劉樂一先生是山東大學(xué)藝術(shù)學(xué)院教授。他在全國的金石書畫鑒賞方面是一個新聞人物，幾年的研究成果一經(jīng)面世，總會引起轟動。從破譯《周易卦符》到貴州對《紅崖天書》的釋譯，都在全國學(xué)術(shù)界引起關(guān)注。他又與人合作，幾經(jīng)曲折，刻苦攻關(guān)，使已經(jīng)失傳的千年古璽鑄造技術(shù)重放光彩，其書法、篆刻作品高古雅致，深受各界人士的贊譽。
　　
　　博學(xué)多才益童年
　　
　　劉樂一先生自幼跟隨外祖父長大，受其影響便從小喜愛廣集民間墨、印、字、畫，且為日后選擇藝術(shù)道路提供了有利條件。
　　上世紀(jì)80年代初，劉樂一先生大學(xué)畢業(yè)被分配在山東大學(xué)出版社，先后任美術(shù)編輯、總編室副主任、技術(shù)編輯室主任，主要從事圖書的裝幀設(shè)計和技術(shù)編輯工作。他先后為山東大學(xué)出版社、青島海洋大學(xué)出版社、黃河出版社、《文史哲》編輯部等書、刊社設(shè)計正式出版的封面達(dá)千余種，其中《成仿吾文集》獲山東省優(yōu)秀圖書編輯獎、封面編輯一等獎。他多才多藝，曾多次被國家教委調(diào)去參加文交會、北京展覽館、上海展覽館等教育部分的展覽總體設(shè)計�，F(xiàn)山東大學(xué)校徽的設(shè)計就出于樂一先生之手。
　　1989年冬，樂一先生調(diào)任山東大學(xué)藝術(shù)系美術(shù)教研室主任，教學(xué)之余，主要從事中國畫鑒賞與漢字藝術(shù)學(xué)的研究。在長期的治學(xué)研究中，他總結(jié)出：中國書法的體制，無不是從古文字形體的變化而來，熟知上古漢字形體，善于多方面借鑒，利用當(dāng)今豐富的資料在師古基礎(chǔ)上去開創(chuàng)新風(fēng)。開創(chuàng)新風(fēng)不能靠荒誕的杜撰，而是根植于傳統(tǒng)，卻又不為陳舊所束縛，融合個人的學(xué)識，才得以形成。在長期教學(xué)中，樂一先生總結(jié)出“國畫乃是寫畫，畫不融于書法非畫也”的理論。從此，他苦研書法，先從鐘鼎文入手，并廣涉古文字學(xué)、音韻學(xué)，并得到其恩師著名文字學(xué)家、書法家蔣維崧先生的教誨，使其書風(fēng)飄逸富有情趣，他的書法造詣逐漸得到社會的廣泛贊譽。
　　在樂一先生家的陽臺上，有一張小桌，上面擺滿了各色各樣的石料和刀具。這是樂一先生治印的一方小天地，有行家說樂一的篆刻優(yōu)于書法，其篆刻作品極得同道之贊譽。翻閱他書案上的《一樂齋印存》十二集，可以看到風(fēng)格各異、古樸典雅的近500方印石。這些篆刻無論是肖形印，還是諸多名章、閑章；無論是巨如拳頭者，還是微如黃豆者，均用刀一絲不茍，工整穩(wěn)健，行文之間揖讓照應(yīng)，錯落奇詭，新意迭出。在這些印譜中有許多國際名人和社會賢達(dá)人士的印章，如韓國總統(tǒng)金泳三、孔子第76代孫孔德成等，皆以得一枚樂一先生的名章而為樂事。在1993年12期的《書法》雜志上，有兩方大型篆刻作品引起讀者的廣泛關(guān)注，這就是樂一先生用了近半個月的時間精心設(shè)計篆刻的毛澤東詩詞《沁園春?雪》。這長達(dá)114字的長詩分兩段刻成，篆刻以秦篆入印，分朱布白疏密有致，刀法剛健又不落俗套，筆畫粗細(xì)勻整，線條嚴(yán)正中雜以圓曲形，結(jié)體俊逸瀟灑，給人以清新雅正之感，觀之感覺一股濃厚的人文氣息撲面而來。這兩方大型篆刻作品成為樂一先生篆刻藝術(shù)的代表作。
　　樂一先生為追求恩師蔣維崧先生所倡導(dǎo)的“七篆三刻，講求古文字功夫，從心所欲而不逾規(guī)矩”的創(chuàng)作特點，親手寫了一幅對聯(lián)懸掛在客廳的墻上，對聯(lián)曰：“篆參隸勢奇姿可生，隸參篆勢形質(zhì)高古�！贝寺�(lián)是樂一先生對書法篆刻形成風(fēng)格的總結(jié)，說明了學(xué)書法先應(yīng)從篆入手，習(xí)篆必先通六書，熟悉篆書隸法即熟，隸熟則通各體順入坦途的道理。
　　2003年春天，經(jīng)過幾年的積累，劉樂一的篆刻集《一樂齋印存》終于由中國文聯(lián)出版社出版發(fā)行了。這些篆刻作品無論是肖形印還是諸多名章、閑章和他自己釋解的古文字圖釋形體等，無論是石刻還是銅鑄，均用刀一絲不茍，工整穩(wěn)健，錯落有致，新意迭出。這次出版的300方印存是從樂一先生創(chuàng)作的兩千多方印章中精選出來的，可以說是他篆刻作品的代表作。
