As the golden rule of China's calligraphy structure and composition, it was put forward by the famous calligrapher Deng in Qing Dynasty. It can be seen in Bao's "Art Boat and Two Tanks", which describes the time it took him to learn the classics. He said, "When Deng taught him to finish painting in Huaining, he said,' Painting and calligraphy can be done in a sparse place, and the secret place is not ventilated. White is often black, and it is also interesting.' He added: "Theoretically speaking, black is white, which means that Xiao Zhong is like a couple." . "Refers to the contemporary calligrapher Huang Yisheng. Xiao Zhong advocated: "The beauty of writing lies in the fact that the left and right sides have the same effect, and the effort of drawing a word is not counted. "It means unity of opposites and mutual harmony. Explain that "counting white when it is black" is essentially the same meaning. However, it mainly refers to the relationship between strokes, while Deng emphasizes the relationship between strokes and blanks.
The origin of black and white theory can be traced back to Laozi. Laozi said, "It is the world wind to know its white and keep its black." "Ci Hai" explains: "It means that although there is a clear distinction between right and wrong in your heart, you should look ignorant and hide yourself in a deep sleep. This is the attitude of ancient Taoism called' harmony with light and dust'. " Obviously, Lao Tzu used the metaphor of white and black to illustrate his philosophy of life. However, it is of universal significance to reveal the internal relationship between black and white and hold the view of knowing white and keeping black. China's calligraphy is a unique art with black and white as the main tone. Deng's "counting white as black" is a direct and ingenious response to Laozi's philosophy. It grasps the key to the artistic modeling and layout of calligraphy, is conducive to creating a profound and wonderful realm of calligraphy, and shows a variety of aesthetic values.
First, the performance of the harmonious beauty of cloth and white
Calligraphy is different from sculpture, it is developed in three-dimensional space, but with the help of two-dimensional book bottom, that is, on the plane with white paper as the main material, black stroke lines are arranged. So it is also called layout and white cloth. From Xiao Yan, Liang Wudi to Zhang Xu and Yan Zhenqing, they all talked about "clever arrangement", and Da Zhongguang said that "clever arrangement lies in cloth white" (book raft). How to be "smart"? The highest principle of formal beauty is harmony, and calligraphy painting should naturally be based on it. There are words, wires and articles in the cloth. Harmony is black harmony, white harmony, black and white harmony, especially black and white harmony. The form of calligraphy is completed by black and white, and it is the comprehensive image of black and white that affects people's visual experience. Only black or white will not have calligraphy, and the imbalance between black and white is not good calligraphy, which is difficult to bring aesthetic pleasure to people. But most people tend to pay attention to the black line and ignore the blank space, so they can't consciously pursue and create the overall harmony of calligraphy. "Counting white is black" reminds and requires people to treat white and black equally, which provides a premise for creating the overall harmony of calligraphy, and its positive role is obvious. In this regard, future generations continue to discuss. For example, Hu Xiaoshi said, "Where there are words, it is ink, and where there are no words, it is white. Ink is a word, and white is also a word ... There are words and no words, which are of equal importance. " Zong Baihua said: "Blanks should be calculated in the form of a word, and they should be properly distributed and have the same artistic value as strokes." China's Aesthetic Thought of Calligraphy can be regarded as an affirmation and development of Deng's theory of "taking white as black".
Harmony can be divided into neat harmony and scattered harmony. Wang Xizhi's "On Gestures" said: "Leave blank, and the distance should be even." He Jiang's "Authentic Calligraphy" says: "The cloth and the white cloth stop evenly, and they are all in one breath." Even, even, it is harmony, not all are equal. Some are neat, some are scattered, and they are often intertwined. Different books are neat or patchy in different ways. Static calligraphy (Kai, Li and Zhuan) is mainly neat, but not scattered and orderly; Dynamic calligraphy (grass and lines) is mainly scattered, and there are many neat ones. The same style of calligraphy, different calligraphers and different styles will be treated differently. This neatness or strewn at random is first manifested from the blank, because in general calligraphy works, white is always greater than black, and there is a relationship between face and line. Da Zhongguang said: "The side is white and the hand cloth is uniform; Scattered white, the mesh cloth is called it. " ("Book Raft") "Broad white" refers to a square blank with even hands; "Scattered white" refers to scattered blank space. Although the amount of hands is irregular, it feels symmetrical and comfortable with your eyes. It can be seen that in any case, harmony is the most important thing. A very important feature of harmony is balance, neat or patchy blank, which gives people a visual feeling and contains a kind of balance. Of course, white also depends on black. Da Zhongguang also said: "A painting like a golden knife can be cut clean, and it is as white as jade." (Book Raft) Where there are strokes, it is neat and clean, and where there are no strokes, it is neat and clean. Here refers to the specific pen operation, which is a subtle part between white and black. But before writing, the key consideration is still white. Look at white, based on black. The contrast and change between white and black also set off each other to balance and harmonize the whole between white and black.
