Abstract: Chinese ancient calligraphy and painting are again receiving widespread attention, exploration and research around the world, with a profound impact. However, ancient calligraphy and painting have also formed quite complex issues of authenticity identification after a l

Abstract: Chinese ancient calligraphy and painting are again receiving widespread attention, exploration and research around the world, with a profound impact. However, ancient calligraphy and painting have also formed quite complex issues of authenticity identification after a long history. Therefore, this article advocates that it should be carefully studied and cleaned up and gradually established relatively unified standards. The author introduces aesthetics into the appraisal process of ancient calligraphy and painting, and advocates that we should carefully read paintings and understand paintings, and reveal the inner nature, artistic nature and uniqueness of the work from an aesthetic perspective and method. Aesthetic value is the soul and charm of the work. This article uses the list of specific works to illustrate the unified process from aesthetics to identification. The best appraiser is actually in the work itself.

Jin and Tang Five Dynasties Song and Yuan Dynasty calligraphy and painting are part of China's extremely splendid ancient civilization, and are an extremely important part. Aesthetics is the vision and wisdom of a nation and cannot be regarded as lightly. No matter which country or nation it is, if you take the lead in aesthetics, you will gain the cultural advantage. The historical development of world civilization has proved this. As China's excellent ancient calligraphy and painting for thousands of years, it is a treasure of the country and the strength of a great country. Its significance and influence cannot be underestimated no matter what.

However, due to many historical reasons, the national treasure-level calligraphy and paintings of the Jin, Tang, Five Dynasties, Song and Yuan Dynasties, the phenomenon of authenticity and falsification is very serious.

Originally, calligraphy and painting should not have any questions about authenticity. However, due to the long history and unique national conditions of ancient calligraphy and painting, the first thing we must face now is the issue of authenticity and false identification of ancient calligraphy and painting. In my decades of research on the famous calligraphy and paintings of the Jin, Tang, Five Dynasties, Song and Yuan Dynasties, I often face a serious but interesting problem, that is, the authenticity of several famous national treasure paintings handed down from generation to generation are reversed. The secrets of its art have not been carefully interpreted and revealed, including the identification records since the Ming and Qing Dynasties. Several of the judgments are artificial and casual, and have not been discussed in detail, and are often lacking in logic and credibility. This phenomenon has not been carefully cleaned up and re-understood yet. For example, the "Bet and Celestial Map" volume of Tang Dynasty Yan Liben, the "Writing the Picture of Fusheng in Jinan" volume of Wang Wei , and the "Wenyuan Map" volume of Han Huan , have been designated as "Song copy" or "Biography" volume, which is not the original work of the Tang Dynasty. Another example is the huge " Stream Map " scroll (unknown to the Five Dynasties Dong Yuan (mostly mistakenly made Dong Yuan since the Ming and Qing Dynasties) " Stream Map " (unfortunately it has been circulated overseas), which has caused chaos in reading. Zhou Wenju 's " Re-screen Chess Picture " volumes, and Gu Hongzhong 's " Han Xizai Night Banquet Picture " volumes have also been recognized as "Song copy", " Southern Song copy" and "made by people from the Southern Song Dynasty". In short, they are not real writing. All of the above works are the only masterpieces in the history of painting that have been passed down from generation to generation by masters of the painting world in the Tang and Five Dynasties, and are still regarded as rashly. However, according to my careful and repeated research and examinations over the years, I believe that all works are handed down from the original works, and the conclusions drawn are the opposite of those of professional institutions. The essence of a thousand years, the Lizhu is held but not recognized, or even cherished by itself. Why is it so generous? On the contrary, some other paintings, such as the "Xiaoxiang Tu" volume, were undoubtedly identified as Dong Yuan's original work due to the purchase and collection of Dong Qichang . The "Xiashan Tu" volume was also designated as Dong Yuan's original work, the "Quehua Autumn Scenery Picture" volume was designated as the representative work of Zhao Mengfu in . "Snow Bamboo Picture" has gradually become Xu Xi's original book, and so on. I would like to ask: Are there any standards for the identification of ancient paintings, especially famous works?