　　劉樂一先生的書法、篆刻藝術(shù)成就，除了他具備豐厚的古文字學(xué)功底外，更得益于對中國古老的經(jīng)典《周易》的研究上，他的關(guān)于“周易卦符”的研究成果引發(fā)了中國易學(xué)界、文字學(xué)界的轟動。
　　中國的書畫、印藝術(shù)門類繁多，形成了一個藝術(shù)世界，涉足到這一藝術(shù)境界之內(nèi)，將得到精神與情操的陶冶，增添高雅的素質(zhì)。因此，古今中外不同風(fēng)格的中國書畫作品越來越受到各階層人們所喜愛。這種“書畫熱”反映了全民族對傳統(tǒng)文明的追求。但是有一點常被忽視的那就是在浩如煙海的藝術(shù)作品中，人們對傳統(tǒng)書畫的認(rèn)識在水平上有較大差距，特別一些書畫愛好者對傳統(tǒng)文化與現(xiàn)代書畫所起的作用認(rèn)識不足，從而取法卑下，以至途入迷津，因此提高書畫的社會鑒賞能力便成了當(dāng)務(wù)之急。在這種情況下，劉樂一先生利用業(yè)余時間收集了大量資料，夜以繼日苦干一個暑期，將一部20多萬字的《中國書畫鑒賞與探討》的書稿交付山東美術(shù)出版社出版發(fā)行。此書問世之后，受到專家和書畫收藏者們的一致好評，并作為高等院校美育選修課教程。該書在1995年優(yōu)秀教材評選中獲優(yōu)秀獎。
　　
　　1992年9月，在中韓建交之初，應(yīng)韓國東方研書會的邀請，樂一先生赴韓國漢城舉辦書法篆刻展覽和古漢字形體演變的講學(xué)活動。樂一先生的書法篆刻展在漢城東方畫廊舉辦，由于這是中韓建交前夕第一個中國人的作品在漢城展出，備受韓國觀眾青睞，韓國新聞界為此作了大量報道，引起社會各界關(guān)注。正在競選總統(tǒng)、時為韓國民主自由黨總裁的金泳三先生贈送了祝展樹，于是便把展覽會推向了高潮。在舉辦展覽期間，樂一先生還到高麗大學(xué)、漢城大學(xué)等學(xué)校舉辦講演會。與中國傳統(tǒng)文化有一脈相承的韓國人對中國的書法篆刻藝術(shù)情有獨鐘，據(jù)當(dāng)?shù)貓蠹垐蟮�，前來聽講演的韓國社會各界書法愛好者，是歷次書道講演活動中聽眾人數(shù)最多的。樂一先生在講演時回答了韓國朋友有關(guān)現(xiàn)代書法是繼承傳統(tǒng)還是放棄傳統(tǒng)的10多個提問，精煉、準(zhǔn)確、風(fēng)趣的講解和回答贏得了陣陣掌聲。前來聽講演的不僅有韓國各大學(xué)的漢學(xué)教授，而且還有韓國文化部、中央博物館、韓國議會的不少官員也在聽眾席上就座。他們對樂一先生深厚的傳統(tǒng)文化功底和嚴(yán)謹(jǐn)?shù)闹螌W(xué)學(xué)風(fēng)給予了很高的評價，并加深了對中國新一代知識分子的印象，同時也被樂一先生的學(xué)識所折服。
　　劉樂一先生的書法篆刻藝術(shù)洋溢著一幅廣涉博學(xué)的文人面貌，是與他深厚的民族文化知識和嚴(yán)謹(jǐn)?shù)闹螌W(xué)態(tài)度分不開的。他在大學(xué)任教之余，撰寫《硬筆書法原理》，整編《顏真卿書東方朔畫贊碑、東方先生墓碑》，主編《漢字與書法》等多部專著，皆已出版問世，可謂成就卓越。1995年12月24日，由中國文化部批辦的“95華人書畫藝術(shù)作品大展賽”獲獎頒發(fā)儀式在北京人民大會堂隆重舉行，樂一先生在這次大展賽中榮獲金獎，受到國家領(lǐng)導(dǎo)人接見和頒獎。
　　2002年，劉樂一先生應(yīng)香港大公報社的邀請，參加《大公報》創(chuàng)刊百年活動，其書法、篆刻作品，在香港舉辦了展覽，受到香港各界人士的歡迎與贊譽。
　　2002年10月1日，劉樂一先生又應(yīng)日本愛知縣日中友好協(xié)會和名古屋市立大學(xué)的邀請，在日本名古屋海濱展廳舉辦了書畫印作品展，并且精心創(chuàng)作了巨幅書法作品《沁園春?雪》贈送給了名古屋市立圖書館。
　　
　　破釋“天書”轟動世界
　　
　　對中國古文字學(xué)和易學(xué)有深厚研究的劉樂一先生，兩次赴貴州布依族自治區(qū)關(guān)嶺縣境內(nèi)，對紅崖山進(jìn)行考察，成功地釋譯了“紅崖天書”，在中國掀起了“紅崖天書”熱，并由此成為一種文化現(xiàn)象，引起專家學(xué)者的關(guān)注。
　　享譽中外的紅崖古跡是黔中瑰寶，特別是書寫在崖壁上的“神秘天書”，引起了中外學(xué)者和好奇人士的極大興趣。天書是否是文字，何種文體，何人所為，產(chǎn)生于何時，是什么遺跡，更是釋疑多說，已成為一種神秘的文化現(xiàn)象。
