Hao Chunyan

DOI: 10.64212/LVAS5686

Abstract
He Shaoji is one of the representative artists of Chinese calligraphy art from the Qing Dynasty. Amidst the prevailing trend of “depreciating the Tang style” in epigraphy, he keenly recognized the important value of the complementary relationship between rubbing study and stele study, formed the brushwork view of horizontal and vertical strokes, and studied the impact of seal script and official script (精古篆分) on the innovation of integrating dialogue. Thus, these formed the aesthetic characteristics of his calligraphy: simple but rounded strokes with internal strength and natural variations. The brushwork technique is crucial in He Shaoji’s calligraphic art, indicating his theoretical and practical innovation. Firstly, based on his reflection on stele arts, by absorbing the calligraphic arts from stone tablet inscriptions, He Shaoji delved into the brushwork arts of the Jin and Tang dynasties and integrated the calligraphic arts in stone tablet inscriptions with that of traditional brush calligraphy, with an innovative philosophy of combining different techniques from different calligraphic schools. Secondly, the technique of horizontal and vertical strokes represents a unification between brushwork, structural form, and aesthetics, enclosing such calligraphic and aesthetic elements as the movement of the central axis of the brush, the broad and profound structure, and the transformation of plainness into variability. Thirdly, “deeply study seal script and official script” was the thinking and cognition behind He Shaoji’s calligraphy research. In the practice of tablet calligraphy, he advocated the study of selected ancient works, the study of seal script and official script, and the formation of an innovative path of pen integration in practice.

Keywords
He Shaoji, brushwork, aesthetic perspective