Chinese Characters Past and Present

Name: Chinese Characters Past and Present
ISBN: 9787101165777

Qi GongZhonghua Book Company · ChinaAug 2024

4.3

Word count: 47K words
Chapters: 20
ISBN: 9787101165777

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Summary

This book consists of two parts: A Draft Treatise on Ancient Typefaces and Reflections on Chinese Calligraphy. A Draft Treatise on Ancient Typefaces was Mr. Qigong's first monograph. It originated when, in the course of his reading, he noticed discrepancies between the typeface names recorded in documents and the actual shapes of typefaces on surviving objects. Using a method of mutual verification between documents and objects, he selected nearly a hundred highly representative photographs of actual typefaces and set out to sort through and explore these discrepancies. Drawing on profound scholarship, he traces the history of the development of Chinese typefaces from the perspectives of philology and archaeology, clarifying many complex academic questions, and explains these complex matters in his characteristic humorous style, making it easy for readers to gain a comprehensive understanding of the history of Chinese characters' development. Reflections on Chinese Calligraphy discusses concrete issues in the study of calligraphy and includes several reproductions of the author's own handwriting, facilitating both practice and appreciation.

Editor's review

Mr. Qigong's Chinese Characters Past and Present is by no means an ordinary primer on Chinese characters, but a collection of cultural essays distilled from the lifelong scholarship of a true master of philology and a leading figure in calligraphy. The book's appeal lies in how it transcends the boundary between academic monograph and popular reading: in a relaxed, unhurried style, it lays before readers the key junctures, difficult questions, and cultural implications in the evolution of Chinese characters over several thousand years, as if cataloguing treasures. With his deep grounding in documents and keen artistic intuition, Mr. Qigong not only examines character origins and distinguishes character forms but also places Chinese characters in the multidimensional contexts of history, culture, and daily life, revealing the vivid ancient thought and scenes of life behind the writing. The discussion of the relationship between simplified and traditional characters, for example, is impartial and full of the wisdom of historical dialectics, and highly instructive. In reading this book, what you gain is not only knowledge of where a given character comes from, but also a way and method for understanding Chinese characters and indeed Chinese culture. Its language is plain yet its content profound, its length compact yet its vision broad—a rare work that satisfies both specialized inquiry and general humanistic education.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers of history and culture with a strong interest in the origins and cultural connotations of Chinese characters
Calligraphy learners hoping to deepen their understanding of the art and broaden their aesthetic horizons
Teachers, parents, and students seeking reliable, vivid knowledge about Chinese characters
Readers who appreciate small books by great masters and prefer accessible academic essays

Not a good fit for

Beginners looking for a systematic, textbook-style course on Chinese characters
Readers interested only in internet slang or amusing anecdotes about Chinese characters

Reading tips

Reading by interest is recommended; there is no need to follow the order—start with chapters on characters you know or are curious about.
Keep paper and pen at hand while reading to sketch the evolution of character forms or note your reflections; the experience will be deeper.
Viewing the book alongside Mr. Qigong's calligraphic works will help you better appreciate his aesthetic of uniting knowledge and practice.

About the publisher

Zhonghua Book Company China · Founded in 1912

Zhonghua Book Company is a publisher known for collating ancient texts and academic publishing, with its output centered on Eastern philosophy, culture, classic works, art, and historical reading. Its library contains 532 titles, including Chen Shou's Records of the Three Kingdoms, Guo Qingfan's Collected Commentaries on Zhuangzi, the four-volume Chinese Literature: Four Great Classical Novels, and the two-volume Table of Seal and Clerical Script Forms from Qin, Han, Wei, and Jin. These titles span historical classics, commentaries on the philosophers, classical novels, and philological reference works. Representative authors include Chen Shou, Guo Qingfan, Wu Cheng'en, Shi Nai'an, Cao Xueqin, Luo Guanzhong, Xu Wenwu, and the Hanyu Dazidian character-form group, reflecting a focus on primary sources and scholarly editors. Its publishing character lies in combining authoritative editions and annotated texts with both accessible classics and specialized research. Public information on its fuller catalog is limited; this note describes only the directions evident in the library's holdings.

版权信息
出版说明
古代字体论稿
第一章问题的提出
第二章考察的起点
第三章八体小篆
第四章籀文大篆
第五章古文
第六章科斗书
第七章鸟虫书虫书
第八章隶书左书史书
第九章八分
第十章草书章草
第十一章真书及几种特殊的字体
第十二章古代字体的交错情况与崇尚标准
初版及再版后记
汉字书法心得
第一章论笔顺
第二章论结字
第三章论学书

FAQ

Is this book highly academic? Is it suitable for readers with no background at all?

Its scholarship is extremely deep, but its expression is highly accessible. Mr. Qigong was skilled at using vivid metaphors and everyday examples to dissolve technical difficulties; anyone with some intuitive familiarity with Chinese characters (that is, anyone who can read and write) will read it with relish and benefit greatly.

Does this book mainly discuss oracle bone script, bronze inscriptions, and other ancient scripts?

It is not devoted to ancient-script textual research. The book's core is discussion: it explores the historical evolution and cultural connections of Chinese characters in form, sound, and meaning, ranging from ancient scripts to current standard characters, from the art of calligraphy to everyday usage, with a broad vision.

How is this book different from textbooks such as An Outline of Philology?

It is essentially cultural essays rather than a systematic textbook. It does not seek to build a complete theoretical framework but is question-oriented, selecting typical cases for subtle analysis; it focuses on conveying insights and provoking thought, and its style carries more personal flair and humanistic warmth.

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About the author

Qi Gong Author · Chinese · 1912–2005

Qi Gong (1912–2005), courtesy name Yuanbai, of the Manchu Aisin Gioro clan, was a native of Beijing. A renowned calligrapher and painter, educator, scholar of classical literature, connoisseur of cultural relics, and poet, he was a professor and doctoral supervisor at Beijing Normal University. He served as director of the Central Research Institute of Culture and History, chairman of the Chinese Calligraphers Association, chairman of the National Cultural Relics Authentication Committee, and a member of the Standing Committee of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference. He devoted himself to the study of classical literature, language, and writing, and authored works including Collected Essays of Qi Gong and On Ancient Chinese Scripts. His writing combines scholarly rigor with a lucid, refined style, discussing calligraphy and painting and tracing the origins of Chinese characters in an accessible way. Eight of his works are included here, spanning history, classical literature, art, language, and documentary writing—ranging from oral history and lecture records to essays on painting and calligraphy and reminiscences of Qi Baishi—revealing both his learning and his character.