Dimensions of Originality: Essays on Seventeenth-Century Chinese Art Th eory and Criticism

Chapter 7: Seventeenth-century Calligraphy Theory And Criticism

chapter 7 What the Texts Say: Originality in Seventeenth-Century Calligraphy Theory and Criticism A sibling art of painting, calligraphy, the preeminent visual art of pretwentieth -century China, has its own complex history and unique set of demands. Regardless of its textual content, however, calligraphy can be compelling solely because of its visual power. Yet, characters must always represent words, and the words must represent ideas. The stroke order within each character must be maintained, even as it might be adjusted from script style to script style. Reliance on formal rules and structures cannot be shirked—though as the theorists and critics discuss, they can be played with. Theorists and critics of calligraphy, of course, shared the same social context as those of painting. It only stands to reason, therefore, that the seventeenth-century discourse of originality, so apparent in painting theory, criticism and production, would be matched in the theory, criticism , and production of calligraphy. As in the essay on painting criticism (Chapter 6), this essay provides a representative sampling of seventeenthcentury opinion on originality as indexed by the term qi 奇, but focuses instead on calligraphy. Calligraphy theorists, critics, and texts The critics examined here include some who also commented on painting , such as Dong Qichang 董其昌 (1555–1636), Yu Fengqing 郁逢慶 (late Ming), Zhang Chou 張丑 (1577–1643), and Zhu Mouyin 朱謀垔 (fl. 1631). Others are Fu Shan 傅山 (1607–1684/85), Sun Kuang 孫鑛 (sometimes 168 | dimensions of originality given as Sun Gong, 1542–1613), Wang Duo 王鐸 (1593–1652), Wang Keyu 汪砢玉 (1587–1645), Xiang Mu 項穆 (fl. ca. 1572–1620), and Zhao Yiguang 趙宧光 (1559–1625). These critics represent some of the most illustrious cultural leaders of their time. Dong Qichang was a highly ranked scholar-official who enjoyed the esteem of the imperial family and the prestige granted by his many high official positions. An influential Originalist painter, calligrapher, theorist , and critic, he weighed in strongly on the importance of originality in painting, as discussed in Chapter 6, and calligraphy, as discussed below. Zhang Chou, with family members who had been friends and relations by marriage with the likes of the eminent mid-Ming artists Shen Zhou and Wen Zhengming, socialized in illustrious Suzhou art circles as a highly regarded connoisseur and art critic. Zhang’s Qinghe shuhua fang was considered the best of its genre of the Ming and Qing dynasties by Jiang Chaobo 蔣超伯 (jinshi 1845).1 Zhu Mouyin, a Ming prince from Nanchang, was related to the family of scholars, bibliophiles, and artists headed by Zhu Mouwei 朱謀瑋 (d. 1624), and wrote important texts on painting and calligraphy.2 Wang Keyu was an art critic, art historian, and poet, whose father owned an important art collection in Jiaxing, Zhejiang, and hosted cultural luminaries such as Dong Qichang, the eminent collector Xiang Yuanbian 項元汴 (1525–1590), and the scholar-official artist Li Rihua 李日 華 (1565–1635).3 Scholar-official Fu Shan was a highly influential Originalist calligrapher, painter, and poet with loyalist sentiments for the fallen Ming Dynasty. In contrast, scholar-official Wang Duo was an important Originalist painter and calligrapher who willingly collaborated with the Qing regime. Though the discourse of originality percolated throughout Chinese society, because the art of calligraphy could be practiced only by highly literate individuals, the statements of these men underscore the literati contributions to this discourse. The texts consulted include Dong Qichang’s Huachanshi suibi 畫禪室 隨筆, Sun Kuang’s Shuhua ba ba 書畫跋跋, Wang Duo’s Nishanyuan xuanji 擬山圜選集, Wang Keyu’s Shanhuwang shuhua lu 珊瑚網書畫錄, Xiang Mu’s Shufa ya yan 書法雅言, Yu Fengqing’s 郁逢慶 Shuhua tiba ji 書畫題 跋記 and Shuhua xu ti ba ji 書畫續題跋記, Zhang Chou’s Qinghe shuhua fang 清河書畫舫, Zhao Yiguang’s Han shan zhou tan 寒山帚談, and Zhu Mouyin’s Xu Shu shi hui yao 續書史會要. Remembering that many cal- chapter 7: seventeenth-century calligraphy theory and criticism | 169 ligraphers were also painters, and that the theorists and critics themselves often also were artists, it should be no surprise that taken together, the statements of these men make clear that a discourse of originality flowed through calligraphy circles with the same force as it did for those of painting —or perhaps, even stronger. Before entering into a discussion of the theory and criticism, it is helpful first to recall the words of art historian Qianshen Bai, as he considers the work of seventeenth century calligrapher-painter Fu Shan. Bai observes: Heterogeneous and creative, late Ming culture provided artists with increased possibilities to pursue new forms of art. No known works by Dong...