Clerical Script of the Han Dynasty as the Foundation of a Convergence of the Stele and Model-book Studies: The Calligraphy of Han Yunshan

As one of the cultural treasures in China, calligraphy has been held in high esteem, particularly by the intelligentsia and elite culture in traditional society. Calligraphers express their emotions and convey their ideas through the combination of the visual language from under the brush and the meaning of the characters. For nearly a hundred years, despite the impact of western culture on Hong Kong, a number of calligraphers have insisted on embodying the national essence of calligraphy in the city.

At the beginning of the 20th century, a series of political changes in China drew the intelligentsia, calligraphers and painters to Hong Kong, laying a sound and traditionally-rooted foundation for the development of calligraphy in Hong Kong. A few authors have highlighted the Hong Kong calligraphy community’s “contribution to the perpetuation and preservation of the tradition” and their significance in the Chinese calligraphy history at the turn of the century. Migrated from China to Hong Kong in the early 1950s, Han Yunshan (1923-2010) was a typical scholar-calligrapher who stressed the importance of traditions and cultivation, keeping alive the development of the traditional art form in Hong Kong in the early 20th century.

Research on major calligraphers from the cultural circles and art communities in Hong Kong, their calligraphic works and activities has always been valued, and there have been a decent amount of research done on the topics. However, for fine calligraphers like Han Yunshan, who worked quietly and had no desire to be famous, the extent of study is minimal. This essay will look into Han Yunshan’s artistic journey of calligraphy with the focus on his unique approach to clerical script of the Han Dynasty (206BC – AD220) as the foundation of a convergence of the stele and model-book studies.