Calligraphy, with distinctive script styles including the seal, clerical, regular, running and cursive, is a traditional art form that has been prized above all others by the Chinese literati for centuries. In "The Tao of Chinese Calligraphy", by introducing historical masterpieces, we hope to give you a glimpse of how the functionality of handwriting was elevated to aesthetics heights in a culture devoted to the power of words.
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00:00Discover calligraphy and the charm of it all.
00:15Hello everyone.
00:16Welcome to the Tao of Chinese Calligraphy.
00:18Let's meet our three distinguished guests who will reveal the backstories of some Chinese
00:23calligraphy masterpieces.
00:25They are Central Academy of Fine Arts Professor Chu Zhengzhong, Minzhi University of China's
00:32Professor Meng Man, Vice President of the China Calligrapher's Association, Ye Peigui.
00:39We also have 30 calligraphy enthusiasts with us.
00:43Welcome to the show.
00:44So let's look at the calligraphy classic, Lanqun Jishi by Wang Xichun from the Eastern
00:51Jin Dynasty.
01:04About 1600 years ago, during China's Eastern Jin Dynasty, Wang Xizhi, one of the greatest
01:10calligraphers in Chinese history, wrote Lanqun Jishi, or Preface to the Poems Composed at
01:16the Orchid Pavilion.
01:18This masterpiece has been held in great esteem by calligraphy masters ever since.
01:24By studying and copying the piece repeatedly, they have created a connection with its author
01:28that transcends both time and space.
01:38It is early spring in the year 353 AD and we as friends are all gathered here having
01:46fun together and drinking some wine.
01:51We behold the vast immensity of the universe and appreciate the diversity of species.
01:57Thereby we refresh our views and free our souls.
02:02How infinite is the cheer.
02:12As the ancients said, birth and death are two ultimate events.
02:21Yet it is foolish of me to equate death with life.
02:26Long life with short life.
02:33Endowed with great mountains and lofty peaks.
02:41We are surrounded by flourishing branches and tall bamboo.
02:47We regale ourselves with poetic expression of our feelings and emotions.
02:55We enjoy wine and song together with friends.
03:09By order of the Tang Emperor, I am copying Lanqun Jishi.
03:23The first stroke of the character Sui is hollow, while another has a broken stroke.
03:33So we can see that Wang Xichu wrote it with a clear mind.
03:37Every time I see this work, it is like I am right there.
03:43The calligraphy and scenery are so beautiful.
03:47No wonder the Tang Emperor praised it as perfect and always had the work copied.
03:55It's a masterpiece.
04:18Among all of the calligraphers, I have not found one that can or has impressed me yet.
04:31Yet I regard that Langting Jishi as the finest calligraphy in the world.
04:44It is elegant and beautiful with placid twists and edges that are as sharp as a knife.
04:55Such superb execution could only be achieved by Wang Xichu.
05:08It's foolish of me to equate death with life.
05:12He compares long life with short life.
05:16He understands that life is very short and asks us to be diligent and live our lives without regret.
05:32We behold the vast immensity of the universe and appreciate the diversity of species.
05:40Nearby, we refresh our views and let free our souls.
05:55Innovation should still follow the proper norms of calligraphy.
06:06I respect Wang Xichu for his loyalty and filial piety.
06:11A calligraphy work reflects the character of its author.
06:18The proper norms of calligraphy are found in Langting Jishi.
06:29Even if our conditions may have changed over time, but people's emotions stay the same.
06:35We still have much to consider about life and death, and appreciation is what we entrust to our calligraphy.
06:42Why is this masterpiece Langting Jishi considered the world's finest example of running script?
07:03First of all, the Chinese running script, represented by Wang Xichu and his masterpiece
07:09Langting Jishi, came at a critical period in history.
07:14Running script had already matured by then and developed to a very high level.
07:20A masterpiece was destined to be created during this period.
07:25Second, the calligraphy in Langting Jishi is truly at a high level in Chinese calligraphy history.
07:32Its brush strokes, its layout and font structure are incredibly rare.
07:39And even unprecedented.
07:41Third, it established the classical norms of Chinese calligraphy, which are to be well proportioned and balanced.
07:52In the course of 1,600 years, these norms have become the mainstream aesthetic in calligraphy.