　　紅崖古跡論證了近百年，篩去所謂運用“宇宙訊息”、“特異功能”以及難以稱謂的神秘雜說，也有幾種說法值得商榷: 有人說是“諸葛碑”，因紅崖山一帶地名與傳說故事多與三國時諸葛亮相關(guān)，又因《華陽國志》有“諸葛為夷人作圖譜”的故事，被認(rèn)為是諸葛亮教夷人作圖譜之遺跡；也有人說是“古彝文”，說它是彝族的巫師們要為彝民們“歲祭年豐”，而在石壁上書寫了符號；還有人說是“自然石花”，認(rèn)為“石質(zhì)中含有朱砂水銀之屬，故字者石赤”；也有人把它視為“夜郎掛經(jīng)”，可提示某種人間禍福。總之，不知有多少人為之冥思苦想，都想解答這個千古之謎。
　　
　　劉樂一教授在考察完“紅崖天書”后認(rèn)為，問題的關(guān)鍵在于“紅崖天書”無拓本傳世，也就失去了辨別現(xiàn)存甘愿本真?zhèn)蔚囊罁?jù)。因為紅崖碑的文字是直接書寫在未經(jīng)打磨的石壁上，其痕跡極淺而無法拓片。石壁又長期裸露在外，涂寫的符號在日曬、雨襲的風(fēng)化中剝蝕，特別是自光緒二十七年羅光堂用桐油石灰捶拓后，復(fù)經(jīng)巨斧鏟鑿，又以沸水洗滌，字跡已多漫患難辨。無獨有偶，不久貴州提督余印川（另說周達(dá)武）又在其上書一草書“虎”字，更混淆耳目。要臨摹“天書”，只有在這些若隱若現(xiàn)的圖跡上勾勒填寫，難免會造成原跡與摹本之間的差異，民間又多有復(fù)刻本流傳，甚至以訛傳訛，使眾多的研究者因執(zhí)贗本而誤入歧途，必然會在考釋上眾說紛紜。
　　此外，在流傳的摹本中，既有無“虎”字者，也有寫“虎”字者，一些新本也相繼出現(xiàn)，摹本上的字?jǐn)?shù)有的多達(dá)50余個，有的只有幾十個，無一能夠相互對應(yīng)，臨寫的水平更是參差不齊，這就為辨別摹本字跡的真?zhèn)卧斐闪藰O大困難。因此，要考釋“天書”，首先要考證能與“紅崖古跡”相對應(yīng)的真跡摹本。
　　所幸之事，是在安順地區(qū)博物館發(fā)現(xiàn)了一張民國時期拍攝的“紅崖古跡”照片。照片上反映出的十幾個字跡還較為清晰。劉樂一先生用現(xiàn)存的摹本與這張舊照片對照，發(fā)現(xiàn)只有清?瞿鴻摹本能夠與其契合；又發(fā)現(xiàn)崖壁上仍殘留了幾個字跡尚可辨認(rèn)，特別是清?徐印川（或周達(dá)武）添加在石壁上的草書“虎”字尤為清晰，“虎”字之下的大篆形體“丙”、“戌”二字以及右上角“品”字的形體也能分辨，無論從字跡的形體還是所在方位，清代瞿鴻錫的摹本與“紅崖古跡”殘存的字形能夠?qū)?yīng)相符，從而證實了清?瞿鴻錫摹本應(yīng)是原跡摹本。這就為考釋“紅崖天書”提供了可信的憑據(jù)。
　　劉樂一認(rèn)為：依據(jù)清?瞿鴻錫摹本分析，“天書”的字體是應(yīng)用了鐘鼎和籀文等篆隸書體，在書寫方式上有橫寫也有倒寫，為增加各體字型的隱蔽性又采取了添加、省減、移位、圖釋四種方法將字型肢解，使后人難識廬山真面目。但是，“天書”里惟有一個“甲”字一個橫寫的“乙”字和一個大篆書體“丙”字在形體上未加變化，給人留下了開啟“天書”的鎖鑰。
　　依據(jù)漢字學(xué)推理，此“天書”的內(nèi)容大致是：丙戌，兵敗宮亂，有口難言。
　　以此為據(jù)，從“紅崖天書”的漢字屬性分析來看，似乎是一位曾經(jīng)目睹過宮廷內(nèi)亂的隱士所書。
　　
　　“天書”右下角有兩組圖形，很像是一個女人在祈禱（T）和一個兒童在戲耍（U）。其含義是說：“自此隱居山林以享天倫之樂”還是表示當(dāng)時的書寫環(huán)境，很是耐人尋味。
　　至于“天書”的書寫年代，劉樂一教授依據(jù)“紅崖天書”所使用的漢字形體斷代，理應(yīng)是中古前后的作品，欲說是遠(yuǎn)古之遺跡未免太離奇�！凹t崖天書”的最早記載要算明嘉靖二十五年（公元1546年）貴州普安州舉人邵元善所作的《紅崖詩》，詩曰：“紅崖削立一千丈，刻劃盤回非一狀。參差時作鐘鼎形，騰躑或成飛走象。諸葛曾聞此信兵，至今銅鼓有遺聲。即望壁上粉奇詭，圖譜渾疑尚詛盟�！贝撕笕儆嗄昙湃粺o聞。至清道光時，宦黔官吏首介考證，文人碩士群起響應(yīng)，才有諸多的詩文、記載和摹刻本出現(xiàn)。根據(jù)“天書”中的“允”字以及“丙”、“戌”推測，公元癸末（1403年），燕王朱棣進(jìn)軍應(yīng)天，建文帝朱允下落不明。丙戌年（公元1406年）即是明?