Take the volume "Han Xizai Night Banquet Picture" as an example. This volume was painted by Gu Hong, a guest at Li Yu Painting Academy, and was collected in the palace of in the Southern Tang Dynasty. The later emperor surrendered to the Northern Song Dynasty, and his paintings were involved in the Song Dynasty's Imperial Palace, and he recorded and described his story in the Xuanhe Painting Book. Emperor Gaozong of the Southern Song Dynasty wrote and wrote inscriptions (remaining). The volume is followed by Ningzong of the Southern Song Dynasty and the powerful ministers of Lizong of the 19th century. The seal of "Shaoxun" is used. Its origin and circulation process are very clear. What is even more amazing is the spatial structure and vivid characters in the painting, with deep inner nature and rich temperament, rooted in the tradition of mural characters since the Wei and Jin Dynasties. The space is freely transformed and full of poetry, making this volume a unique and magnificent masterpiece in the history of Chinese painting .However, according to the Qing Dynasty Sun Chengze , the current commentator is not an identification but a conjecture, "remembering the memorials of the Southern Song Dynasty", "about the pen of the Southern Song Dynasty courtyard" is actually accompanied by the real "brush of the Southern Song Dynasty courtyard". It is believed that the landscape on the screen in the painting is the style of the Southern Song Dynasty painting, and the figure paintings of the Five Dynasties should not be so exquisite, and there are no ancient seals of the Northern Song Dynasty in the painting. [1] Try Fan Kuan "Traveling in the Streams", Guo Xi "Early Spring Picture", Li Tang "Picture of Pine Wind in Ten Thousand Valleys". Which one of these huge pens has the "Ancient Seal of the Northern Song Dynasty"? Isn’t it all recognized that the original works are undoubtedly true now? The so-called "Dong Yuan Xiaoxiang Tu" is the earliest ancient seal in the volume, which is the "Si Seal" of the Ming Dynasty, but it is still a half-sealed fake seal. Why do you recognize "Xiaoxiang Tu" as the original work and is a representative work? Han Huan's "Wenyuan Tu" volume contains , Song Huizong , written by himself, sealed and sealed, and seals collected in the Southern Tang Palace. Why do they not recognize it as the original, but are "Song copy"? In the identification of famous ancient calligraphy and painting works, why are the standards so different? They do not depend on the reality of the works but vary from person to person? Therefore, I have always believed that it is extremely important to use unified standards in the appraisal of ancient calligraphy and painting.

The above-mentioned famous works of Yan Liben, Wang Wei, Zhou Wenju, Gu Hongzhong, etc., are all recorded in the "Xuanhe Painting Book" during the Huizong period of the Northern Song Dynasty. This should be specifically proposed and taken seriously. "Xuanhe Painting Book" records 6396 axes of "Closed in the Central Secret" and "famous paintings since the Wei and Jin Dynasties". Time has passed, and I found that according to the catalog, there are only 17 pieces, plus only about 20 others, which is really a treasure of the phoenix. And volumes such as "Han Xizai's Night Banquet", "Writing the Picture of Fusheng in Jinan", "Recent Screen Picture", and "Steping Geely Map" are all recorded in it, which is very rare.

The difficulty in reading ancient calligraphy and painting is actually the main and primary part of the interpretation. If a painting of calligraphy and paintings in the Jin, Tang, Five Dynasties, Song and Yuan Dynasties is indeed the original work, it penetrates time and space and drinks through the ages, and always has its inner magnificence and wonder, so it must be carefully studied and solved. The only way is to exchange feelings and exchange in the original work, appreciate and appreciate, think and explore the true secrets, because it is precisely a good work that can cultivate and cultivate the authentic aesthetic gaze of the appraiser. In fact, for appraisers, it is important to know how to read paintings, that is, first of all, pay attention to aesthetics. We must discover the beauty of the work, grasp the aesthetic character of the author and the artist, and learn how to penetrate into the deepest part of the painting. I insist that we should focus on grasping the flowing space in calligraphy and painting, as well as the flow of qi and qi, and be connected with the breath of the work, savoring the ink and the ink in it, and exploring the overall and internal unity of its style, so that we can get an entry.

