Philosophical Background of Development of the Theories of SeoHwaDongChe, SeoHwaDongChul and SeoHwaDongWon

Abstract

This article is to reveal the meaning of the thoughts of SeoHwaDongChe (書畵同體: Calligraphy and drawing are same as each other), SeoHwaDongChul (書畵同出: Calligraphy and drawing are beginning together) and SeoHwaDongWon (書畵同源: Calligraphy and drawing sprout from same root) focusing on the understanding of the correlation between Seo (Calligraphy) and Hwa (Painting) that appeared on the stream of the aesthetics of Seo and Hwa flowing through such eras as Tang, Song and Yuan dynasties in China. The transition process of the relation between Seo and Hwa from DongChe to DongChul that finally went to DongWon embraces such art-philosophical leveled question as ‘Where did Seo and Hwa come from’, which shows the art spirit and aesthetic goal of the literary noblemen who approached the creation of Seo and Hwa. Such thoughts also contain the idea that painting works must be expressed with YongPil (用筆: ways of brushing) and PilEui (筆意: intention of brushing) of calligraphy in order to fully realize the art world sought for by the literary noblemen. First of all, in this aspect, it is required to analyze what kind of art calligraphy is in aesthetic and philosophical viewpoints in order to correctly understand the thoughts of DongChe, DongChul, DongWon and DongBeop (書畵: Calligraphy and painting are same in rules of creating works). In the Chinese history of SeoHwa (Calligraphy and Painting), creation of every piece of work begins from drawing a stroke. The commonness between Seo and Hwa and SeoHwaHyoNeungIlCheSeol (書畫效能一體說: the theory that Seo and Hwa have same effect) argued by Shí Tāo (石濤) based on his IlHoikRon (一劃論: the theory of one stroke) emphasized that every painter must learn the calligraphic principle for actual art creation activity. Looking into the relation between calligraphy and painting with consideration of such emphasis, it is desirable to create painting pieces using PilHoik (brush and stroke) of calligraphy. That is, the thoughts of DongChe, DongChul, DongWon and DongBeop are thought to be as same as the philosophical thoughts related with use of one stroke. In the tendency of art creation, calligraphy has CheeDoSeol (取道說: the theory of taking truth) leveled art spirit with which the artist must take the principle of truth in metaphysical aspect and set such truth as the base of calligraphy. Such CheeDoSeol based calligraphic forms are related with the thought of GwanMulCheeSangRon (觀物取象論: the theory of taking forms by viewing things), which causes artists to give painting leveled meaning to the character forms and fonts simply showing why painting must take PilBeop (rules of brushing) and PilEui of calligraphy. In such aspects set forth above, therefore, this article looks into how the theories of Seo and Hwa have been established and transited in relation with the perception of calligraphy and painting in the Chinese history of Seo and Hwa in the viewpoints of IlHoikRon, SeoHwaHyoNeungIlCheSeol, CheeDoSeol, metaphysical perception of calligraphy, GwanMulCheeSangRon and painting styled character fonts and forms.