永樂四年，也就是朱棣當(dāng)政的第四年，清順治提督浙江學(xué)政僉事谷應(yīng)泰在他所撰的《明史紀(jì)事本末》里記載了建文帝此時的行蹤：“丙戌年，夏四月，建文帝至西平侯沐晟家，留旬日。五月，結(jié)茆白龍山�！笔鰯⒘私ㄎ牡厶与x皇宮后帶一班隨員流落襄陽，后化裝成僧人匿跡滇黔的史實。民國之初，原高峰山主持范清所藏一幅“大明建文皇帝遺像”已被安順地區(qū)博物館著錄，畫圖上的朱允以僧人面貌出現(xiàn)。高峰山在貴州沔平壩縣境內(nèi)，其石壁上所鐫刻的“西來面壁”四字相傳是出自建文帝之手筆，表明了朱允曾在黔中一帶活動過。據(jù)此推測，“天書”里的“允”字應(yīng)該是指朱允。由此，千古之謎“紅崖天書”應(yīng)是明初建文帝逃匿貴黔所至，已是不爭的事實，史學(xué)界對這一推論給予了充分肯定。近幾年來國內(nèi)外對紅崖文化的探討也皆以劉樂一教授這一論斷作主線。
　　
　　千年古璽重放光彩
　　
　　劉樂一運用古文字學(xué)知識和篆刻藝術(shù)，與人合作經(jīng)過聯(lián)手攻關(guān)，使千年古璽重放光彩。
　　在研究古文字學(xué)、印學(xué)的過程中，劉樂一對古代銅鑄璽印越來越感興趣。中國早期的印璽是由實用而產(chǎn)生的，后來又發(fā)展成為統(tǒng)治階級表征權(quán)力的法物，自春秋戰(zhàn)國直至明代初年，古璽用材多以銅質(zhì)為主，明中葉以后，一些質(zhì)地松軟、美觀的石料廣受文人墨客青睞。文人們自篆自刻蔚成風(fēng)氣，銅鑄璽印漸趨冷落，一些重要的鑄造技術(shù)也伴隨著歲月的流逝而慢慢失傳。
　　劉樂一查閱了大量古璽鑄刻資料，并收集了一些以古法鑄的銅印。他發(fā)現(xiàn)，雖然銅質(zhì)古璽具有內(nèi)容豐富、形式多樣、氣勢雄渾等特點，但也存在制作工藝繁瑣，外表粗糙易生銹等問題，特別是古法鑄造的銅印印文粗獷有余而細(xì)致不足，難以表現(xiàn)書法筆畫中的精細(xì)之處。
　　用什么方法可以使質(zhì)地堅硬的銅印也能纖毫畢現(xiàn)呢？顯然，鑄造工藝是關(guān)鍵，劉樂一驀地想起了他中學(xué)時的校友閻小平。
　　閻小平的父親是從舊社會過來的擅長治印的老藝人，在當(dāng)?shù)仡H有影響。閻小平自幼隨父鑄銅刻印，高中畢業(yè)后又進(jìn)工廠當(dāng)了一名鑄工，練得一手上佳的鑄藝功夫。
　　一位是精通書法篆刻的學(xué)者，一位是擅長鑄造工藝的師傅，合起來不就是“銅鑄璽印”嗎？當(dāng)劉樂一把自己的想法告知閻小平時，閻小平高興得擊掌叫好。
　　古璽鑄造中，印鈕是衡量印璽美觀的重要一環(huán)。它不僅是印章的裝飾品，也是鑄造工藝與雕刻水平的體現(xiàn)�！扳o”也稱作“紐”，意即印背隆起，有孔可以穿帶，古人以系結(jié)在印鈕上的綬繩顏色來區(qū)別官職的大小。古璽常見的鈕式有幾十種，無論是龍、虎、獅、龜鈕還是圭、壇、橋、亭鈕，均利用這些形體的鏤空處代替孔鼻。這些富于變化、靈巧生動地鏤空鈕的造型是鑄造中的難關(guān)。
　　在發(fā)掘、繼承傳統(tǒng)的過程中，劉樂一和閻小平從未停下創(chuàng)新的腳步。新的技術(shù)將傳統(tǒng)鑄銅工藝與現(xiàn)代腐蝕成像技術(shù)結(jié)合起來，在銅合金的淺雕上加腐蝕工藝，能不失真地再現(xiàn)任何指定的書法形體、山水圖案及至人物肖像。鑄成的銅璽印鈕生動精致，表面亮潔防銹，印文剛?cè)嵯酀?jì)、勁潤酣暢，給人以醇厚的藝術(shù)享受。
　　清末篆刻家徐三庚說“看款能知印”。印旁刻款是表現(xiàn)篆刻者成熟的重要技巧。中國古代真正的印旁題款始見于明代的石質(zhì)印章，此前在堅硬的銅印邊旁題款極為少見。劉樂一和閻小平實驗了多種刀具和機械，屢次改進(jìn)，終于找到了一種得心應(yīng)手的“利器”，可以在堅硬的銅合金表面上直接刻制題款。劉樂一通常以動態(tài)的行、草書刻款，與精美的篆體印文張弛結(jié)合，相映成趣。精美的刻款如錦上添花，使新鑄銅印更加完美，也使傳統(tǒng)的銅鑄古璽藝術(shù)大大向前躍進(jìn)了一步。
　　前不久，日本著名銅版畫家河井次郎先生喜得貴子，按照日本習(xí)俗，將自己得意的事情寫成祝語，請名家巧匠刻印珍藏于家中，據(jù)說能萬事順利。為此，他特意致信請劉樂一先生為其制印。當(dāng)劉樂一、閻小平合作的“兒哺歲月”獸鈕銅章傳到河井手中時，這位對東方鑄印技術(shù)十分了解的專家大為驚奇，立刻親筆在日本《印鑒》上撰文，對其作品做了極高的評價。
　　
