On Calligraphy
Tags
Summary
Editor's review
Who it's for
A good fit for
- Readers interested in calligraphy theory and Su Shi's literary and artistic thought
- Enthusiasts with some calligraphy practice who want to improve their theoretical understanding
- Students of classical literary theory who need selected reading materials
- General readers who enjoy short essay-style classical prose
Not a good fit for
- Beginners with no background who want a systematic calligraphy technique tutorial
- Beginners in classical Chinese who need detailed annotations and line-by-line translation
- Specialist researchers in calligraphy history expecting long monographic studies
Reading tips
- Read the three parts in order, pausing after each to sort out the core questions Su Shi addresses.
- Read in light of your own practice of copying models or writing to appreciate the relevance of his views on calligraphy.
- Excerpt passages about learning from the ancients or developing new ideas, as reminders for daily writing.
- Read alongside Su Shi's other essays on literature and art to sense his artistic eye for the interconnections of calligraphy, painting, poetry, and prose.
About the publisher
Jinzhang Book Company (Jinzhang Shuju) was a private publishing and distribution house in Shanghai during the late Qing and early Republican periods, issuing traditional works by lithographic printing. Judging from the 1,194 titles in the collection, its publishing focused on classical poetry, Eastern philosophy, historical reading, traditional Chinese medical texts, and canonical works, along with books on literary appreciation. Representative titles include the poetry and prose collections of Du Fu and Ouyang Xiu; historical works such as the Book of Han and Zizhi Tongjian; classical texts such as the Book of Documents and Mencius; and specialized and literary classics such as Treatise on Cold Damage and Li Sao. Its author resources cover major figures across the ages, including Du Fu, Ban Gu, Sima Guang, Zhang Zhongjing, Qu Yuan, Ouyang Xiu, and Tang Shenwei, reflecting the house's characteristic reliance on traditional scholarship and medical literature while serving general readers. Public information on its early history and operational details is limited, so no conjecture is offered here.
Contents
- 版权信息
- 正文
FAQ
What do the three parts of "On Calligraphy" discuss?
Can I understand "On Calligraphy" without a calligraphy background?
Is this book suitable as an introductory reader for calligraphy theory?
Comments
Find this book
This site is an index: you start “Search all sources” in your browser, and the entries it lists all point to third-party sites; please judge their availability yourself.
About the author
Su Shi (1037–1101), courtesy name Zizhan and literary name Dongpo Jushi, was a native of Meishan in Meizhou (present-day Meishan, Sichuan) and a writer, calligrapher, painter, and statesman of the Northern Song dynasty. He excelled in poetry, ci lyrics, prose, and fu, and was one of the Eight Great Prose Masters of the Tang and Song. His ci opened the bold and unconstrained school, and his calligraphy ranks first among the Four Masters of Song. The collection contains twenty-eight of his works, including Dongpo Yuefu jian, Dongpo zhilin, Su Shi ciji, Lun shu, Chao Cuo lun, and Dongpo ji, covering poetry, historical essays, miscellaneous notes, and writings on calligraphy and painting. His prose is sweeping and unrestrained, his poetry clear and vigorous, and his ci broke through the confines of delicate romance, using poetry as the basis for ci and broadening both its subjects and its scope, while his brief occasional pieces are casually sketched yet rich in feeling. His work has had a profound influence on later literature, calligraphy and painting, and literati life, and has long been regarded as classic, often placed in the categories of ancient poetry, Eastern philosophy, and literary appreciation.
