Cursive script is the simplest form of Chinese writing. The origin of cursive script, like running script or other calligraphy styles, cannot be pinpointed when it began. Historical records say: "During the Warring States Period, King Huai of Chu asked Qu Yuan to write a constitutional decree. The draft was not yet submitted. Shangguan saw it and wanted to seize it. The ancestor of cursive script originated from this." According to this, there is a saying that cursive script originated from the draft. It can be seen that during the Warring States Period That is to say, cursive script has been formed. Because the font originated from a draft, in order to perform the function of sketching, it is relatively omitted and hasty. Naturally, it cannot be neat and written in a hurry. As the name suggests, it is a cursive script. However, this kind of cursive script can only be said to be a draft of ancient seal script (the font used at that time). The discovery of real cursive script began in the early Han Dynasty. Its evolution process should be that there was "Zhangcao" first, and then "Jincao". "Grass", and then there are "Kuaicao" and other grass styles.
Zhangcao is a sketch of official script, so it originated from official script. Legend has it that it was created by Huangmenling Shi You during the reign of Emperor Yuan of the Western Han Dynasty. Zhao Yanwei Yun Manchao of Song Dynasty said: "Xuanhe, the ancient people of Shaanxi found wooden slips with all the characters written in Zhangcao. They were on the second day of Yongchu, when they sent their husband to rebel against the Qiang Xi. Mi Yuanzhang wrote: Zhangcao is the grass of Zhangzuo. Today's test Since ancient times, it has become more and more simple, so the large seal script has become a small seal script, and the small seal script has become a official script. It is also a natural trend; therefore, although it is called Cao, the Li pen is still there, and Liang Yao has not left the Li pen far away." This theory is more credible because Zhang Cao was obtained through Zhang Zou.
Although the "Zhangcao" font has been simplified in the "official script", it is still slightly rippled. If you look at the wooden slip writing in the early Han Dynasty (above), you can see that the early "Zhangcao" was actually emergency. Rough "official script" variant. Therefore, there are no certain standards to follow for its brushwork and structure. It was not until Zhang Zhi's Zhangcao calligraphy in the Eastern Han Dynasty that it reached maturity, and reached its peak in the Wei and Jin Dynasties. Among them, famous calligraphers, such as Wei Dan in the Wei Dynasty, Huang Xiang in the Wu Dynasty, and Suo Jing in the Jin Dynasty, are all known as the masters of Zhangcao.
The Dharma stickers handed down by "Zhangcao" include Shiyou's "Ode to the Master", Zhang Zhi's "Chunhua Pavilion Tie", Huang Xiang's "First Aid Chapter", Suo Jing's "Yueyi Tie", etc. Although it has been handed down and engraved to this day, the teachings are solid, the body is strong, and it has the characteristics of independence and self-improvement. It is still the best material for future generations to copy and study.
The strokes of "Zhangcao" have a slight ripple effect of official script, but the characters are independent and not connected; using symbols, each stroke is the same, which is a variant of Han official script.
It is the cursive script that is popular today, commonly known as cursive script. It is said that it was originated by Zhang Zhi (Boying) of the Later Han Dynasty. Wei Dan said: "Zhi learned from Du Du and perfected his skills. He can be called a sage, ahead of others and unparalleled." Zhang Huai's "Shu Duan" said: "Since Du Du is better than Zhang Cao, Cui Yuan and Cui Shi, father and son Ji Neng. Boying got Cui Du's method, so he learned something new, so he changed it to form the style of today's grass. There are alternate lines. However, Wang Zijing understands its purpose clearly, so the words at the beginning of the line often follow the last line. The world says that the one-stroke calligraphy originated from Zhang Boying. "It is also said: "Zhang Cao's book has different characters. Zhangzhi becomes Jincao, which is related to the upper and lower characters, or is above the lower character. Hu Shiyoucao is called Zhangcao, and it is called Jincao because of Boyingcao. "From this we know, "Jincao". The difference between "Zhangcao" and "Zhangcao" is that the character "Zhangcao" is unique and is made by sketching official script, while "Jincao" omits the wave of "Zhangcao" and involves the upper and lower parts, and is made by sketching "Zhangcao". Mr. Yu Youren's preface to the standard cursive script says: "The method is: focus on the couplets, eliminate the ripples, and use symbols to make the turns more beneficial. The so-called "poor and false" principles of Daling, which are extremely cursive, are the most effective. It can be said that the second language of "emphasis on shape and elimination of waves" is the characteristic of "Jincao" and the reason why "Jincao" becomes more and more concise
The origin of "Jincao" style It was started by Zhang Zhi in the later Han Dynasty and reached its perfection in the Eastern Jin Dynasty. Wang Xizhi and his son were especially good at this style. The beauty of their postures and the variety of changes are really wonderful, and they have reached the pinnacle of perfection.
The "Jincao" calligraphy handed down from generation to generation has been handed down from generation to generation since Zhang Zhi of the Later Han Dynasty, Wang Xizhi of the Eastern Jin Dynasty and other great calligraphers in the past dynasties. Beginners to cursive writing almost don’t know where to start. The picture above is from the volume "Book Book" written by Sun Guoting of the Tang Dynasty.
Although Jincao came from the two kings, Zhang Xu and Huaisu were able to break away from the traditional Wei and Jin Dynasty grass methods and create a new look. Grass has entered a whole new realm—it is famous all over the world for its wild grass.
It is said that the name "Kuaicao" came from Zhang Xu. Every time before writing a book, he would drink too much to induce emotions, or use natural phenomena to trigger inspiration. After being drunk, he would run wildly and then start writing. Write a book. The world calls him Zhang Dian. In his "Autobiography" (left), Huaisu once quoted Li Yushi Dan as saying: "In the past, Zhang Xu's work was called Zhang Dian, but now Huaisu's work is called the mad monk. From the above, we can see that "Kang Cao" is due to the speed and weirdness of the writing, and on the other hand, it is due to the crazy attitude displayed by Zhang Xu and Huai Su.
Originally, cursive script is enough to express one’s spirit, temperament, knowledge and create new artistic conceptions, but the strange speed, wantonness, dexterity of the pen, and ability to change in cursive script are more inspiring in the artistic conception. , Han Yu described Zhang Xu's cursive writing in "Preface to Master Gao Xian": "Happiness, anger, poverty, sorrow, resentment, longing, drunkenness, boredom, injustice, anything that moves the heart, must be written in cursive." "In things, we see mountains and rivers, cliffs and valleys, birds and beasts, insects and fish, plants and flowers, the sun and the moon and stars, wind, rain and fire, thunder and thunder, songs, dances and battles, and changes in heaven and earth, all of which are expressed in cursive script." This state has been transformed into the same mind and object, completely divorced from practical significance, and is a purely high-level art form. Kuangcao masters in the past include Huang Tingjian, Zhu Yunming, Wang Duo, Fu Shan, etc.
Cursive script is difficult for ordinary people to recognize. How can we appreciate the written words if we cannot fully understand them? Calligraphy is based on Chinese characters. Chinese characters are combined with dots and lines. Various forms of dots and lines are combined into ever-changing graphics. The dots and lines written at different speeds are like a string of notes, with high and low turns and cadences. Appreciating calligraphy is like listening to it. Melody and rhythm in music. Compared with other fonts, cursive script can be used more freely in the arrangement of writing space and the correspondence between dots and lines. That is to say, cursive script can best express the spirit of calligraphy art.