The Concept And Practice Of Wang Duo’s "learning From The Ancients" As A Source Of Inspiration For My Creative Calligraphy Work

Wang Duo experienced first hand the fall of the late Ming dynasty and the establishment of the Qing dynasty.In this "strange" era,calligraphers of the late Ming dynasty,with Dong qichang as their leader,started an artistic movement that emphasized displaying their individual characters.However,looking at Wang Duo’s life as an official,social intercourse,behaviour,scholarly activities,etc.,it is consistently revealed that he adhered to the concept of "learning from the the ancient",all whilst with intense vigor and a strong sense of action dedicating himself to actively participating in the practice of these aspects of his life.What did "ancient" mean to Wang Duo when his contemporaries were seeking a "strange" form of self-expression,and the character for "ancient" kept appearing in the colophons of his work? By studying the inscriptions on the works produced by Wang Duo when studying the works of Wang xizhi,Wang duo’s view on the shortcomings of the times he lived in,the persuits of Jin Dynasty scene,the development his context and cultural ambitions,this paper attempts to understand Wang Duo’s core concept of "the spirit of learning from the ancient" as well as the construction of orthodoxy.This carries with it a concise analysis of Wang Duo’s relationship with ancient figures,contemporaries,himself,and form,thus aiding my understanding of Wang Duo’s calligraphy,particularly as a source for inspiration when studying the art.