In fact, the level of calligraphy often lies not in whether he works in a professional unit, but in the calligrapher's own artistic talent, proper methods, the depth of kung fu, the strength of comprehensive cultivation and the quality of his mentality. As Yuan Bo himself said: "If you open a history of China calligraphy, you will find such a phenomenon: most of the calligraphy masters who can still leave their names after historical baptism are amateur authors."
Judging from Mr. Yuan Bo's artistic and living conditions, he is undoubtedly commendable in many aspects. What is particularly commendable is that Yuan Bo is open-minded, low-key and modest. After busy work, I regard calligraphy as a kind of "aftercare" and am eager to pursue it. I reached a very professional level in a very amateur state. Both his regular script and cursive script show profound skill of facing the pool and a new consciousness of changing with the shape. In his early years, Yuan Bo studied calligraphy under Mr. Zhang Rongqing in Jinghua, and he preferred regular script, official script and cursive script. Regular script began in small script, with Zhao Mengfu as the teacher at first, and then traced back to Zhong You and Erwang, which made it pure and became elegant with Zhu Zhishan and Wang Chong. Finally, enter the "Seventh National Calligraphy Exhibition" with four screens of fine print. Since then, I have turned to novellas, which refer to the classic works of Ou Yangxun, Yu Shinan and Chu Suiliang. What I do should be grand, neat and elegant, paying attention to both traditional statutes and self-mind. His excessive way from small to large is not only the embodiment of egoism, but also a natural choice in line with the law of learning books. His cursive script is based on the Jin and Tang Dynasties, which is not grotesque, but profound and elegant, with a blend of emotion and law, full of ancient meaning, enjoying himself and being impressive.
Generally speaking, regular script is easy to learn but difficult to work. The so-called "Yi-ology" means that it can be written in three to five years with quick hands and proper methods. However, after a certain stage, how difficult it is to improve one step! Therefore, the word "work" here is not only "neat" but also "profound". Cursive writing is more difficult, and it is "dancing with shackles" rather than unrestrained entanglement. "I really can't read the picture, but I will be fascinated by learning grass." Regular script moves in silence, and I want to see the ethereal flying trend in tranquility. The so-called vivid charm is also true; Cursive script must contain quietness in movement and tranquility in vertical and horizontal elegance. The so-called movement is also appropriate. True grass grows and blends with each other, so it can make a big difference. But many people are often restricted by many special conditions (such as endowment, understanding, knowledge, etc.). ), and both aspects are just dabbling. However, excessive quick success and seemingly professional craftsman-style technical training are the biggest obstacles to calligraphy learning.
Su Dongpo's book advocates that "Yoga Yu is good but unintentional", and its connotation is very profound. "Unintentional Yoga Yu" means that when writing a book, the spirit is completely relaxed and the mind is in a state of dispersion. I don't take writing too seriously and think hard; "Inner armor", that is, what happens casually and is difficult to reveal at ordinary times, is like an epiphany of Zen Buddhism, which will be clear and thorough in an instant, unexpected and unspeakable. Yuan Bo's works give people a natural, elegant and beautiful artistic feeling. Whether it is small, medium or large letters that combine the classics of Wei, Jin, Tang, Song, Yuan and Ming Dynasties, or Wei Kai and cursive script, there is an image of rigorous statutes, vitality and flying pen and ink. Easy and easy, chic and happy.
Yuan Bo likes to treat calligraphy in an amateur state, which not only reduces the psychological pressure brought by "professionalism", but also can easily enter the best state of calligraphy creation from the perspective of nursed back to health. This is a wise choice. In all fairness, in the professional environment, the state of concentration and exhaustion is also necessary and understandable for learning ancient inscriptions, but sometimes it may not be completely applicable in calligraphy art creation activities. Because this state of spiritual life means that calligraphers are in conscious attention. Conscious attention often makes calligraphers fully awake and highly concentrated. Of course, thinking is accurate, rigorous and standardized, but it is precisely because thinking is too accurate, rigorous and standardized that it is possible to fall into a certain narrowness, and it is difficult to freely express it, to obtain "natural aura" and to trigger "inspiration".
