Economically, during the seventy years from Emperor Taizong to Emperor Xuanzong, the policy of returning farmers to their fields was implemented, which promoted the improvement of agricultural productivity and the development of handicrafts and industry and commerce. Suzhou began to recover from the blow suffered by the lack of rich fields and forcing rich households to enter Beijing in the early Ming Dynasty. In the tenth year of Hongzhi (1497), Taicang Prefecture was established and coastal ports were established, which moved overseas trade centers from Yangzhou to Taicang and Songjiang, creating conditions for Suzhou's foreign trade and economic development. By the middle of the Ming Dynasty, with the further improvement of agriculture and handicraft industry, land annexation polarized society, and a large number of businessmen and rich people appeared. The capitalist employment relationship of "machine users contribute, machine workers contribute" (Wanli Record) in Suzhou weaving industry has accelerated the transformation of Suzhou from an agricultural city to an industrial and commercial city. Tang Bohu once described the scene of Nagato at that time like this: "Going up and down the stairs is 3,000 blue sleeves, and things are worth millions of gold. You bought it in Wugeng City, and you will never be able to speak from a distance. " This poem is regarded by Yuan Hongdao as an objective "factual record". Qin Wang's Ancient Su Zhi also described Suzhou's economic status as follows: "Today, most of the wealth is in the southeast, and Su Wei is the best." Its tax paid accounts for one-tenth of the country's total, exceeding the total tax paid by a province in Zhejiang (Wanli Tong Mingzhi). Economic prosperity has made Suzhou a "place where merchants from all provinces gather". Gu said in the book "Diseases of Counties and Countries in the World" that Suzhou "is full of goods and stores, and the golden rooster overflows". "I don't care about the number of acres of land, but I attract investment with goods, which looks like embroidery, gorgeous feast and high competition." The prosperity of society stimulated the demand for calligraphy and painting. According to records, Shen Zhou painters were asked to "fill the outdoor space". In the Epitaph of Ishida, Qin Wang said: "From the capital to Fujian, Chu and Sichuan, they all bought their traces, thinking that they were rare, romantic and elegant, and they were also prosperous for a while." More people buy Wen Zhiming's calligraphy and painting, saying that "one after another, every household is always full" and "the flowers are blooming and the noise overflows the inner door". This grand occasion of seeking words and paintings not only created a group of painters, but also attracted and gathered the surrounding painters. Now more than 30 Wen's family and students have recorded it. According to Xu Qin's Records of Paintings of Ming Dynasty, among the 800 painters in the Ming Dynasty, there were more than 150 in Suzhou, accounting for about one-fifth of the country. The high-density concentration of literati painters promoted the discussion and exchange between them, thus giving birth to the representative figures of painters and calligraphers.
From the perspective of human environment, the development of commodity economy in Suzhou in the middle of Ming Dynasty promoted the enrichment of social life and the development of culture. As a result, Suzhou is famous all over the world. Wang Ruo pointed out in Miscellaneous Notes on Gardens and the Prosperity of Su Xue: "My Su Xue Palace system is grand and solid, ranking first in the world. There are many talented people who won the first prize at the age of 18. Recently, they are particularly good at ancient Chinese, which is beyond the reach of other counties. " According to Shi Shouqian's statistics, during the period of 1448- 1505, there were 272 Jinshi in Suzhou, and such a dense talent pool appeared in one place, which is unique in the history of China. Similarly, there were thirteen top scholars and Hui Yuan in Suzhou in the Ming Dynasty, eight of whom were concentrated in the forty years of 1464- 1505. Such a humanistic environment promoted the cultural industries in Suzhou at that time, such as book engraving, antiques, opera and mounting. The artistic atmosphere is strong, private collections become the norm, scholars communicate frequently, calligraphy and painting are active, and various art categories show a prosperous scene. In a word, the development of economy makes the new cultural atmosphere sprout and colorful new social trends appear.
