The story of Liu Gongquan’s hard work practicing calligraphy

Liu Gongquan was a famous calligrapher in the Tang Dynasty. But do you know how Liu Gongquan practiced his calligraphy? Let’s take a look at the story of Liu Gongquan’s vigorous practice of calligraphy.

Liu Gongquan worked hard to practice calligraphy

When Liu Gongquan was a child, his handwriting was very bad, and he was often scolded by his teacher and father for writing crooked large characters. Xiao Gongquan is very strong, and he is determined to practice calligraphy well. After more than a year of hard practice day and night, his handwriting has improved greatly. Compared with his friends of similar age, his handwriting has become the best in the village.

From then on, his big calligraphy was praised by his classmates and teachers. Even his stern father had a smile on his face. Xiao Gongquan felt very proud.

One day, Liu Gongquan and several friends set up a square table under the old mulberry tree next to the village and held a "book meeting". They agreed that everyone would write a piece in regular script and watch each other's competition. Gongquan quickly wrote an article. At this time, an old man selling tofu bread put down his burden and came to rest under the mulberry tree. He watched the children practice calligraphy with great interest. Liu Gongquan handed over what he had written and said, "Grandpa, do you think my writing is great?" The old man took it and looked at it, and saw that what he wrote was: "I know how to write about the Feifeng family, and I dare to praise it in front of others." The old man felt that The child was so proud that he frowned, pondered for a while, and then said: "I don't think this handwriting is good, and it's not worthy of being praised in front of others. This handwriting is like the tofu in my burden, soft and soft." , has no muscles and bones, no body, is it worth boasting in front of others?" Seeing the old man's calligraphy was so messed up, Xiao Gongquan said unconvinced: "People say that my handwriting is good, but you say so? No, if you can, write a few words for me to see." The old man smiled heartily and said, "I don't dare to do it, I don't dare to do it, I am a rough man and I can't write well with my feet. They all write much better than you! If you don’t believe me, go to Huayuan City and have a look!”

Little Gongquan was very angry, thinking that the old man was scolding him. Later, I thought of the old man's kind face and hearty laughter, and it didn't seem like he was scolding him, so I decided to go to Huayuan City to have a look.

Huayuan City is more than 40 miles away from his home. The next day, he got up at five o'clock, quietly left a note for his family, and went to Huayuan City alone with a steamed bun bag on his back.

As soon as Liu Gongquan entered the south gate of Huayuan City, he saw a white cloth hanging under a big locust tree on North Street, with three big characters "calligraphy and painting soup" written on it. The font was vigorous and powerful, and the brushwork was vigorous and unrestrained. There were many people gathered under the tree. He squeezed into the crowd to take a look and was stunned. I saw a dark, thin, deformed old man with no arms, sitting on the ground with bare feet, his left foot pressing the paper on the ground, holding a large pen between his right foot, and writing couplets with ease. He used the pen like a god , the handwriting of the pen is flying and phoenix dancing, winning bursts of applause from the onlookers.

Only then did Xiao Gongquan realize that the old man selling tofu buns was not telling lies. He felt extremely ashamed and thought to himself: Compared with the old man called Calligraphy and Painting Tang, I am far behind. He knelt down in front of Calligraphy and Painting Tang with a "plop" and said: "I would like to worship you as my teacher. My name is Liu Gongquan. Please accept me. I hope the master will tell me the secret of writing..." Calligraphy and Painting Tang hurriedly put down the pen in his foot and said : "I am a lonely deformed person. I was born without hands and cannot make a living. I have to rely on my cleverness to make a living. Although I can write a few crooked characters, how can I be a role model for others?" Xiao Gongquan repeatedly begged, and the calligraphy and painting soup was there. A piece of paper was spread on the ground, he lifted the pen with his right foot and wrote:

Writing eight tanks of water, the inkstone dyed the waterlogged pond black;

Win hundreds of parents, only then can dragons and phoenixes fly. .

The old man said to Gong Quan: "This is the secret of my writing. I have been writing with my feet since I was a child, and I have been practicing it for more than 50 years. My family has a large pot that can hold eight loads of water. Tanks, I used up eight tanks of water when I was grinding ink and practicing calligraphy. There is a waterlogged pond with a size of half an acre outside the wall of my house. I wash my inkstones in the pond after writing every day. The water in the pond is dyed black, but the calligraphy I practiced. It's still far away!"

Liu Gongquan firmly engraved the old man's words in his heart. He deeply thanked the calligraphy and painting soup and went back reluctantly.

Since then, Liu Gongquan has been practicing calligraphy vigorously, and his hands have grown thick calluses, and his clothes and elbows have been patched up layer after layer. He learned the freshness and plumpness of facial expressions, the cheerfulness and smoothness of European style, the galloping boldness of calligraphy and painting, and the graceful charm of imperial style.

He often watched people skinning cattle and picking sheep, studying the skeleton structure, and got inspiration from it. He also paid attention to the geese in the sky, the fish in the water, the running elk, and the loose horses, and integrated various beautiful forms in nature into the art of calligraphy.

Liu Gongquan finally became a famous calligrapher in the Tang Dynasty of my country. However, Liu Gongquan was still very dissatisfied with his handwriting until he was old. In his later years, he lived in seclusion in the Stork Valley in the south of Huayuan City, specializing in calligraphy and practicing calligraphy diligently until his death in his 80s.

Beyond the mountains there are mountains, and beyond the sky there is sky. Only by studying diligently, learning from others' strengths, and constantly making progress can you stand out.