中国文化英语教程Unit15

1、n Lead-in n Text study n Exercises Unit 15 Flying Strokes of Calligraphy Lead-in Can you tell the English name of the following calligraphy? Standard Script (楷书楷书) Running Script (行书行书)Cursive Script (草书草书) p Introduction p Rhythm of Calligraphy p Wang Xizhi and Preface to the Lanting Pavilion Colle

2、ction p “Hidden Style” of the Yan Script Text study Introduction The English word “Calligraphy” is unable to cover all the connotations of the art of Chinese writing. Two factors contributed to the evolution of Chinese calligraphy: 1) the square-shaped pictographic characters whose beautiful forms p

3、rovided preliminary conditions for the art of calligraphy; 2) the writing brushan important invention in the history of Chinese culture and the basis for calligraphy to germinate (形成) and develop. Introduction The brush is the traditional writing implement in Chinese calligraphy. The body of the bru

4、sh can be made from either bamboo, or rarer materials such as red sandalwood, glass, ivory, silver, and gold. The head of the brush can be made from the hair (or feathers) of a wide variety of animals. Additional Info Introduction Calligraphy brushes feel soft , supple (柔软的), and are elastic and hig

5、hly ductile (韧性的), paving the way for the emergence of the art of calligraphy. Rhythm of Calligraphy Calligraphy is the art of lines, or strokes. A dancer can obtain great wisdom from calligraphy, while an ancient calligrapher can be inspired by dance. There is some common element that calligraphy a

6、nd dance share, which is none other than their internal vital energy between the lines, the soul of calligraphy as well as the soul of dance. Lin Huaimin (林怀民), a famous dancer from Chinas Taiwan Island and director of the Cloud Gate Dancing Troupe, once choreographed (设计舞蹈动 作) a collective dance na

7、med “Running-Cursive Script (行草)”, which gained him worldwide fame. His inspirations came from Chinese calligraphy, and dancing enlivened the spirit of the art of writing. Rhythm of Calligraphy Rhythm of Calligraphy In the Tang Dynasty, the master calligrapher Zhang Xu (张旭) became absorbed running-c

8、ursive script but made little progress. One day, on the streets of the capital Changan, he saw a crowd of people gathering to enjoy a performance by Lady Gongsun (公孙大娘), a famous dancer of the time. She was performing a sword dance, her supple body and flying robe mixing with the movements of the sw

9、ord up and down. Zhang Xu was enchanted (迷住 ), and it was through this performance that he discovered the genuine beauty of calligraphy and made rapid progress in his profession. Rhythm of Calligraphy Rhythm of Calligraphy Zhang XuwasaChinese calligrapheroftheTang Dynasty.AnativeofSuzhou, hebecamean

10、officialduring thereignofEmperor XuanzongofTang.Legend hasitthatwheneverhewas drunk,hewouldusehishair asbrushtoperformhisart, anduponhiswakingup,he wouldbeamazedbythe qualityofthoseworksbut failedtoproducethemagain inhissoberstate. Rhythm of Calligraphy Rhythm of Calligraphy Running-cursive script:

11、The one-stroke character in Chinese calligraphy refers to such an internal line of energy. A one-stroke character actually means a character written with strokes at one go, rather than implying only one single stroke. The strokes may not look connected on the exterior but are closely related in the

12、interior. Without interior linkage, a character lacks vigor and vitality. Rhythm of Calligraphy One-stroke character Rhythm of Calligraphy Wang Xianzhi (王献之) was the seventh and youngest son of the famedWang Xizhi (王 羲之). Wang inherited his fathers talent for the art. His style is more fluid than hi

13、s fathers. Amongst his innovations is the one- strokecursive script, which blends all characters in the writing in a single stroke. Until theTang Dynastyhis influence and reputation rivaled and even surpassed that of his father. The one-stroke character was first advocated by Wang Xianzhi (344-386).