　　Mr. Liu Leyi is a professor of the Art School of Shandong University. As an outstanding connoisseur in the field of epigraphy, calligraphy and paintings, whenever his several years of research achievements are published, sensation is brought about in academic circles. From deciphering Divinatory Symbols of the Books of Changes of the Zhou Dynasty to deciphering Book from Heaven on Red Cliff, Mr. Liu has attracted much attention in scholarly circles nationwide. Later, by cooperating with other experts, Mr. Liu has reproduced the casting technology for royal seals that had been lost nearly a thousand years ago. His achievements in calligraphy and seal cutting have also won great praises from aficionados.
　　
　　Erudite Since Childhood
　　
　　Mr. Liu grew up in his grandparents family. Influenced by his grandfather since childhood, he has been interested in calligraphy, painting, and seal cutting, all of which laid a solid foundation for his later success in aesthetic endeavors.
　　In the 1980s, after graduating from university, Mr. Liu found a job at the Shandong University Press. One after another, he has assumed the posts of art editor, vice director of the office of editor-in-chief, and director of the technology edition office, where he has been mainly involved in design and editorial affairs concerning various publications. To date, he has designed more than a thousand covers for books and magazines published by Shandong University Press, Ocean University of China Press, Huanghe Press, and Wen Shi Zhe Magazine, among which Cheng Fangw’sllective Works was awarded the outstanding prize for an edition and the grade one prize for its cover.
　　As a versatile scholar, Mr. Liu has participated in the design of many ceremonial exhibitions and fairs held by the National Ministry of Education. The present university badge or seal of Shandong University was designed by Mr. Liu.