In the middle of Ming Dynasty, social fashion and the general mentality of literati turned to individual liberation, pursuing individual freedom and rebuilding life attitude and ideal value. Gu Zeng described the mentality of scholars at that time in the Record of the Day: "When Gai Hongzhi was promoted, the world was tired of always liking the new and hating the old, and the atmosphere changed greatly." This trend of thought is embodied in art, that is, seeking novelty and difference, paying attention to self-expression, expressing spirit and embodying true personality. "The History of Ming Dynasty" said: "The people of Zizhi Mountain in Wuzhong are free, which is the purpose of the world." A group of Wu scholars who are not bound by the cabinet style and influenced by the retro school are outstanding, free and unique, and have a critical attitude towards the simulated book style. In the postscript of Fu Tian Ji Li, Li Yingzhen, his old calligraphy teacher, saw him imitate Su Dongpo's brushwork and was greatly surprised to point out: "If you don't work hard, you can't follow in the footsteps of others, so you become Wang Xizhi, just someone else's ear." Li Yingzhen's consciousness of seeking change is the product of the wave of ideological emancipation in Zheng De period in Ming Dynasty, and it is the key factor to promote the prosperity of art and the emergence of representative figures. Wang Chong rose from the historical accumulation of ancient clay humanistic environment and the new trend of seeking change by Wumen calligraphers, and created his own style.
Calligraphy in Ming dynasty
China's calligraphy in the Ming Dynasty developed after the study of iron in Song and Yuan Dynasties, which can be divided into three periods: early, middle and late.
Calligraphy in the early Ming Dynasty only followed the tradition of the Yuan Dynasty, and has not yet formed its own characteristics. At that time, there were three famous calligraphers, namely Song Ke, Song Cong and Song Guang, as well as Zhan Xiyuan and Du Huan.
Song Ke's achievements in calligraphy reached its peak in the early Ming Dynasty. Good at cursive writing, writing, writing and cursive writing. Cao Zhang's strokes are thin and tall, and he is good at bodybuilding; Running grass also absorbed the wave potential of Cao Zhang. His calligraphy is simple, vigorous and skillful. Song Yan studied seal script, official script, regular script and cursive script, and his calligraphy and painting were very attractive. Song Guang is a kind cursive writer, and his writing is mature and charming. Zhan Xiyuan's list is regular script in Tang Dynasty. At that time, he wrote the plaques on the palaces and city gates. Song Yan and Du Huan served as the Sheren of Zhongshu, and Zhan Xiyuan served as the deputy envoy of Athena Chu, both of whom were imperial calligraphers who directly served the emperor. The honest and frank and skillful calligraphy of Zhan Xiyuan during the Three Song Dynasties paved the way for Taige style.
Song Ke: The Complete Book of Zhang Huaiguan's Ten Techniques of Using a Pen.
During the Yongle period, Judy of Ming Taizu ordered the recruitment of outstanding calligraphers in the world, and awarded the position of calligrapher in China. They are in charge of Wuying and Wenhua Hall respectively, writing imperial edicts, canon books and documents drawn up by the cabinet. Its calligraphy has a unified requirement and form, which is called Taige style. The representative calligrapher of Taige style is Er Shen. That is, the charm of the brothers Shen. In addition, there are Teng Yongheng and Chen Deng.
Shen Du, who is good at writing official script and learning from others in the south of the city, is more mature and charming. Later, Jiang Ligang changed the two sunken bodies into a square whole, and the knot was mellow and powerful, which was also very important in the world.
In the middle period, with the development of commodity economy, Suzhou, Hangzhou, Yangzhou and other cities in the south of the Yangtze River have become not only the economic centers of the whole country, but also the cultural centers where literati gather. A large number of literary works reflecting the life of citizens have appeared in the literary world, and literati calligraphy has also revived. Calligraphers turned their interest to ancient calligraphy, and they tried to draw nutrition from it. For example, Li Dongyang studied Yan Zhenqing and Li, Wu Kuanxue Su Shi, Shen Huang Tingjian, Zhang Bi and Zhang, Zhang Xu and Huai Su. After many explorations, they all have a deep literary accomplishment. On the basis of inheriting the excellent tradition, their calligraphy pays more attention to formal beauty and expresses personal feelings, and finally Wu Men School calligraphy appeared in Suzhou. Their representatives are Zhu Yunming, Wen Zhiming and Wang Chong.
