Chinese Calligraphy

Professor Su Lichang

Co-Director, Confucius Institute

Styles of Chinese

Calligraphy

真、草、隶、篆、行

• kai calligraphy (regular script), Cao calligraphy (cursive hand), Li calligraphy (official-script styles), Zhuan calligraphy (seal character) and Xing calligraphy ( semi cursive script or running-hand)

Calligraphy from Liu

Gongquan(柳公权778－865)

• Born in Shanxi Province, master calligrapher of TANG Dynasty.

• 柳公权，字诚悬，唐代著名书法家，汉族，京兆华原（今陕西铜川市耀州区）人。官至太子少师，世称“柳少师”。柳公权书法以楷书著称，与颜真卿齐名，人称颜柳。他的书法初学王羲之，后来遍观唐代名家书法，认为颜真卿，欧阳询的字最好，便吸取了颜，欧之长，在晋人劲媚和颜书雍容雄浑之间，形成了自己的柳体，以骨力劲健见长，后世有 “颜筋柳骨”的美誉。

Calligraphy sample (i)

Calligraphy sample (ii)

Calligraphy from Ou Yangxiu

欧阳询(557-641)

Master calligrapher of TANG Dynasty

Born in Tanzhou (潭州,今长沙, one of the four regular style master calligrapher

欧阳询、颜真卿、柳公权、赵孟頫

Calligraphy sample (iii)

Calligraphy from Yan

Zhenqing

• Master Calligrapher of TANG Dynasty颜真卿(709－785)

• 苏轼曾云：“诗至于杜子美，文至于韩退之，

画至于吴道子，书至于颜鲁公，而古今之变，天下之能事尽矣。”（《东坡题跋》）

颜真卿，字清臣，琅琊临沂（今山东临沂）人，唐代杰出的书法家。曾为平原太守，人称颜平原。

Calligraphy from Yan

Zhenqing Yan Zhenqing is a master of calligraphy in Tang Dynasty.

His innovation in calligraphic expression is influenced by his engagement with the northern tradition of monumental standard script styles representing a balance between propriety and Zhang Xu's wildness. The sheer weight and lack of hesitation in his brushstrokes has long been associated with his physical and moral courage. A master though, he was not a professional himself. Instead, he was also well-known for being a straight-forward official for the government in his time.

Calligraphy from Yan

Zhenqing

Calligraphy from Zhao

Mengfu赵孟頫 (1254—1322）

• Born in Wuxing (今浙江湖州)，master calligrapher of Yuan Dynasty

• 字子昂，号松雪，松雪道人，又号水精宫道人、鸥波，中年曾作孟俯,汉族，吴兴（今浙江湖州）人。元代著名画家，楷书四大家（欧阳询、颜真卿、柳公权、赵孟頫）之一。赵孟頫博学多才，能诗善文，懂经济，工书法，精绘艺，擅金石，通律吕，解鉴赏。特别是书法和绘画成就最高，开创元代新画风，被称为“元人冠冕”。他也善篆、隶、真、行、草书，尤以楷、行书著称于世。赵孟頫书《大学帖》

Calligraphy from Zhao

Mengfu赵孟頫 (1254—1322）

Calligraphy from Zhao

Mengfu赵孟頫 (1254—1322）

Cao Calligraphy (Cursive

hand)

Cao Calligraphy (Cursive

hand)

Li Calligraphy (Official-

Script styles)

Li Calligraphy (Official-

Script styles)

Zhuan Calligraphy (Seal

character)

Zhuan Calligraphy (Seal

character)

Xing calligraphy ( semi

cursive script or running-

hand)

Xing calligraphy ( semi

cursive script or running-

hand)