　　In the spring of 2003, after several years of accumulation, a collection of Mr. Liu’sals cut in stone, metal, and wood were published in a book entitled Seal Cutting Storage in Yile Studio by the Publishing House of China Federation of Literary and Art Circles. The 300 seals depicted in this book were selected from more than 2000 carved by Mr. Liu and are representative of his seal cutting art.
　　Mr. Liu’slligraphy and seal carving are characterized by the erudite features of a scholar, which should be ascribed to his deep knowledge of national culture and strict attitude towards academic studies. In his spare time after teaching in the university, Mr. Liu has published Fundamentals of Pen Calligraphy, and acted as editor-in-chief of Chinese Characters and Calligraphy, both of which are regarded as great achievements in calligraphic circles. On December 24, 1995, at the prize-awarding ceremony held in the People’seat Hall in Beijing for the Chinese Calligraphy and Painting Art Works Competition, held under the auspices of the National Ministry of Culture, Mr. Liu was awarded the gold prize and was honored by meeting with national leaders.
　　
　　Stirring the World by Deciphering the Book from Heaven
　　
　　Mr. Liu, pursuing his in-depth studies into ancient Chinese characters and The Book of Changes, has twice visited Guanling County of the Buyi Nationality Autonomous Region in Guizhou Province to make on-the-spot research on the Book from Heaven on the Red Cliff. Finally, he successfully deciphered the Book from Heaven, stirring China and attracting extensive attention from many specialists.
　　The cultural relics site of the Red Cliff is a treasure within the territory of Guizhou. The mysterious Book from Heaven written on the cliff has fascinated many scholars and tourists from home and abroad. Whether the Book from Heaven is written in characters (and if so, what kind of characters), who inscribed it, and the date of its creation have all been “unsolved mysteries”inspiring diversified explanations.