There is a special feature of appreciating ancient Chinese calligraphy and painting, that is, as mentioned above, you will first encounter identification of the authenticity of the work, and I will introduce aesthetics into identification of the identification. Aesthetics is a deep understanding of appraisal, and appraisal is only a process and prerequisite for identifying the authenticity of a work. The main reason for the identification of several different or superficial conclusions about ancient famous works is that they are insufficient or wrong in their inner aesthetic understanding, and some are still subjective speculations.

For example, the famous "Tianshui copy Zhang Xuan's "Lady of Guoguo's Outing in Spring"" has many opinions on who is Lady of Guoguo in the painting. The collection department designated the young red dress on the right side of the middle of the scroll as "Lady Guo" (actually the Lady of Qin Lady of Qin ). In fact, the painter has long pointed out that the woman who was holding a girl on the back seat of the horse, holding a girl on the three-flower horse and holding a red reins is Lady Guoguo under the left and right guarding of the horse team. However, today's commentators are called "wet nurse" or "nanny". The reason is that they have not read the painting carefully, lack aesthetic appreciation, and are separated from the painter's intentions, and then the relevant identification becomes biased.

is more typical of Gu Hongzhong's "Han Xizai Night Banquet". As mentioned in the previous article, I insist that it is a masterpiece of Gu Hongzhong of the Southern Tang Dynasty, rather than a "copied by the Northern Song Dynasty", "copied by the Southern Song Dynasty", or even a "written by the Southern Song Dynasty Courtyard". In addition to the relevant circulation process, the collection of seals in the painting, etc., its basis lies in the intact artistic expression and the depth of the content.The Southern Tang Dynasty was an era of prosperity of music. The picture depicts the entire process of "night banquet" of Han Xizai , which is completely in the form of music. From this we can feel the entire process of music, the beauty of music and the inner rhythm. The three processes are the solo "Nichang Yuyi Song" (with dance), Han Xizai's self-knocking Jiegu and the maid's quadruple flute. The expression of music in Chinese painting has reached a state of superb level in the Tang and Five Dynasties, which can be felt by the depiction of many famous music scenes in Dunhuang murals. Not only are there poetry in the paintings, but there is also music in the paintings. This is the most beautiful state of Chinese paintings in the Tang and Five Dynasties. In " Night Banquet Picture ", there is a complete conception and process, and its music space should be paid attention to and explore in depth. This kind of music actually expresses the reality and destiny of the characters and the Southern Tang Dynasty, and is of great significance. [2]

As for the visual space and its structural transformation in "Night Banquet Picture", it also reflects an unexpected ultimate artistic effect. The scroll is a jumping connection between right and left and right, ending in the middle of the fifth paragraph of the scroll. The painter specifies the order of visual (looking at the painting) through the changes in the color of the characters (Han Xizai) clothing. This is a point that this painting has been passed down for thousands of years but has not been seriously revealed (see the author's paper). [3] In such a hidden artistic expression, the great work of "Han Xizai Night Banquet" cannot be faked or faked by future generations. Therefore, from the perspective of art's inner self and aesthetic personality, it is the basis for identifying the authentic works of art.

There are also some Western scholars, such as in "Han Xizai's Night Banquet", where they draw some perspective analytical lines from the screen; some compare Western iconography and other comparisons to draw several geometric blocks out of thin air in Chinese landscapes and ancient paintings of figures, or outline several parallel and inclined perspective lines. What can this illustrate or prove? This method of using Western aesthetics to impose on ancient Chinese painting , and awkwardly explore the ancients is necessary to be vigilant.