Second, show the ethereal beauty in depth
The bottom of the book with calligraphy modeling layout is flat, and the initial direct function of calligraphy lines is only to divide this plane into a boundary; There is a color contrast between the black of the line ink and the white at the bottom of the original book, and there is an area contrast between the divided areas and even between the boundaries. They all need harmony. But this is only a superficial form, and there is a deeper meaning behind the primary beauty. The aesthetic value of "taking white as black" goes far beyond this.
A piece of white rice paper can only be regarded as a plane in people's field of vision before it is used as a calligraphy material. Once cut into a certain format, such as banners, stalls, fans and so on. It has entered the art category. When the black line falls and forms a certain shape, the blank created becomes a part of the calligraphy form. Blank and black line are integrated, which has obvious influence on black line. The blank at this time is no longer a simple plane, but a space with depth. We don't think that the black line lies flat on the paper, but more like it is suspended in the air. Arnheim once said in The Vision of Art: "Draw a straight line on the paper. It doesn't look like it is on paper, but it seems to be suspended in the space above this plane. " Calligraphy "counting white as black" makes full use of this visual change and uses it as a means of artistic expression to create a more distant and ethereal artistic conception.
The structure and composition of China's calligraphy, just like the buildings and gardens in China, prominently show the spatial consciousness of China people. China's architecture and gardens always use various methods to skillfully arrange, organize and create space, respect and integrate with nature. So as to break the occlusion, avoid the sense of bondage and bring people comfortable enjoyment. Calligraphy, in a sense, is the art of dealing with space. The depth of the space depends on the size of the blank and also has a certain relationship with the shape of the black line. Generally speaking, the bigger the blank, the deeper the depth; The smaller the blank, the shallower the depth. The blank caused by flat straight lines is neat and roughly equal in depth; The blank caused by arc curve is irregular and has different shades. Therefore, only by comprehensively considering blank and blank, blank and black line, arranging appropriately, making the sparse place walk without knowing its emptiness, and making the dense place not ventilated without knowing its blockage, can the ideal realm of calligraphy aesthetics be produced.
The ethereal beauty of calligraphy naturally depends on blank space, but it is not limited to blank space itself, and it is also inseparable from the shape of lines. It is the modeling image of lines that becomes three-dimensional, dynamic and ethereal because of the participation and foil of blanks. Without line modeling as the foundation, its ethereal beauty cannot be displayed. What is emphasized here is only the influence and restriction of blank on modeling. When talking about the blank in Chinese painting, Zong Baihua said: "The blank in Chinese painting is no longer the outline of everything in an all-encompassing position, but the virtual road that integrates everything and participates in the movement of everything. In the picture, the light and shade blend and reflect each other, forming an ethereal and elegant charm, which is really like the true scenery of mountains and rivers we have witnessed. " (On the Origin and Foundation of Chinese and Western Painting) The same is true of the blank space in calligraphy, and we should also consider and arrange the blank space in calligraphy in this way.
Third, the musical beauty of the flow
Shen said: "It is universally acknowledged that China's calligraphy is the highest art ... because it can show amazing miracles, colorless and brilliant in painting, silent and harmonious in music, fascinating and pleasant." Interpretation of famous artists' experience sets shows that calligraphy not only has the characteristics of spatial beauty of painting, but also has the characteristics of temporal beauty of music. Because music belongs to the art of time. This is also the difference between calligraphy and general visual arts.
Both time and space are the existing forms of things. But space is static and result, and time is flow and process. Space is the basic point of time continuation, and time is the condition of space survival. Time is also irreversible, that is, it cannot be repeated. The temporal beauty of music is mainly manifested in the harmonious rhythm and melody flowing and unrepeatable process. It is in this respect that calligraphy and music have some similarities, so they are called silent music. It should be pointed out that the temporality and musicality of calligraphy come from black lines and blanks, which are played out by them.
Let's talk about the timeliness of calligraphy. Any calligraphy work is written in words, lines and articles, and there is a sequence. This is not only because of the need of literal expression, but also because of the need of formal expression. Moreover, the stroke order of each word has rules, and each stroke has "three strokes": starting, writing and receiving. Then from the first stroke of the first word to the last stroke of the last word, it is reflected in the whole process of this work. This process is irreversible. Lines move and expand with this process, and space is divided and generated in turn with this process. It clearly shows the characteristics of synchronization between creation and time. When people appreciate calligraphy works, they basically look at the lines and blanks in this order and feel the flow of their emotions. This is the timeliness of calligraphy. It can be said that the beauty of space is the external form of calligraphy, and the beauty of time is the internal form of calligraphy.
