The flourishing period of Chinese brushwork

Dear Friends,

The final stage of the development of Chinese brush work is Flourishing Period.

On the solid foundation of the Li and Chang Tsao styles, the art of Chinese calligraphy reached its peak when the Kai, Hsing, and Tsao styles were established during the 3rd and 4th centuries. These styles differ in their structural complexity and in the speed with which they can be written: Kai can be described as a script "standing still," Hsing as "walking" and Tsao as "running."

Paper, which was invented in 49 A.D., was by then a common material, liberating the artist from the confinements of the narrow writing surface of the bamboo and wooden slats, which also required much labor and time to prepare. On paper, larger characters could be written and new movements with the brush were possible, thus a higher competency and sophistication of technique could be attained. The brush was being used to its fullest extent.

Paper, together with maneuverability of the Chinese brush, was responsible for the greater release and outpouring of artistic expression in this period, which has yet to be surpassed. Great talent and individual giants emerged one after another.

Kai means standard and formal; it is also called Chen, which means precise and neat like print, or Cheng, which means straight or upright. In its expression, Kai is dignified and highly restrained. It is the formal script one would use to write one's superior, head of government, etc. Kai has a beauty of orderly design and an aura of tranquility.

The Han dynasty was followed by the Three Kingdoms -- Wei, Shu, and Wu -- in the years 221 to 265. This was an innovative period for Chinese calligraphy. In the beginning, Li was still used, as one sees in the stone rubbing of 230 A.D. of the Wei kingdom; the brush work is so skillful that it can match almost any masterpiece of the Han period. However, the difference is that the overall shape of each character tends to be confined within a square instead of stretching out to the sides as in the Ba Fen style. In other words, the character was beginning to change from a squatly form into a square, which becomes the identifying characteristic of the latter Kai.

A trained eye can notice the revolutionary attempt to write in a Chuan design with Li brush work. Why not? It provides the viewer with a new dimension in art.

Under the Wei regime (3rd century), Chung Yu was considered to be the leading calligrapher and the first master of Kai. Many artists adopted his style of writing and his influence was great. In examining his works, one can discern at a glance that here is a style entirely different from Li or Ba Fen. The shape of each word is neither elongated nor horizontally stretched; it is more square in its composition. Upon first glance, one might be deceived by the orderly lines, and find the calligraphy rather flat and not very interesting.

However, there is infinite variety in the brush strokes, which is quite exciting from a technical point of view. For instance, the size of the characters is not at all regulated; some are large and some small. Note the vertical lines in the second column on the right; they are not mechanically parallel, and thus show a lively, free-hand spirit. The expression of his work reveals a somewhat serious attitude, but not too solemn or stiff. Instead, the viewer has before him an abstract work that is solid yet graceful and appealing.

The most outstanding calligrapher of China was Wang Hsi-Chih, who was also known as General Wang (307-363). This Chin artist was a follower of Chung Yu and also a student of the well-known calligrapher Madam Wei. He represents the summit of the art of Chinese calligraphy. He was a master of all the new styles: Kai, Hsing, and Tsao. Wang, in fact, can be considered the master of masters. All outstanding calligraphers in his time and down through the ensuing years have studied and followed Wang's technique of writing. His brush work is superb. In writing any particular character, Wang would vary its composition in myriad ways, demonstrating a genius for design. Yet each version of that word would be in perfect balance with sufficient contrasting effect to keep the reader excited.

The Canons of Longevity (see Fig. 31) was one of his masterpieces. The characters, as shown, are small, approximately the actual size of the original writing. The style, called Lesser Kai, is used even today for the writing of documents, examinations, official reports, and the like. It is a standard style of writing.

The true merit of a great master in calligraphy lies in the fact that he can handle a difficult skill with ease. Normally, in writing Lesser Kai, people are likely to be nervous and too careful in their attempt to keep the calligraphy neat and regular. Consequently, the result is often wooden. But Wang's writing is effortless. Each word, even each stroke, is very natural and shows no hesitation or laboriousness.

-- Kwo Da-Wei