| NOTA |
(★)(1.In Japan, as in China, calligraphy has always been regarded as one of the most important art forms. Yet in spite of this, it is the art form that is perhaps least familiar to the Western reader. Professor Nakata´s book, with 184 illustrations, including 22 in color, is thus a particularly welcome addition to the English literature on this subject. Starting with an account of the origins of ´kanji [Chinese characters]´some 3,000 years ago, and the structural principles on which they are based, the book describes how the primitive symbols of the earliest extant inscriptions, found on oracle bones and tortoise shells of the Yin period, developed into one of the principal vehicles for the expression of the Chinese, and eventually the Japanese spirit. The author shows that Japanese calligraphy, although ultimately based on and influenced by Chinese calligraphy, has a flavor of its own and reflects admirably the character of Japanese culture. He deals with the introduction of kanji into Japan and the subsequent developments in ´karayo [Chinese style]´calligraphy there, the evolution of the Japanese hiragana and katakana phonetic scripts, the emergence of a uniquely Japanese calligraphic style [wayo], and the interrelationship of the karayo and wayo styles. Other topics covered include types of paper used, plaque and stele inscriptions, ornamental script styles, seal carving,´bokuseki [calligraphy by high-ranking Zen priests]´, and calligraphy and the tea ceremony. Here, presented by one of the leading scholars in the field, is all the information that the Western reader needs for a sound understanding of the essential nature of the art of Japanese calligraphy. 2.Yujiro Nakata is a graduate of Kyoto University, where he majored in Chinese literature. A well-known authority on the history and theory of calligraphy, he is the author of numerous books and articles dealing with Chinese literature and calligraphy. Professor Nakata is president of the Kyoto University of Arts and a professor at Otani University, Kyoto.) |
BASE de DATOS, Biblioteca del Centro Cultural de la Embajada de Japon
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