Giving 20,000 couplets to people in two years: Si Hongqi’s Moyu Zen Heart
2018-01-18 10:23? Taihang Daily
Reporter Li Bin
Giving 20,000 couplets to others in two years is indeed a piece of gratifying news, and the person who "made the news" is Si Hongqi, a famous calligrapher in Jincheng City.
One morning a few days ago, the reporter walked into his Juya Gallery and saw three to four hundred couplets stacked on the huge desk.
"I will carry out this good deed to the end." Si Hongqi's words were brief, but they showed his generosity and kindness.
Without the backing of a considerable economic foundation and the support of a broad and kind mind, this good deed cannot continue. So, what kind of calligrapher is Si Hongqi, and why does he do this good deed?
Si Hongqi is writing couplets for the masses. Photo by reporter Li Bin
Treat every creation as a beautiful spiritual journey
Some people say that the career or path a person takes in his life is mostly related to his family. , the growing environment in childhood are inseparable. This is the case with Si Hongqi. His father worked in a government agency and was a good calligrapher. Influenced by his father, he began copying works of famous artists at the age of 7.
“Whether it’s weddings or weddings or holidays, the neighbors always ask my father to write letters, and my father responds to their requests without taking any money.” Recalling that time, Si Hongqi had a vague sense of admiration for his father.
From then on, he practiced calligraphy from 5:30 to 7:30 every morning. After graduating from high school, he joined the workforce and still persisted in copying calligraphy, to the point where the fake ones looked like the real ones. However, Si Hongqi always thinks that if calligraphy does not have its own style and characteristics, it is not worthy of being included in the calligraphy world.
So, he began to move towards the goal of having the simplicity, masculinity, and mellowness of the Lower Riba people, as well as the elegance, nobility, and elegance of the Yangchun Baixue through various changes and interpretations of strokes and structures. On the way to pursue his dream, he regarded each creation as a beautiful spiritual journey, practicing and writing quietly without any distractions.
However, due to standing and bowing for a long time, Si Hongqi had a problem with his cervical vertebra for a while, causing dizziness and numbness in his hands. Even holding chopsticks when eating became a problem. Later, after treatment and exercise, The disease is cured.
Today, Si Hongqi’s calligraphy works are unique in the Jincheng calligraphy circle. There is a popular evaluation about his works: Without looking at the signature, you can tell that it is Si Hongqi's calligraphy.
A book actually integrates traditional culture and Zen aesthetics
Three years ago, Si Hongqi published "Moyu Zen Heart".
This is a self-created book that covers 11 categories of traditional culture and Zen aesthetics, including filial piety and gratitude, self-cultivation, benevolence and kindness, promoting learning and serving the country, and being virtuous and honest. Its characters seek tranquility in movement, find stability in chaos, and show beauty in clumsiness; its meaning contains the graceful and magnanimous connotations of Confucianism and the natural and refreshing connotations of Zen. It is full of life emotions, superb calligraphy skills and profound culture. The perfect fusion of the three traditions.
“Life is a ladder, and those who put their hands in their pockets cannot climb it.” “The glorious moment must be paved by countless monotonous years, and can only be seen when the last shovel is dug. "Gold", "Don't let your heart be confused when you have something to do, don't let your heart be empty when you have nothing to do", "Goodness is the sign of longevity, virtue is the root of happiness"...
Books are written by the heart, and the words are like the person they are. In the final analysis, calligraphy He is writing about himself, using the rhythm of the pen, reality, space, ink color changes and formal beauty, allowing the viewer to appreciate the author's solemn and generous inner world and spiritual destination.
Many calligraphy or aphorisms created by Si Hongqi are mostly inspired by the perception of life, such as the word "wine". He wrote the "You" part of the character for wine in the shape of a skull, which means that every excessive glass of wine is poisonous juice brewed by the devil.
The inspiration for this word came from a night 5 years ago. He attended a social event, and after drinking, his friend almost got into a fight with a stranger over a trivial matter. He realized: Being greedy for alcohol means not respecting life!
Look again at the calligraphy work of "Betting on the Poor". Si Hongqi was befriended by a friend who was originally worth tens of millions, but lost all his wealth because of his obsession with gambling. He wrote it based on his feelings, and also added two sentences to this picture: I have only heard of people who get rich through hard work, but I have never seen people who get rich by gambling.
In Si Hongqi’s view, calligraphy is ultimately about cultivating the mind, cultivating to a normal mind, a state of great freedom, and a philosophical state of mind. If there is no innovation and no connotation, there will be no market and no long-term vitality.
Given 20,000 couplets to others in two years
As the vice chairman of the Urban Calligraphy Association, a member of the Shanxi Provincial Calligraphy and Painting Professional Review Committee, and a Shanxi Provincial Arts and Crafts Master, Si Hongqi also has another Identity: businessman.
As early as the 1980s, Si Hongqi opened a calligraphy and painting mounting shop. Because of his integrity and good craftsmanship, he gradually became famous. In 1993, Si Hongqi founded a decoration engineering company, and the business went smoothly. In 2005, he opened a gallery and named it "Juya Gallery".
More than 10 years have passed, and Juya Gallery has not only achieved considerable economic benefits, but has also become increasingly popular. Si Hongqi's own calligraphy works have also been sold to Linfen, Yuncheng, Zhengzhou and other places through this display platform.
Two years ago in the fall, Si Hongqi went to Jushou Mountain to study traditional culture.
After I came back, I came up with the idea of ??"writing 10,000 couplets a year and giving them away". Si Hongqi’s explanation is that he not only expresses benevolence, wisdom, propriety, righteousness, and trust through the form of calligraphy, but also allows others to understand calligraphy and perceive calligraphy and traditional Chinese culture through couplets.
Since 2016, every year after the Mid-Autumn Festival, he began to create and write couplets until the eve of the Spring Festival. Now, he has written 20,000 couplets and given them to urban and rural people, and also donated more than 10 framed calligraphy works to restaurants and supermarkets.
“Earn money happily in the sunshine, and repay the society while being grateful.” Si Hongqi said that only when you have the ability can you help others, but if you don’t have the ability to help others, you can only “think”.
Now, the 55-year-old Si Hongqi prefers to call himself a traditional culture volunteer, doing his best to guide more people to learn calligraphy, inherit calligraphy, and find happiness and life in calligraphy. The truth, and the value of life.