Charm: Liang Wudi cursive script
Zhu Yunming studied Zhong You and Wang Xizhi under Xiao Kai, and Huai Su and Huang Tingjian under Weeds. He devoted himself to the study of ancient laws, changing in and out, and forming his own face. Zhong You, a master of regular script in Wen Zhiming, wrote cursive script based on the Preface to the Holy Teaching, and absorbed the strengths of the Tang, Song and Yuan Dynasties. He specializes in Huang Tingjian, a large-character edition, Huang Tingjing, Wang Xizhi, and Yue Yi Lun, and his achievements are the highest. His book wins by skill and has a beautiful and elegant style; The biggest influence is children and students. Wang Chong is good at writing small letters and cursive script. He studied under Wang Xianzhi and Yu Shinan, and his writing style was unpretentious. The calligraphy of this period is most famous in small letters. Tiger calligraphers are also good at small letters, because they have the work of calligraphy. Wu Sanjia's achievements in lower case letters are also the most outstanding. However, in order to correct the shortcomings of unified style and lack of artistic meaning, they adopted the method of Wei and Jin Dynasties and emphasized the natural beauty of calligraphy. Deliberately make the length of stippling straight, each stroke has a word shape, with a large number of strokes, a small number of simple strokes, oblique density and correctness, and Fiona Fang is slender and natural. Cursive script is one of the three great works handed down from ancient times. Wen Zhiming abides by the law, and Wang Chong is generous and beautiful. It is rare that three or five words are connected. Occasionally, the two words are connected, and the strokes are gently held. Even "Zhu Yunming" is full of strange ups and downs of weeds. They inherited the ancient tradition of taking truth as grass, and the stippling was clear and unconventional, while retaining the ever-changing artistic characteristics of weeds. Wish, Wen and Wang.
Their calligraphy styles are different: Zhu Yunming is brilliant, his calligraphy is extensive and his life is eclectic. His calligraphy is also eclectic, strewn at random, and sometimes even sick. But as long as it is his careful work, its brilliance is often beyond the reach of others. On the other hand, Wen Zhiming is completely different: he leads a quiet and peaceful life. I have been rigorous, old and knowledgeable all my life. His books are full of statutes, vigorous and elegant. Wang Chong is versatile and handsome. Writing poems and books at will, not for fame and fortune, is the legacy of Jin people. His book, which comes from Wang Xianzhi, spreads the popularity of Xiao San, revealing refreshing charm in simplicity. In addition, there are a group of calligraphers around Zhu, Wen and Wang. Such as Chen Chun, Wen Peng, Wen Jia, Zhou, Wang and Deng. , are all calligraphers of Wu School. So at that time, there was a saying that "all calligraphy in the world belongs to Wu".
After Qin Long and Wanli, many calligraphers with unique styles and outstanding achievements appeared in the calligraphy field. Such as Xu Wei, Xing Dong, Dong Qichang, Mi, Huang Daozhou, Ni, Wang Duo and Fu Shan.
Mi Wanzhong: Cursive Poetry
Xu Wei expressed his anger in his chest in cursive script. Followed by Xing Dong, Dong Qichang and Mi. Xing Dong extensively studied the calligraphy of famous artists in Jin, Tang and Song Dynasties, and left many works that copied ancient posts. His calligraphy is vigorous, steady and mellow, thanks to Zhong You and Wang Xizhi. Ray's book has a unique style. He found a new way out of Jin and Tang calligraphy, and used it for many purposes, giving people a strange feeling. Mi, a descendant of Mi Fei in Song Dynasty, specializes in rice characters, and his brushwork is calm and vigorous. He was famous for his calligraphy in the north for 40 years. In addition, there are Zhao Huanguang, who created Cao Zhuan, and Song Jue, who specializes in official script. But at the end of the Ming Dynasty, Dong Qichang was the most influential one, creating a generation of calligraphy style.
Dong Qichang also wrote regular script, regular script and cursive script. He began to study Yan Zhenqing's Many Pagodas at the age of 17, and later studied under famous artists in Jin, Tang and Song Dynasties. Throughout his life, he took Wang Xizhi's charming posture, Yan Zhenqing's rough and clumsy, and Song people's calligraphy was natural, forming a beautiful and elegant calligraphy style. On calligraphy theory, he emphasized that calligraphy was ancient, and thought that calligraphy could only be born when it was mature, that is, to show the "morale" of calligraphy by covering up the skillful skills with clumsiness. He attached great importance to the calligrapher's cultural and artistic accomplishment, advocated reading more books and getting close to the original works of the ancients, and emphasized reading thousands of books and taking the Wan Li road to improve artistic understanding. All these are related to the theory of northern and southern sects put forward by him in "On Painting". Dong Qichang created a seemingly irrelevant aesthetic and elegant style. Due to the intensification of social contradictions at that time, his calligraphy did not immediately arouse strong repercussions. After the social stability in the early Qing dynasty, it was quickly valued and advocated by the rulers. In addition, there were Huang Daozhou's stubborn side, Ni's new abnormal condition, Wang Duo's and Fu Shan's.
Calm and profound, they all reflect the great changes in the book world between10 and 20 years before the fall of the Ming Dynasty, and continued until the early years of the Qing Dynasty.