Therefore, revealing the inner nature, artistic nature and uniqueness of the work from an aesthetic perspective and method is an important way to identify the authenticity of ancient paintings and their great works. The appraisal of some works is undecided, but in fact they do not touch or penetrate the inside of the work, and they still circle around the surface or outside of the work, lacking in-depth aesthetic analysis of the work.

is a meaningful example. It is an international seminar held by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, , in New York, USA, in late 1999, with the main content of identifying the authenticity of Dong Yuan's "Street Bank Map" in China. This ancient Chinese masterpiece with its charm has aroused the attention and judgment of the Western art academic community, and at the same time it truly touched and influenced the aesthetics of Western scholars, and triggered a rare event in the history of appraisal. Dong Yuan's "Street Bank Map" was reported by the American "New Yorker" reporter as "the fake work of Zhang Daqian ", which caused an important debate. Both sides mainly discuss whether it is a "fake work by Zhang Daqian", and rarely involves the painting connotation of "Street Bank Picture". At that time, most foreign scholars believed that it was not the paintings of Dong Yuan of the Five Dynasties, and domestic scholars did not agree with it as Dong Yuan's true brushwork. At most, they believed it was "Song people's paintings" and "Song paintings". Since I saw Dong Yuan’s “Street Bank Map” in 1988, I have paid attention to and studied it. I have always advocated that “Street Bank Map” is a masterpiece handed down by Dong Yuan. From the comments of Dong Yuan that I saw in the eyes of the Song people, I looked at the "Street Bank Map" in a completely wonderful way. From the comparative study of "Street Bank Map" and "Xiaoxiang Map", I understood what is Mi Fu and praised Dong Yuan's "a piece of Jiangnan". "Xiaoxiang Tu" is a spelled copy of Dong Yuan's paintings by people in the Ming Dynasty, while "Xichuan Bank Tu" is a stream and mountain in Jiangnan revealed by Dong Yuan and Pan. The layout of the picture is extremely profound and natural, and the characters and stories are all based on history. It is a portrayal of the life of the Li Jing family of the Southern Tang Dynasty and can be clearly distinguished. [4] What is even more amazing is that after twenty years, I finally visited the "Street Bank Map" which is the scenery of the stream and mountain where the "Flower River Falls" is Lushan Waterfall, which is the place where Li Bai's poem "The flying flows down three thousand feet, and it is suspected that the Milky Way falls into the sky."The mountains and rivers are still the same, the peaks and stone valleys are still there, and the waterfalls, Shuangjian Peak, Heming Peak, and Qingyu Gorge are all referenced in the painting. Even the water pavilion grass pavilion that is viewed by the railing is the original site of the present "Shuyu Pavilion". [5] What a genius Dong Yuan was, who moved the historical figures of the Southern Tang Dynasty and the magnificent mountain and river structure into the painting. After thousands of years, can you still follow the traces and become eternal? It's really incredible! Its aesthetic empathy can be explored. From this perspective, the so-called "Zhang Daqian's fake works" is not the candlelight under the sunlight, what's the point? P.S. said that Zhang Daqian had never been to Mount Lu, so how could he dream of such a stream bank?

Dong Yuan's "Story Bank Picture", silk, 221c m × 109c m, collection of Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, United States,

Dong Yuan's "Street Bank Map" and real scene comparison diagrams of the Huofeng Mountain Waterfall Heming Peak, Shuangjian Peak, Qingyu Gorge, etc.

"Street Bank Map" painted Lushan Waterfall

Dong Yuan's "Street Bank Map" painted Lushan Waterfall (compared with the real mountain waterfall, the same depiction)

Lushan Waterfall (hanged on the stone wall on the side of Heming Peak)

Lushan Waterfall (hanged on the stone wall on the side of Heming Peak)

Lushan Waterfall (hanged on the stone wall on the side of Heming Peak)

Lushan Waterfall (hanged on the stone wall on the side of Heming Peak)

The part of the thatched pavilion in "Street Bank Picture" (the person who watches the waves along the railing is Li Jing, the person who stands on the left is Mrs. Zhong, and the child who stands on the neutral is Li Yu . The location of the water pavilion is today's Shuyu Pavilion. The rocks on the left are still the same today. The stream below is Qingyu Gorge)