14、 Rhythm of Calligraphy 中秋帖中秋帖 王献之王献之 Mid-Autumn by Wang Xianzhi Rhythm of Calligraphy 鸭头丸帖鸭头丸帖 王献之王献之 Yatou Wan by Wang Xianzhi People set great value on Wang Xizhis calligraphic works. They liken his handwriting to a “frolicking (嬉戏的) dragon, vigorous, yet refined and elegant. His Preface to the La

15、nting Pavilion Collection, known as a gem (精品) of Chinese calligraphy, was the most representative of his style. Wang Xizhi and Preface to the Lanting Pavilion Collection As father and son, Wang Xizhi and Wang Xianzhi have been known as the “two Wangs”. Their works universally recognized as the peak

16、 of Chinese calligraphy. Wang Xizhi was a Chinese calligrapher traditionally referred to as the Sage of Calligraphy, who lived during the Jin Dynasty (265420). He is considered by many to be one of the most esteemed Chinese calligraphers of all time, especially during and after the Tang Dynasty, and

17、 a master of all forms of Chinese calligraphy, especially the running script. Wang Xizhi and Preface to the Lanting Pavilion Collection 兰亭集序兰亭集序王羲之王羲之 Preface to the Lanting Pavilion Collection by Wang Xizhi Wang Xizhi and Preface to the Lanting Pavilion Collection This calligraphic masterpiece has

18、been widely extolled (赞美) by calligraphers throughout the ages, for its dynamic significance and extraordinary grace. However, all that remains extant (尚存) today are facsimiles (摹本) of the originalsaid to have been buried in the tomb of Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty, since he was so fond of it

19、. Later generations were thus bereft (失去的) of the chance to enjoy the genuine work. However, peoples appreciation of it has nonetheless not been reduced. In fact, it has nurtured generations of calligraphers. Preface to the Lanting Pavilion Collection Wang Xizhi and Preface to the Lanting Pavilion C

20、ollection Being hidden means the beginning and end of each stroke are smooth, without any trace of sharp and overpowering brushwork. “Hidden Style” of the Yan Script The Chinese people emphasize reserve in conduct and in calligraphic works as well. Being hidden is a requirement that a calligrapher m

21、ust always bear in mind. “Hidden Style” of the Yan Script Yan Zhenqing (709-785) was a Tang-dynasty master calligrapher, renowned for his Yan-style writing. A beginner always starts learning with Yan-style calligraphy. Inscription on the Tablet of the Yan Family Temple is a masterpiece created in Ya

22、n Zhenqings later years, which well reflects the characteristics of being hidden. This work displays a calligraphic momentum in a reserved way; and represents Yan Zhenqings highest achievement in calligraphy. “Hidden Style” of the Yan Script “Hidden Style” of the Yan Script Exercises p Comprehension

23、 p Communication p Application I. Skimming and Scanning Go through the passage quickly and answer the following questions briefly. Comprehension 1) What can we infer about Chinese calligraphy from the first sentence in Paragraph l? From the first sentence in Paragraph 1, we can infer that Chinese ca

24、lligraphy is a very important part of Chinese culture. 2) What are the two factors that promoted Chinese calligraphy? The two factors that promoted Chinese calligraphy are the square-shaped pictographic characters and the writing brush. 3) What qualities do Chinese calligraphy and dance share accord

25、ing to Paragraph 3? Both Chinese calligraphy and dance involve movements which are swift, smooth and elegant, slow, gentle and enchanting. 4) From what did Zhang Xu get the inspiration for his running-cursive script? Zhang Xu got the inspiration for his running-cursive script from a sword dance perf

26、ormance by Lady Gongsun. 5) Who is the most famous calligrapher for one-stroke character? The most famous calligrapher for “one-stroke character” is Wang Xianzhi. Comprehension 6) Why is ink pig in Paragraph 9 mentioned? Ink pig in Paragraph 9 is mentioned as a contrast to show the importance of vig

27、orous lines and internal energy of Chinese calligraphy. 7) What is the key point of Yan-style calligraphy? The key point of Yan-style calligraphy is being hidden, which means that the beginning and end of each stroke are smooth, without any trace of sharp and overpowering brushwork. Comprehension II

