Bulletin of the Department of Chinese Literature

Professor Jao Tsung-i (1917-2018) was an internationally renowned polymath whose achievements spanned history, literature, philology, and the arts. Accomplished in scholarship, literature, and artistic creation alike, he may aptly be described as embodying “three perfections in one person.” A defining feature of Jao’s calligraphic art lies in his mastery of diverse script styles and his exceptional stylistic versatility. In the author’s view, few contemporary calligraphers rivaled Jao in the breadth of scripts he commanded.
This article examines the rich variability of Jao’s calligraphic art from several perspectives. First, Jao’s theory of calligraphy emphasized the principles of “weightiness,” “archaic simplicity,” and “grandeur,” while advocating an approach to learning calligraphy that proceeds “from the higher tradition downward.” Second, his oracle-bone script calligraphy displayed remarkable stylistic diversity: while preserving the robust strength of incised inscriptions, it also incorporated brush techniques derived from bronze inscriptions, small-seal script, and clerical script, at times even revealing cursive linearity, thereby generating fresh creativity within an archaic aesthetic. Third, his bamboo- and silk-manuscript calligraphy reinterpreted ancient models through the adaptation of Chu and Qin bamboo slips as well as the Mawangdui silk manuscripts, fusing archaic simplicity with originality. Fourth, across seal, clerical, regular, running, and cursive scripts, Jao drew extensively upon the traditions of major calligraphers from the Jin, Tang, and Song dynasties through the Ming and Qing periods, while avoiding rigid formal imitation and establishing a distinctive personal style. Finally, the article argues that in his later years Jao achieved a masterful synthesis of diverse script traditions, attaining the highest realm of artistic transformation. His calligraphic art is marked by remarkable richness and vitality, uniting archaic simplicity with innovative elegance.