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日本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本本� The painter's aesthetic character must be deeply integrated into the painting and permeated into the painter's structure, atmosphere and ink. Therefore, as an appraiser, you must first be able to read the painting, understand the painting, discover and appreciate the aesthetic feelings exuded by the painter in the works, and its unique artistic expression and expression characteristics. Only in this way can you draw beauty from the depths of the painting, enjoy beauty, resonate with the author, and even gallop beyond. In terms of aesthetics, Dong Yuan's "Street Bank Map" and ancient masters' famous works are examples of the past. The exploration of aesthetics is to identify the works from the inner layer of the painting, and its importance is self-evident.

Then, the fake imitation of human paintings of works often involves fake and real. Some of the good imitators are very high in their standards, and from an aesthetic point of view, they are also very good. In this way, what will happen to identifying the authenticity? In fact, the authenticity and imitation of the work are different in terms of aesthetic taste. Mi Fu of the Northern Song Dynasty saw the paintings of Li Cheng at that time. He saw three hundred fakes, but only three or five books, so he was extremely impressed. Later, he turned his attention from Li Cheng to Dong Yuan in Jiangnan and pointed out Dong Yuan's aesthetic character and characteristics of "a piece of Jiangnan". On the other hand, where are Li Cheng’s three hundred false records now? After a thousand years, there is no book. This proves that time will cleanse all the dust on the surface, and all false traces will eventually wash away the waves of history. At the same time, it is not easy for those ancient huge traces to travel through time and space, and have been passed down from thousands of years to the present; some are even rarer and treasures on earth, which are simply protected by auspicious clouds. These great works must have dazzling brilliance inside them, and are witnesses to the great wisdom of ancient art.

You might as well take a look at the masterpiece of Zhou Wenju, a great painter of the Five Dynasties Southern Tang Dynasty. The scene where Li Jing, the middle-level emperor of the Southern Tang Dynasty, played Go in the palace with his three younger brothers. This painting was passed down to Xuanhe Inner Palace and was recorded as "Chongping Tu" in "Xuanhe Painting Book". This painting is a masterpiece of eternal song, and it has opened up the spiritual and magnificent realm of Chinese painting space in terms of spatial aesthetics. As early as a thousand years ago, the Northern Song Dynasty poet Mei Yaochen saw this picture in the secret palace in 1053, and excitedly wrote a poem to describe the painting in detail: "The painting is seen in the painting, and this painting has a very unique meaning." He was so impressed. [6] The space in the painting is one level, the screen on the painting is two level, and the screen is also painted as the triple level. Therefore, "Seeing the Three Paintings of Paintings in Paintings" is the exclusive secret of Zhou Wenju's aesthetics, which is unique in the entire history of Chinese painting. This wise man's aesthetic gaze is enough to inspire generations.After detailed verification, I found that the "Screen on the Screen" in the painting describes the later life of Liezu of Southern Tang Liebing . Therefore, the Li Jing brothers "knowing chess" under the painting of his father's "heavy screen" means a lot. The wisdom of the painter is almost everywhere, and I find that the figures in the picture are just like the dots of Go, and the positions of the characters complement each other with the postures in the chess game. Another example is the capture and portrayal of the character's expression. The little brother (Jing Chang) who is playing chess, picks up a black spot with his right finger, and wants to go down, while stretches his left foot forward, and has taken off his shoes and sways. His proud look is so brilliant. [7] This realm is the most unique and wonderful thing about the painter's aesthetics. Under such aesthetic appreciation, its touching depth is irresistible. Such a great work is still regarded as a "copy of the Northern Song Dynasty". I really don't know if some appraisers really understand it? Therefore, when appreciating ancient famous paintings, you can not only feel the ancient atmosphere emitted by time, but also appreciate the artistic wisdom of ancient masters and masters, whose subtleties and secrets are great beauty.