28、. Careful Reading 1. Read the passage carefully and choose the best answer to each of the following questions. Comprehension 1) Which of the following can cover all the connotations of the art of writing? A. calligraphy. B. penmanship. C. handwriting. D. None of the above. 2) How was Chinese calligr

29、aphy displayed by Lin Huaimin? A. By dance. B. By script. C. By music. D. By brush 3) What can we infer from the example of Zhang Xu? Comprehension A. He did nothing but practice his running-cursive script all day. B. He learnt calligraphy by copying other calligraphers of his time. C. He often watc

30、hed sword dance to learn from it for his calligraphy. D. He made fast progress when he discovered the genuine beauty of calligraphy 4) How is the energy of one-stroke character achieved? A. By pressing the brush harder. B. By writing the character with only one stroke. C. By writing the strokes at o

31、ne go. D. By connecting the strokes in the interior. 5) Which of the following words can best summarize the characteristic of ink pig? A. Vigorous. B. Cumbersome. C. Heavy. D. Dense. Comprehension 6) The three most valuable calligraphic works in the Three- Treasure Study include works by all the fol

32、lowing calligraphers EXCEPT A. Wang Xizhi B. Wang Xianzhi C. Wang Xun D. Zhang Xu 7) What can we learn about Wang Xizhis calligraphic works according to the passage? A.His handwriting looks like a dragon. B.His handwriting is heavy but vigorous. C.Preface to the Lanting Pavilion Collection is his fi

33、rst work. D.The original of Preface to the Lanting Pavilion Collection is missing Comprehension 8) How did the criterion of being hidden in Yan style occur? A.It dawned upon Yan Zhenqing accidentally. B.Yan Zhenqing learnt it from former masters. C.Yan Zhenqing got the idea from Zhang Xu. D.It was p

34、assed down from Yans ancestors. Comprehension Comprehension 2. Put the following into English by referring to the passage. 1)鸭头丸帖 2)兰亭集序 3)快雪时晴帖 4)中秋帖 5)伯远帖 6)颜家庙碑 YatouWan PrefacetotheLantingPavilionCollection ASunnySceneafteraQuickSnow Mid-Autumn Boyuan InscriptionontheTabletoftheYanFamily Temple

35、The following is part of the conversation between Bill Gates and Larry King of CNN Future Talk. Read it and talk about your own opinion of whether the computer is hindering children from learning penmanship. With the popularization of the computer: is handwriting still necessary? Communication King:

36、 Do you worry your child wont learn penmanship because theres always a keyboard and a printer nearby? Gates: When I was in school, I always felt it was unfair that kids who happened to have L1ea bad handwriting were penalized at grade time. Obviously, everybody needs to learn basic writing skills. W

37、e want our kids to have a full complement（整套） of basic communications skills. Im a lot more concerned that kids who only use calculators and never learn to do multiplication and division by hand may fail to grasp the basics of mathematics. Communication Application Ancient Chinese people paid great

38、attention to calligraphy. It was through calligraphy that a candidate could manifest his literary talent in the Imperial Examination. Children of government officials had to learn calligraphy as well, and even many emperors were good at calligraphy. For example, Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty

39、left his handwriting on many stele (石碑石碑) in temples and palaces. Some people would argue that calligraphy is useless nowadays. List the functions of calligraphy to prove that it is still important and useful in modern times. Introduction The English word “Calligraphy” is unable to cover all the con

40、notations of the art of Chinese writing. Two factors contributed to the evolution of Chinese calligraphy: 1) the square-shaped pictographic characters whose beautiful forms provided preliminary conditions for the art of calligraphy; 2) the writing brushan important invention in the history of Chinese culture and the basis for calligraphy to germinate (形成) and develop. Lin Huaimin (林怀民), a famous dancer from Chinas Taiwan Island and director of the Cloud Gate Dancing Troupe, once choreographed (设计舞蹈动