The Lanting Debate was a fierce academic discussion on the authenticity of the Lanting Collection Preface in the history of New Chinese calligraphy. Since 1965, when Mr. Guo Moruo published the article "From the Excavation of Wang Xie's Epitaph to the Authenticity of the Orchid Pavilion Preface", this debate has swept the entire cultural field like a storm and waves in the calligraphy world. This article will comprehensively and deeply discuss this important event in the history of calligraphy from the origin, development, main viewpoints, and influence of the Lanting debate.
As a treasure of ancient Chinese calligraphy, the Preface to the Orchid Pavilion Collection has always been highly regarded. However, the controversy over its authenticity has never stopped. As early as the Qing Dynasty, the calligrapher Li Wentian had expressed doubts about the authenticity of the "Orchid Pavilion Collection Preface". After entering the People's Republic of China, especially in the 60s of the last century, Mr. Guo Moruo began to question the authenticity of the "Lanting Collection Preface".
Xie Kun's epitaph
In 1965, Guo Moruo published the article "From the Excavation of Wang Xie's Epitaph to the Authenticity of the Lanting Preface" in the magazine "Cultural Relics", which officially set off the prelude to the Lanting debate. In the article, he combined the epitaphs of Wang Xingzhi and Xie Kun to conduct an in-depth analysis of the font, style, and ideological content of the "Lanting Collection Preface", and believed that the "Lanting Collection Preface" was not written by Wang Xizhi. This view immediately caused an uproar in the cultural circles, and many scholars joined the debate, forming a fierce confrontation between the pros and cons.
The skeptics are represented by Guo Moruo, who believe that the "Preface to the Lanting Collection" is not the authentic work of Wang Xizhi. The main bases are:
(1) Different font styles: The fonts of Wang Xingzhi and Xie Kun's epitaphs are very different from those of the Lanting Collection Preface, indicating that the font of the Lanting Collection Preface is not unique to Wang Xizhi.
(2) The ideological content does not match: Guo Moruo believes that the Buddhist and Taoist ideas in the "Lanting Collection Preface" are inconsistent with Wang Xizhi's ideological system, and may be forged by later generations.
(3) Lack of historical records: There is no clear record of the circulation history of the "Lanting Collection Preface" in history, which also provides a basis for skepticism.
The proponents believe that the "Preface to the Lanting Collection" is indeed Wang Xizhi's masterpiece. They refuted the skeptics' arguments by making the following arguments:
(1) Consistent font style: The font style of "Lanting Collection Preface" is similar to Wang Xizhi's other works, with a high degree of consistency.
(2) Consistent ideological content: Wang Xizhi's life experience is consistent with the ideological content in the Preface to the Lanting Collection, reflecting his philosophical thoughts and life pursuits.
(3) Rich historical records: Although there is no clear record of the circulation history of the "Lanting Collection Preface", the praise and admiration of calligraphers, literati and writers in the past dynasties cannot be ignored.
The Lanting debate is not only a discussion of the authenticity of the Preface to the Lanting Collection, but also a re-examination of the achievements of calligraphy in the Eastern Jin Dynasty. This debate promoted the in-depth study of the history of calligraphy in the academic circles and promoted the development of calligraphy art. At the same time, it also reminds people to treat the art of calligraphy with a scientific attitude and avoid blind obedience and superstition.
The Lanting debate attracted widespread attention and discussion in the society, and became a hot topic in the cultural field at that time. This debate not only enhanced people's understanding and awareness of the art of calligraphy, but also improved people's cultural literacy and aesthetic level. At the same time, it also promotes the prosperity and development of society and culture.
The Lanting Debate is an important academic discussion in the history of New Chinese calligraphy. It involves many aspects such as the authenticity, style, and ideological content of calligraphy art, and is of great significance for promoting the development of calligraphy art and improving people's cultural literacy. Decades have passed since this debate, but its impact is still far-reaching.