王岑伯和他的《书学史》

Wang Cenbo and His History of Calligraphy

王岑伯的《书学史》比祝嘉的同名著作早问世28年,是我国第一部现代意义上的书法史著作。王岑伯是河北乐亭人,是李大钊的同乡好友,早年供职于北京大学图书馆,并在北京大学和北京女子师范大学兼课。他的《书学史》有三个不同的版本,其一是手书石印本,其二是铅字仿古排印本,其三是哈尔滨《教育月刊》连载本。书中内容以上古时代的传说人物仓颉开篇,收笔于晚清翁同龢。北京大学书法研究社的活动和当时"整理国故"的思潮,可能是王岑伯撰著《书学史》的诱因。《佩文斋书画谱》可能是他写作《书学史》的主要参考书之一,因为这部书是晚清民国文化人书画史知识的主要来源。王岑伯和他的《书学史》长期不为学界所知,表明民国书学研究仍待进一步深入。

Wang Cenbo＇s History of Calligraphy is twenty-eight years earlier than Zhu Jia＇s namesake book. It is the first monograph on the history of calligraphy in modern China. Wang was a native of Leting in Hebei province and was Li Dazhao＇s county fellow and close friend. In his early career, Wang worked with the library of Peking University and taught at the Peking University and the Peking Women＇s College of Education. There are three editions of his History of Calligraphy： lithographed edition in handwritten script, typeset edition imitating ancient books and serialized edition published in Harbinbased Education Monthly. The book begins with the legendary figure Cangjie from the ancient times and ends with Weng Tonghe of the late Qing. Activities of the Calligraphy Research Society of Peking University and enthusiasm in those days for studies on China＇s past learning probably prompted Wang to write this book. Peiwenzhai Collection of Writings on Calligraphy and Painting may be one of the key reference books, because for intellectuals of the late Qing to the Republic of China period, it was the primary source of knowledge of the history of calligraphy and painting. Wang Cenbo and his History of Calligraphy have long been unknown to scholars. Therefore, more researches need to be done on calligraphy history of the Republic of China period.