Tang Dynasty Aesthetic Criteria: Zhang Huaiguan's Shuduan[This artic]

Publisher: John Wiley & Sons Inc

E-ISSN: 1540-6253|41|1-2|148-169

ISSN: 0301-8121

Source: JOURNAL OF CHINESE PHILOSOPHY, Vol.41, Iss.1-2, 2014-03, pp. : 148-169

Disclaimer: Any content in publications that violate the sovereignty, the constitution or regulations of the PRC is not accepted or approved by CNPIEC.

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Abstract

The Shuduan《書斷》 (Judgments on Calligraphers) by Zhang Huaiguan of the Tang dynasty comprises classifications of calligraphy that Chinese theoreticians still refer to. This article aims at considering the functioning and efficacy of such evaluations through a study comparing this work to other treatises and, when relevant, to the European tradition. Its main objective is to examine how Chinese aesthetic theory responded to new evaluative needs that appeared during this crucial period in Chinese history. Thus, it seeks to clarify the nature of the criteria adopted by Zhang Huaiguan for his gradings: are they material, ideological, aesthetic, or of another nature?