08:01Wang Xichu is regarded as the saint of calligraphy in China.
08:06In fact, there's a story behind all of this.
08:09Part of it can be attributed to the fact that Emperor Taizong of Tang was an avid collector of Wang Xichu's works.
08:19It is said that the original Langting Jishi was buried alongside Emperor Taizong.
08:24What we see today is a copy of the Tang Dynasty calligrapher Fang Chengsu.
08:30More than 15 versions were copied and traced by other calligraphers during the Tang Dynasty period.
08:38So for people like us today, can you tell us how to appreciate Langting Jishi?
08:43A work of calligraphy would be very boring if all the characters follow one after another in a very strict way with really strict rules in a uniform manner.
08:55Why is Langting Jishi's composition so brilliant and so subtly beautiful?
09:01If we draw an axis through any lines of the text, we can easily see that they are all parallel to each other and yet still have subtle curves.
09:13Also, the vertical lines are aligned in order, but with small differences here and there.
09:20It's the slight and natural variations in its composition that bring the whole piece to life.
09:25It's a seamless work of art.
09:29When writing running script, it is easy to lose control of the strokes.
09:33But if we look at this work in detail, we can tell that nothing is neglected in terms of writing skill.
09:40The attention to detail is immaculate.
09:42For example, the Chinese character sheng, or diversity, in the lower part of this Chinese character, there are two short vertical strokes and then one horizontal stroke to complete it.
09:56Please pay more attention to this part.
09:58Take a look at how one vertical stroke extends over the lower part of the horizontal stroke and then undulates up and down the two strokes to create amazingly smooth overlaps.
10:10The ups and downs in his brushwork are well laid out.
10:14You can feel the fluctuations and the rhythm of his writing when you look at this.
10:20Beneath the tranquil surface, there are living pulses like the constant rise and fall of waves.
10:25This gives a sense of peace overall on its surface.
10:28That's where we can appreciate the real beauty of Leng Tingji's shoe.
10:33We all know that this is a masterpiece of Chinese calligraphy art.
10:37But there is also a literary elegance to be found in this masterpiece.
10:41Isn't that right, Professor Meng?
10:43Yes, that's very right.
10:44It's a beautiful written piece.
10:46Let's look in at the detail.
10:47The first half is about the scenery.
10:50Among the lush bamboo forest secluded in the mountains, the sky is clear and a mild breeze greets us.
10:55What a beautiful spring day.
10:58He then moves on to reflections.
11:00In an instant, these will have become the past.
11:03Birth and death are the two ultimate events.
11:06The beautiful scenery around us will be gone in time.
11:09We will also be gone someday.
11:12How can this be our reality?
11:13What should we do about it?
11:15There was a prevalent idea in his day that life and death were the same illusion.
11:21This idea was originally an important part of Taoist philosophy,
11:25but it was often misinterpreted as a passive attitude towards life, giving up everything.
11:30However, Wang Xichu argued that we cannot turn a blind eye to challenges
11:35since we are awakened to life by the fear of death.
11:39People of that time left us some great spiritual wealth.
11:42They inspired us to look outward and explore nature and look inward to examine our deepest emotions.
11:47Langting Zhizhu is a reflection of this spirit.
11:49It depicts the beauty of nature and landscapes at the time
11:53and ponders on our love for life despite its brevity,
11:57encouraging us to be strong-minded and optimistic.
12:02Recently, an Italian astronaut shared on social media a group of photos
12:07she took from the International Space Station when it flew over China.
12:11She quoted the following text from Langting Zhizhu.
12:14We behold the vast immensity of the universe and appreciate the diversity of species.
12:21Thereby, we refresh our views and free our souls, and indeed, this is true happiness.
12:26Wang Xichu would never have imagined that his words and thoughts expressed at a meeting
12:32would resonate with a foreigner and the foreigner in space at that more than 1,000 years later.
12:38It's incredible.
12:39As Professor Meng said, life is so short compared to the vast universe, endless time and boundless space.
12:46But the classics can endure through time and space and shine with eternal light.
12:55Now, let's move on to the next round of Master's Thumbs Up to learn more about Wang Xichu's work.
13:06Langting Zhizhu occupies a special place in the hearts and minds of generations of Chinese calligraphy enthusiasts.
