The Role of RunLi in the Commercialization of Chinese Calligraphy and Painting

Abstract

From the very beginning of its birth, artwork has been determined to be exclusive to the upper class, and does not exist as an ordinary commodity. The “uselessness” of its own existence is different from the “practicality” of the commodity, and the artwork has become a manifestation. A sign of social status and aesthetic taste. In traditional Chinese society, the art of calligraphy and painting has a low education penetration rate and a low level of social development. As a result, painting and calligraphy works are often popular at the top of the society and are not circulated as necessities in the society. With the continuous development and transformation of society, calligraphy and painting works of art flowed to the folks, and then circulated as "commodities" in all classes of society in China. The emergence of "RunLi" is a sign that calligraphy and painting art has become a commodity. In the commercialization process of art, the key to calligraphy and painting art from "priceless" to "valuable" is to realize the transition from "artistic value" to "economic value". "RunLi" is the price list of calligraphy and painting. It has successfully quantified the value of calligraphy and painting art, and realized the value reference role in the process of buying and selling calligraphy and painting art. The emergence of RunLi is the product of the development of social commodity economy, and it is also the social struggle of literati artists. That is, they are distressed by the "materialization" of self-proclaimed paintings and calligraphy works, and yearning for the realization of the value of self-painting and calligraphy works, but it is undeniable that " "RunLi" changed the position and identity of artworks in society. The study of Chinese painting and calligraphy art not only stops at the pure artistic value research, but also indispensably needs to place the artwork in the social value for research.