A Study Of Ancient Chinese Brushes

The present paper has conducted a thorough study on the evolution,materials, manufacture, categories, schools and artisans of ancient Chinesebrushes and made a close examination on the relations between brushes andcalligraphic styles since the Wei and Jin Dynasties. On the basis of thecalligraphic history, it studies typical brush shapes and categories, whilefocusing on core brush twisted with paper as the major shape of the Wei or theJin Dynasty, and some important characteristics of cockspur brushes. The paperstates the making of brush undergoes a revolutionary change after the SongDynasty:“Corelessness and Deerection” has become the mainstream technique.The technical advance has offered a tool for the popularity of “freehandbrushwork” in the Song Dynasty. The paper also gives an account of someparticular brush categories including date core brush, sheep hair brush, maskedcivet hair brush, mouse beard brush and etc. Basing itself on Brush Materials byLiang Tongshu, the paper gives a detailed analysis and description of brushmaterials and disagrees with the opinion “prepare brush hair in the mid autumn”and the opinion ‘southern rabbit hairs are too soft and short for brush making'.Referring to modern brush-making techniques and taking the Sanzhuo(de-erection) technique as an example, the paper describes in detail thebrush-making process including Zehao (choice of hair), Shuhao (processing hair), Chentai (cladding), and Tihao (trimming hair) in addition to the analysisof four criteria of good brushes: sharp, neat, round and strong).The paper also covers some significant schools like Xuan brushes and Hubrushes, as well as disputes in the school research. It discovers Zhongshan,mentioned in The Biography of Mao Yin, is actually Lishui County ofXuancheng City in the Tang Dynasty; geographical conditions, natural products,and artisanship contribute to the rise of Hu brushes and the decline of Xuanbrushes. Hu brushes in the Yuan, Ming, and Qing Dynasty have their lineageand development as well. Hunan brushes constitute one of the most importanthistorical schools.The paper studies artisans. On the basis of the predecessors' studies, thepaper supplements41brush masters from the Song Dynasty,9from Yuan,22from Ming, and40from Qing.The paper exams the relations between brushes and calligraphic styles.The shape and making of brushes exert very crucial influences on calligraphiccreation. In the time when cockspur brushes are popular, the style of “Yanjin”(Yan Zhenqing, a Tang calligrapher famous for his muscular calligraphic style)overcomes the style of “Liugu”(Liu Gongquan, a Tang calligrapher well knownfor his bony calligraphic style), the tool Liu Gongquan used is closely related tothe style change. Su Shi likes to adhere to old fashion; Huang Tingjian loves totry new style; Chen Xianzhang and Jin Shi experiment with clumsy style with“Grass brush”. Brushes of particular types are favorites of some calligraphers with characteristics: bald brushes are used to express styles of simplicity andmellowness. Some calligraphers would like to imitate the ancient technique; it isnatural for them to have the slim and tough style of “Yuzhuzhuan”(acalligraphic style on ancient coins) by burning or bounding their brush hair.