Study of calligraphy aesthetic thoughts of Liu Xizai

In the late Qing Dynasty， the culture shock and turmoil is veryserious．However，as a diligent scholar, Liu Xizai has read the ancient Chinese proseand classics thoroughly. That is precious and worthy of respect. It may be said that heis the terminator of Chinese Classical aesthetics. The aesthetics thought of literatureand art of Liu Xizai has always been focused on, while the study of his aestheticsthought of calligraphy is rare and not further enough. Therefore, this academicdissertation studies his aesthetics thought of calligraphy further more in terms ofresearch status at present.Liu Xizai grows up in plowing the fields; the traditional farming practice leaves himdeep influence on Confucianism. Meanwhile, he has read the classics of Taoism and Buddhismthoroughly, which makes him form unique aesthetic thought. That is around the “He” and mixingNature and Insight. Liu Xizai insists on the methodology of logic unifying history, associatingwith specific examples, quoting famous celebrities’ comments, investigating carefully and deeply,this is valuable at that time. And that has a significant influence on later development ofcalligraphy esthetics.Based on Liu Xizai’s thought which is studied in the first chapter, this academicdissertation analyzes and studies the content of his thought including calligraphynature, calligraphy font, calligraphers, skills of creation and critical appreciation. Inthe part of calligraphy nature, the key point is logic relationship of “Shuyi” and“Shuxiang”, that is “Shuxiang” expressing “Shuyi”.In the part of calligraphy font, thestress is why Liu Xizai focuses on “Tangli”. In the part of calligraphers, the emphasisis those calligraphers who are in the period of transition. In the part of skills, it is howto make a balance of “Qili” in use of Chinese brush. At last, it studies the supplementbetween “Nanshu” and “Beishu” and so on.They are all around with “he”, that is themainly studied.The characteristics of Liu Xizai’s aesthetics thought of Calligraphy is obvious by studying the details of his thought in the second chapter. This academic dissertationanalyzes and studies the view of calligraphy development history, the view ofsignificant form of calligraphy and the view of aesthetic category of calligraphy. Inthe part of view of calligraphy development history, the key point is his attenion onthe “Tangli” to be inherited and transcended. And why Li Yangbing is praised highlyby Liu Xizai, and the reason he denied the achievement of Xue Ji is the same to OuYangxiu, Chu Suiliang and Yu Shinan. In the part of view of significant form ofcalligraphy, the main point is the “Shuyi” among Lishu and Zhuanshu is connected infact. In the last part about dialectical view of aesthetic category of calligraphy, itmainly studies the internal relationship of “Tashen”,“Woshen”,“Shuyi” and“Yutianweitu,Yuguweitu” and so on.The value and limitation of Liu Xizai’s aesthetics thought of calligraphy isobvious after studying the content and characteristics of his thought. This academicdissertation evaluates the connotations of the relationship of calligraphy andpersonality objectively. And he is conservative and confined by Confucianism leadshim to be noncommittal to superb skills of Wang Xianzhi.