In addition, the musicality of calligraphy. The beauty of time in calligraphy is not only the flow of time, but more importantly, it has musical charm in the flow, mainly rhythm and melody, thus showing musicality. Rhythm refers to the phenomenon that the strength and length of music appear alternately regularly. Calligraphy is not only due to the skill of using the pen, but also makes the changes of stroke lines serious and slow. Due to the needs of structure and composition, the length of the cable changes, from fat to thin, from straight to long. Correspondingly, the spaces formed within words, between words and between lines also change in size and density. White and black are relatively corresponding, with changes such as strength, light and shade. These changes are not disorderly, but have inherent regularity. It is in these regular contrast changes that calligraphy shows the rhythm of music. Melody, also known as "tune", refers to the organized and rhythmic harmonious movement formed by musical artistic conception. It is usually associated with the basic mood and overall style of a piece of music. Calligraphy, written by different calligraphers, presents different movements and melodies through different white operations. Sun said: "every word is a rule, and every word is the final rule." The form and arrangement of each word is not only the beginning of each word, but also the basis of the whole article. Furthermore, the melody representing its overall style and mood is manifested in the dominant tendency of the whole black and white generation. For example, lines and blanks are mainly neat and peaceful, and scattered ones are mainly overlapping; Lines and blanks are mainly loose and slow, and tight is mainly urgent ... It can be seen that the effective treatment of blanks also directly contributes to the phonological beauty of calligraphy flow.
Fourth, create the image beauty of life.
Calligraphy is essentially shaping the image of life. As Zong Baihua pointed out in the article "The Nature of Calligraphy Art in China": "China's calligraphy is a rhythmic nature, expressing a profound artistic conception of life images and becoming an art that reflects life." This is because calligraphy is based on Chinese characters, which are produced by our ancestors and inspired by the vibrant nature, condensing the life of nature into simple strokes and lines; Calligraphers of all ages have treated calligraphy modeling from unconsciousness to consciousness with their understanding and pursuit of life. In calligraphy, a word is a living unit and a word is a living group. They need black lines and blanks. Blank is the basis and condition for the existence of life image, and it is also an organic part of life image.
Black and white is actually the virtual and real in classical philosophy. The combination of reality and reality embodies China people's world outlook. Virtual, that is, Taoism is "Tao" and Confucianism is "Heaven". "Heaven is invisible." China people think that the universe is an invisible and colorless void, which is the foundation and source of all things, and all natural things come from this void. In calligraphy, black is reality and white is emptiness. Macroscopically, the real life image of calligraphy also comes from the empty space. Therefore, Zong Baihua also said: "(Blank) is the place where the universe gas field exchanges and life flows." (Introduction to Two Chinese Paintings and Discussion on China's Paintings) Life flows in the blank and is also generated in the blank. The beauty of calligraphy blank lies in that it can breed images of life.
Real life, like a healthy person, has both material and spiritual factors. The life image of calligraphy also requires this. Su Shi's On Books said: "A book must contain God, Qi, bone, flesh and blood, and none of them is a book." Bone, flesh and blood are material factors, while God is spiritual factors. Qi is material, and its function is mainly to promote the spirit. Bao's "Art Boat and Twin Towers" says: "Words are flesh and blood, full of gas, and full of gas." Bone, flesh and blood are represented by solid lines, qi by deficiency, and God by both deficiency and reality. Paying attention to the blank in the text is the need to shape the image of life. Blank is an indispensable factor in a complete life. Therefore, the structure of words, do not pay attention to leave enough blank, no gas or gas is not full; If there is a gap, the surrounding is closed and blocked, and the gas is not circulated, it will not work, and it will not create a prosperous life. In Ode to Sincerity, Zhiguo, a monk of Sui Dynasty, once said that "half belly is hidden", and Liu Youding explained: "Where there are words such as" day "and" month "with stick figures, two straight lines should not be posted." It emphasizes the circulation of qi in words, which can be used as a reference when considering the blank of words.
A life can exist freely and for a long time. In addition to its own vitality, it also needs an environment for survival and activities. The meticulous blank space between calligraphy words, between words and around the whole article has played this role. Cai He's "On Learning" said: "One chapter of law governs foreign flavor." Da Zhongguang's Book Raft said: "Bright light is emitted." Blank is not a vacuum, there is air and light in the blank, in short, it is to express the environment. In other words, this blank is heaven, earth and water. The sea is wide and the fish jumps, and the sky is high and birds fly. It is very common for some famous painters to paint eagles, horses, fish and shrimps without paying attention to the sky, the earth and the clear water, but replacing them with enough blanks, but showing the infinite vitality of the painted objects and leaving people with wonderful reverie. Calligraphy and painting are interlinked. According to Zong Baihua's analysis, China's calligraphy shows this sense of space, which draws lessons from the "space creation of calligraphy". Calligraphy, on the other hand, embodies the creative principle of "counting white as black" from the main guiding ideology.
Excerpted from Calligraphy Jianghu's One Heart Painting and Calligraphy. com