　　 After making extensive investigations into the Book from Heaven on the Red Cliff, Mr. Liu thinks that since there are no rubbing materials for reference, there is no arguable evidence to make an exact explanation of the book. Since the characters (if such they be) are written on a cliff wall that has not been polished, the traces are so shallow that rubbings are not easy to get. Furthermore, exposed as they have been to the natural ravages of wind, rain and sun for such a long time, the characters on the cliff wall have been seriously eroded.
　　
　　Moreover, in 1901, Luo Guangtang tried to make rubbings with tung oil, lime, and pounding, then cutting with a giant ax and shovel, followed by washing with boiling water, all of which made the characters difficult to discern. Though not unique, it has its counterpart. Still later, Yu Yinchuan, provincial governor of Guizhou, wrote a Chinese character“虎” (Tiger) in cursive script on the cliff, which further obscured some of the original writing. So, now, to reproduce the characters in the Book from Heaven, people can only rub on the dim traces, which usually produce great differences between the original characters. Some people even make reproductions in accordance with these rubbings, further misleading numerous researchers.
　　Mr. Liu thinks, according to the rubbing reproduction by Ju Hongxin in the Qing Dynasty, the style of calligraphy of characters in the Book from Heaven should have absorbed the features of seal and official scripts popularly used in the inscriptions on ancient bronze objects. In terms of calligraphic style, the characters are written in both horizontal and vertical shapes. In order to increase the concealment of the characters, the characters are divided into some sections, which made later people unable to recognize them clearly. Among the characters, only three are not divided, they are“甲” in horizontal shape, “乙”and“丙” in seal character style, which leave a key for later people to decipher the mystery.
　　Therefore, in accordance with the fundamentals of Chinese characters, the contents of the Book from Heaven should be explained as follows: In 1406, after defeating from a palace coup, finding hard to bring up the result.
　　By this, it seems that the characters in the Book from Heaven were written by a hermit who had witnessed the coup.
　　At the right corner of the Book from Heaven, there were two groups of graphics in which it appears that a women is praying and a child is playing. Whether this implies that the author would withdraw from society and live in solitude to enjoy the happiness of family union or implies the environment at the time, nobody can tell now.
　　With regard to the time when the Book from Heaven was written, in accordance with the style of calligraphy in the book, Mr. Liu thinks it was written around the middle period of ancient times (in Chinese history, from the 3rd to the 9th century). The earliest historic records concerning the Book from Heaven can be found in the Red Cliff Poem written by a scholar in Pu’an, Guizhou, in 1546. Since then, for 300 years, there were no further historic references; but from the 1820s in the Qing Dynasty, many scholars started to make research into the characters on the Red Cliff, and many of these records are still extant.
　　In the Book from Heaven, there are characters of“允”,“丙”and“戊”In 1403 during the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Di headed an army to invade the capital of Nanjing, and the reigning emperor, Zhu Yunwen (also called Emperor Jianwen), was “l(fā)ost”during the invasion. In 1406, the Year of Bingxu (丙戊) according to the ancient Chinese calendar, when Zhu Di had been emperor for four years, a government official recorded the traces of Emperor Jianwen, implying that he had not been killed, but had fled to Guizhou.
　　In the early years of the Republic of China (1913-1949), Fan Qing, a chief monk in a temple on Mount Gaofeng in Guizhou, discovered a painting entitled“A Portrait of the Decreased Emperor Jianwen of the Ming Dynasty,”in which Zhu Yunwen was portrayed as a monk. Later, the painting was collected by the Anshun Museum. Mount Gaofeng is located in the territory of Pingba County, Gaiping, Guizhou Province. On the mountain, there is a rock on which four characters“西來面壁” were said to be inscribed by Emperor Jianwen, implying that Zhu Yunwen used to live in central Guizhou. Following this line of thought, it can be presumed that the character“允”(Yun) in the Book from Heaven refers to Zhu Yunwen. And, accordingly, the Books from Heaven was written after Zhu Yunwen escaped from Nanjing to Guizhou. Many historians have given their commendation and approval to this conclusion.

相關(guān)熱詞搜索：和他 篆刻 書法 劉樂一和他的書法篆刻藝術(shù) 書法與篆刻藝術(shù)欣賞 白靜波書法篆刻藝術(shù)淺析