Villagers’caligraphic works

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In recent years，villagers，young and old，have practiced callig-raphy and the writing of couplets.This has made the village well known far and wide.since 1999，Guang Village has successfully held four art exhibitions of villagers’ calligraphy and painting.All exhibits are the creations of ordinary farmers.They are mainly works of calligraphy，along with paintings，inkstones，seal carvings，paper cuts，and other art forms.The village has also set up China’s only Farmers’Calligraphy Association.

An Ancient Village with 3，000 Years of Poetry and Cultural Heritage All this must be talked about from the perspective of the time-honored history of Guang Village.

Human habitation in Guang Village，which is located 20 kilometers north of Xinjiang County south of Yuncheng，Shanxi Province，began as early as 3，000 years ago.The area now located outside the village，known as the”Remains of Guang Village，”was the habitat of ancients，and is part of the Yangshao Culture excavation site.The extant Guang Village was formed in the Spring and Autumn Period（770-221 BC）.As to the origin of the village’s name，thereisa legend that during the Northern Qi Period（550-577），an auspicious light radiated over the village that local officials reported to the imperial government.In exultation at this news，the emperor named the site”Village of Light”（in Chinese”guang”means light.

The village，consisting of around 400 households that are the homes of 1，700 or more people，and with a glorious 3000-year history，retains its complete and original layout of a typical tradi-tional northern China village.Ancient residential courtyards，temples，and various cultural landscapes cover almost the entire village，and it is site of more than 20 cultural relics at all levels.Fusheng Temple，built in the Tang Dynasty Zhenguan Period（627-649），isa national key relics protection unit.Within it，the clay statue of the Bodhisattva Guanyin of the South Sea，with its exquisite sculpting technique that renders a beautifulimage，is a rare treasure，and class-A heritage.Guang Village could be said to be a blend of the Shanximerchant，clan，and folk cultures.It is in effect a living fossil of Chinese folk culture.

As to the village’s long history and traditional culture，the villagers can reel off long lists of family treasures.In ancient times，their village belonged to Jiangzhou，seat of a galaxy of talents throughout the history of china，and whose historical annals include numerous tales of such personages.It is the hometown of Xun zi，famous writer，thinker and statesman of the Warring States Period（475-221 BC）；Madame Wei，female calligrapher and mentor of Wang xizhi，the”Sage of Calligraphy；”Wang Wei，so-called”poetry Buddha；”Sima Guang，compiler of The Comprehensive Mirror to Aid in Government；Xue Xuan，the Ming Dynasty Confucian representative figure of the”School of Hedong Region；”and LiYuxiu，author of The Standards for Beinga Good Student and Child.All were local Jiangzhou residents at different historical periods.Many celebrities also left their footprints and noble sentiments here.Emperor Wu（156-87BC）of the Han Dynasty created his”ode to Autumn Wind”in ancient Jiangzhou，and Wang Bo of the Tang Dynasty（618-907），and Fan Zhongyan and Ouyang Xiu of the Song Dynasty（960-1279）lived here as offcials.

But of all past glories，the village’s legacy of calligraphy is greatest source of pride to the people of Guang Village.

Men of letters and masters of literature of various historical periods wrote a total of 200，000 characters of poetry praising Jiangzhou.The Jiang Model of Calligraphy，one of the four world-famous models of calligraphy，originates here，as does one of the country’s four most famous inkstones，the Jiangzhou clay（Chengni）Inkstone.

It can be said that the Jiang Modelof Calligraphy is a monumental milestone in the history of chinese calligraphy.It is a cultural treasure whose impact on Guang Village’s folk art calligraphy heritage has lasted thousands of years.

If the chinese calligraphy is a special kind of formative art，then the Jiang Model of Calligraphy has undoubtedly played a pivotal role in the process of inheriting and continuing the art of calligraphy through the ages.It is a treasured volume comprising a priceless collection of calligraphic masterpieces by famous calligraphers.It was inscribed by Pan shidan of the Northern Song Dynasty（960-1127）during Emperor Huangyou’s and Emperor Jiayou’s reigns.As it was created in Jiangzhou，it is called the Jiang Model of Calligraphy.The fine calligraphic works collected in the Jiang Model of Calligraphy include masterpieces by Lisi，Zhuge Liang，Madame Wei，Wang Xizhi，Wang Xianzhi，zhang Xu，Huai Su，LiBai，Yan Zhenqing and others.These elaborate calligraphic works originated in the dynasties prior to the Song pynasty，and took more than 10 years to compile and inscribe.