Shangu Colophons and Huang Tingjian’s Theory of “The Value of Calligraphy Depends on the Esteem of Its Writer”

The Song Dynasty witnessed a peak in the development of colophons (tiba), which, as an emerging literary genre, satisfied Huang Tingjian’s need to express his critical views on literature and art, allowing his literary and artistic thoughts to be widely disseminated through this form. Huang Tingjian’s concept of “the value of calligraphy depends on the esteem of its writer” emphasizes the correspondence between the value of a calligraphic work and the moral character of its creator. This calligraphic thought of his was shaped under the influence of the Confucian notion of “understanding the person through the age in which he lived” and on the basis of inheriting the calligraphic theories of Ouyang Xiu and Su Shi. It fully reflects his profound concern for the noble character and deep literary cultivation of calligraphers, in addition to their artistic accomplishments.