The best appraiser is the work itself. The key to identification lies in the depth and sensitivity to the study and cognition of the works. In the aura and space of the work, in the flowing rhythm and atmosphere, and in the ink permeated by the author's style and personality, the work itself will imply and reveal the high and low of its art and authenticity. After all, good works make real connoisseurs. The calligraphy and painting of ancient Chinese calligraphy and paintings in the Jin, Tang, Five Dynasties, Song and Yuan Dynasties are the essence of China's splendid ancient art. After thousands of years, it is really unbearable to look back. But today, a great country has a prosperous era and a brilliant career is the time to achieve great success. Since the Ming and Qing Dynasties, ancient calligraphy and painting have been mixed, and have not been carefully cleaned up so far. Therefore, I thought it was necessary to do my best, especially for the famous works of masters of the Tang and Five Dynasties. The original works should not be regarded as "copy" of later generations, but to cover up their inherent glory and spirit. It is important to know that the originality of the original is essentially different from the copy and the fake imitation, and it can and should be distinguished. For famous ancient lands in the Jin, Tang, Five Dynasties, Song and Yuan Dynasties, in study, we must truly explore and appreciate the craftsmanship and wisdom of ancient masters, and pay attention to some key points in their aesthetics in appraisal.

In addition to examining materials such as paper and silk, we should pay attention to the following four points: (1) The harmonious unity of the spatial atmosphere (original atmosphere and taste, free and harmonious rhythm, and its style characteristics are irreplaceable); (2) The unique artistic attainments and impeccable artistic beauty; (3) Relevant collection and printing and important inscriptions and inscriptions from all ages; (4) Important and reliable records, and the source is well-known. In short, the key and basis for identifying authenticity lies in the work itself, because the original works are different from the emotions that penetrate and radiate deep into the brush and ink of the work, compared with copy and fake books. In addition, because of the layers of falsification since ancient times, the authenticity of seals used in ancient collections has also been very complicated, and it must be carefully cleaned and identified. I also used my years of research to publish the book "Ancient Seals for Calligraphy and Painting in the Jin, Tang, Five Dynasties, Song and Yuan Dynasties" [8], which can be used as a reference. After all, as long as the masterpieces of ancient masters and masters are genuine works, they will eventually show brilliant brilliance like gold. The era of re-confirming, positioning and evaluation of the lofty status of ancient Chinese calligraphy and painting in world art history has arrived.

Comments:

[1] Sun Chengze's "Gengzi Suan Xia Ji" Volume 8. Xu Bangda also stated this meaning in "Examination and Discussion of False and Miscellaneous Calligraphy and Painting".

[2] Ding Xiyuan : "Another study of Gu Hongzhong's "Han Xizai Night Banquet Picture", "Chinese Calligraphers and Painters" Issue 7, 2017.

[3] Ding Xiyuan: Volume 3 of "National Treasure Review" "New Interpretation of the Space of "Han Xizai Night Banquet Picture", Shanghai People's Art Publishing House , 2005.

[4] See Ding Xiyuan: Volume 1 of "Reading National Treasures" "Study on "Xiaoxiang Tu".

[5] Ding Xiyuan: "Dong Yuan's "Street Bank Map" Exploration of the Origin", "Forbidden City Cultural Relics Monthly" June 2021 issue 459.

[6] Mei Yaochen: Volume 18 of "The Collection of Works of Mr. Wanling" "The Book of Calligraphy and Painting of Jiang Linji invites Guan Sanguan to record his calligraphy and paintings on the 24th", based on Hanfenlou photocopy of the broken Song version.

[7] Ding Xiyuan: "A Study on the Original Works of Zhou Wenju's "Recent Screen Chess Picture", "Chinese Calligraphers and Painters" Issue 12, 2016.

[8] Ding Xiyuan: "Ancient Seals for Calligraphy and Painting in the Jin, Tang, Five Dynasties, Song and Yuan Dynasties", Forbidden City Press , 2021.

(Ding Xiyuan, research librarian of Shanghai Art Museum , former deputy director of Shanghai Art Museum.)

This article was originally published in "Art Grand View" 2022 Issue 2, Pages 68-70