Because the character “王” (king) reminds one of a tiger’s forehead, the Chinese people regard the tiger as the ―king‖ of the beasts. The pattern is particularly prominent on folk crafts.
Descriptive writing (locally called ―bird and flower character‖) by folk artists.
Painted calligraphy or written painting?
“寿”(longevity) embroidered with flower patterns, Qing Dynasty (1616-1911).
Woven characters: ―Five-petal Plum Blossom‖. Qing Dynasty.
Auspicious words ―More wealth, more fortune‖.
Style Marks the Man.
Characters are like cardiograms: A piece of handwriting often reveals the character and temperament of the writer.
Yan Zhenqing and Zhao Mengfu were both great calligraphers of ancient China. The straightforward honesty of Yan and the clever adaptability of Zhao so obvious in their calligraphy well reflected their personalities.
Emperor Huizong of Song and Emperor Qianlong of Qing led drastically different lives. While Huizong’s misfortune permeates his sparse, embittered writing style, Qianlong’s work overflows with richness and content.
Unit 5. Other Benefits of Chinese Characters
Chinese Characters and Papermaking
Before the invention of paper, most Chinese scripts were written on heavy bamboo or wooden slips. Today’s bagful of books would be equal to five big carts loaded with slips at that time. The development of language called for new medium for writing.
In 105 A.D., drawing on previous practices from others before him, Cai Lun invented paper by using tree bark, hemp, and pieces of cloth. From then on, paper has been the most important writing medium in China. Portrait of Cai Lun.
Records about Cai Lun’s papermaking in Hou Han Shu (the Later Han Books)
Flow chart of papermaking.
Map of the spread of papermaking skills to other regions.
The transmission of paper to other places soon triggered enormous changes around the world, accelerating the civilization of mankind.
Raw material for papermaking.
Chinese Characters and Printing.
Before printing was invented.
Before printing was invented, all books were copied by hand, which was time-consuming and vulnerable to mistakes. Manuscripts from Dunhuang Grottoes.
Copier figures of Jin (265-420). Ancient Chinese worked in pairs to copy books, one to copy and one to proofread.
Since the Eastern Han Dynasty, stele inscriptions were widely used to publicize authoritative characters and classic books. An inscribed scripture in three styles of writing.
Tang scripts sheltered in the Stele Forest of Xi’an.
The spread of stele inscriptions soon led to another invention: ink rubbings. This was done by placing wet paper on the stele, and then applying ink on the paper so that the inverse characters could stand out. A forerunner of block printing, this ancient technique provides copies true to the original. It is still widely used today.
Remains of Xiping Stone Scripts, Eastern Han Dynasty (replica)
Block Printing.
As one of the four greatest inventions of ancient China, block printing came into being 1,300 years ago. This is the oldest printed work of China that can be dated: Diamond Sutra , Tang Dynasty (868).
In the Song Dynasty (960--1279), inscribers of printing blocks were often calligraphers. Books printed at this time appealed not only to the mind, but to the aesthetic sense as well. A book printed in the Song Dynasty.
A letterform created specially for block printing: the Song style. Its inventors are unknown, but its advantages are obvious. This letterform is still the major book letter used today. A book printed in Song style.
Other techniques like overprinting, multicolor overprinting and embossing were invented one after another, constantly pushing block printing to new levels.
Type printing.
Around 1041--1048, Bi Sheng, a commoner in the Song Dynasty, invented type printing based on the principle of seals. Records on the invention of type printing by Bi Sheng in Meng Xi Bi Tan (Note of SHEN kuo)
Portrait of Bi Sheng.
Process of clay-type printing.
How to make the printing type: mold some small clay pieces, stamp letters on them, bake until hard, and then arrange them in an iron case.
Around 1295—1300, Wang Zhen invented wooden type printing, and a Chinese-friendly type arranging system with evolving cases. Portrait of Wang Zhen.
Various forms of metal type were also invented afterwards, enriching printing technologies immensely.
Wang Zhen’s type-case (model)
Bi Sheng’s clay types (replica)
Chinese Characters and Unity of China.
The standardization of Chinese script has helped promote the economic, cultural exchange and development within China, thus enhancing the overall power of the nation. This is a partial rubbing of Aotun Liangbi Banquet Stele, a bilingual stele inscription of Chinese and Nuchen (ancestors of the Manchu).
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