A Study on Aesthetics of Confucian & Taoistic Calligraphic Theory in East Han

Abstract

An overview of the history of Chinese calligraphy shows that many people in Tang Dynasty such as Zang Huaiguan(張懷瓘), Yu Shinan(虞世南), expressed very precise and philosophical views on calligraphy. Yet, there have already been discussions related to calligraphy in thr Eastern Han Dynasty before such in-depth views of calligraphy in Tang Dynasty. Yang Xiong(揚雄) has already clarified the espression of the mind of calligraphy by saying that 'Shu(書)〔originally a book, but later understood as a calligraphy〕is picture of the mind, which is composed of characters written with a brush. however, people that understood and practically applied it to calligraphy are the Cui Yuan(崔瑗) and Cai Yong(蔡邕) in the Eastern Han Dynasty. In「Caushushi(草書勢)」, Cui Yuan gave calligraphy an independent aesthetic value that deviated from practical functionality. Moreover, it contains content that shows the aftistry of the individual's self-awarenss. In order words, it describes the artistic characteristics of the cursive script through the origin of calligraphy, the occurrence of the cursive script and the feeling of the shape and its force of the cursive script. Cai Yong wrote「Bilun(筆論)」, and it says what kind of mindset and brushstroke is used in calligraphy creation to make calligraphy creation with true beauty possible. It is the so-called ‘calligraphy is an art that works on creation by relaxing the tension of the mind 〔書者, 散也〕’ In other words, it revealed for the first time what kind of mind could be conveyed through what kind of creative attitude and what kind of movement of the brush could be used to write truly beautiful writing. It shows that the recognized calligraphy in Taoist aesthetic thought. Cui Yuan and Cai Yong not only mentioned calligraphy techniques and the method of wielding brush related to actual calligraphy creation but also clarified what conditions must be met for calligraphy to become a magnificent art. Such remarks by Cui Yuan and Cai Yong contain. the contents of understanding calligraphy through the taoist philosophy, on their views. Thus, from the perspective of calligraphy aesthetics, various andswers to the question 'what kind of art is calligraphy can be obtained through the views and perceptions of calligraphy by Cui Yuan, Zhao Yi and Cai Yong in the Eastern Han Dynasty.