13:13Almost everyone who learns Chinese calligraphy must have copied this work for practice,
13:18including our 30 contestants here.
13:21The following question is about this piece.
13:23It's called Spot the Difference in Calligraphy.
13:25We will select one lucky contestant to join us in this round.
13:33My name is Zou Zhengle. I'm a master's student in calligraphy at the Beijing Language and Culture University.
13:39Here's the question.
13:41Now we're seeing a modified version of Langting Zhizhu copied by Feng Chengxu.
13:48Please find the characters that don't belong in their original in each of the first five columns you see here on screen.
13:57You may begin.
14:00The first character in the first column should be young.
14:07Please go on.
14:09In the second column, it's the character Ji.
14:15In the next column, it's the sixth character Xiao.
14:23In the fourth column, it's the character Mao.
14:29Then it's the character Liu in the fifth column.
14:34Are you sure?
14:35Yes, I'm sure.
14:36Okay, everyone, let's see if his answers are correct or not.
14:41Here are the correct answers.
14:43Young in the first column, Ji in the second, Xiao in the third, Mao in the fourth, and Liu in the fifth.
14:48You got them all correct. Congratulations.
14:53That's amazing.
14:54How many times have you copied the masterpiece Langting Zhizhu?
14:58I think maybe at least a hundred times.
15:00I magnify it to study the details.
15:03This way I can trace the strokes of each character very clearly.
15:07To understand how the strokes were executed is important.
15:11Since we are learning from tracing instead of just duplicating Langting Zhizhu's original work.
15:16Could you tell us the differences between the modified version and the original?
15:22To be honest, some differences are easy to tell at a glance.
15:27Like the first character, Yong, and the fourth character, Mao.
15:32When you're familiar with this piece,
15:34you can tell that the character Mao reveals the distinctive style of Langting Zhizhu from the first to the last stroke.
15:41There's a continuous, consistent flow that is steady throughout the whole character.
15:47Despite what seems like breaks, the lines unfold effortlessly and rhythmically.
15:52However, the modified character looks rigid with connected strokes.
15:57It lacks the natural and beautiful flow of the original.
16:01This is a key difference. Pretty typical.
16:04Wow, true professionals really know their stuff.
16:07It's intriguing for us amateurs too.
16:10Thank you, Professor Ye.
16:12Now our contestants will copy Langting Zhizhu to pay tribute to this masterpiece and the author of this piece of art.
16:31Langting Zhizhu
16:37Langting Zhizhu
17:00When copying this work, I want to know what we should pay most attention to.
17:04Please tell me what's the key.
17:06Since the masterpiece Langting Zhizhu is highly complex, it can't be done easily and simply in a single go.
17:13Rather, we should set short-term goals.
17:16For example, on the first attempt, I will focus on the precise movement of the brush tip.
17:23The next focus would be on the continuity of the strokes.
17:26And lastly, the variation in the character structures.
17:30Step by step, we break down the challenge to achieve better results with repeated long-term practice.
17:35The coordination of our eyes, hands, and mind takes time and effort.
17:40When you copy a piece of calligraphy, you should observe and imagine the brush movements at the time of writing.
17:46You should lead the brush with your mind.
17:49This helps with visualizing the calligrapher's intention as much as possible in order to recreate.
17:56Only when your approach is that intentional can you produce work that mirrors the original.
18:20Now let's take a look at the copies our contestants just finished.
18:27Langting Zhizhu
18:37Over 1,600 years have passed.
18:39Langting Zhizhu remains a classic much admired and studied by generations of calligraphy enthusiasts.
18:45For our show, the Tao of Chinese Calligraphy, we have gathered just like Wang Xizhi and his friends did over 1,000 years ago.
18:53To pay special tribute to this masterpiece, we'll select some of the works by our 30 contestants here with us
19:00to create a new and special version of our interpretation of Langting Zhizhu.
19:24Langting Zhizhu
19:31It's stamped with a special seal design for the show.
19:35Thank you for joining us.
19:42You've been watching The Tao of Chinese Calligraphy, a show dedicated to showcasing masterpieces from the history of Chinese calligraphy.
19:50Join us again next time.
19:53The Tao of Chinese Calligraphy