical" attributes of the Chinese calligraphy tradition,demonstrate the modern transformation of the "art" identity of calligraphy,and effectively counter some "calligraphy non-art" concepts in the Republic of China period,and its value contribution is huge.Liang Qichao,Wang Guowei,Deng Yijing,Zong Baihua,Sha Menghai and many other scholars have also made remarks on the identity of calligraphy art,and scholars in the Republic of China have reached a consensus on this issue.This article uses the literature analysis method,interview method and comparative method to discuss Lin Yutang's view of calligraphy art identity,and sorts out and explores its ideological origin,historical causes,main viewpoints,theoretical values and influences,and compares it with the understanding of calligraphy art identity of contemporary scholars,and then comprehensively traces Lin Yutang's calligraphy thought and deeply understands the value and influence of its calligraphy art identity concept.