Su Shi's emphasis on "unintentional Yoga Yu" is not empty and unreasonable. In my opinion, in order to achieve the creative realm of "Yoga Yu has no intention to be the best", we must "accumulate learning and merit" for a long time, and be open-minded and bold, that is, on the premise of calligrapher's knowledge and temperament. "Yoga Yu is the best without intention", which seems casual when written, is actually based on profound clinical skills and profound knowledge. Otherwise, the so-called "Naijia" will not come at once. It is precisely because Yuan Bo insisted on copying the classic inscriptions of the ancients for a long time that he dabbled in literature, poetry, philosophy, aesthetics and other related knowledge and loved it deeply. Based on this, he jumped out of the pattern from technology to technology to calligraphy for the sake of calligraphy, and turned to self-knowledge instead of being confused by the confusing superficial phenomena in the book world. If he returns to the old view of his predecessors, he will have a refreshing scholar atmosphere.
On this issue, Liu Kezhuang, a poet in the Southern Song Dynasty, has a very good exposition: "There are many people who are interested in finding jobs and talk a lot. Those who look for jobs and work for themselves must have great courage and great energy. " "Great spirit" and "great energy" are the roots. With this foundation, we can talk about "Yoga Yu is better and has no intention". And Liu Xizai in art? A passage in the Outline of Poetry: "Poetry may be able to say what a text can't. Generally speaking, people who are good at sober up and good at poetry are intoxicating, and some people don't understand after waking up. It is inconceivable to cover up its secret. Therefore, the purpose of my thesis is:' Only this sage has a vision of a hundred miles', and the purpose of my poem is:' What you think is not as good as what I think.' Liu Xizai, with his sensitivity as an artist, discovered the difference between writing poems and writing articles. Article writing should have clear concepts and strict logic, so as to make the truth clear and the facts clear, so he said "Wen Xingshan". "Awakening" is a clear consciousness. Only in a clear consciousness can we accurately understand and sort out those concepts and logics. Poetry creation must have touching emotions and vivid images in order to blend the scenes, so he said, "Poetry is good and intoxicating." "Drunk", that is, not awake, is to enter an unconscious state. And "drunken China people also have people who don't understand after waking up", that is to say, they have special emotions in an unconscious state. Like poetry and calligraphy, for calligraphy creation, this explosive emotion is often developed under the subconscious control and domination cultivated by long-term technical skills, which can make up for the lack of consciousness and reveal an incredible "secret". Huai Su's autobiographical post said: "Hold your hand for two or three lines when you are drunk, but you can't write when you wake up", which means it is also true. Learning calligraphy is about knowing how to be close to the ancients and how to stay away from them. If we want to live in harmony with the ancients, we must have both theory and law. If you leave the ancients, you must have an independent spirit and stay away from blind obedience, so that you can feel at ease.
Yuan Bo's seemingly "helpless" amateur learning state and his attitude towards calligraphy in this state are actually a reflection of a deeper "historical consciousness". The professionalization of calligraphers often means more and more technical formalism and less historical consciousness. At present, most of the calligraphy works in national exhibitions can be the best evidence of this bad tendency. Seeing this clearly, on the one hand, Mr. Yuan Bo did not deliberately stay away from the trend of modern exhibitions, and even attended them frequently. On the other hand, he always treats what happened with a normal heart, and only regards trophies and honors, flowers and applause as the inspiration of life rather than the capital to show off, which is several levels higher than those who are complacent about a little achievement. From then on, "I don't know what will happen tonight." Some people may not like his "amateur" attitude, but I rely on it.
Yuan Bo's calligraphy, whether it is really cursive or not, his first task is to get the correct method. If the law is not there, how can books exist? Secondly, no matter what kind of brushwork Xiao Li uses, he should be familiar with its origin and know the overall context of its evolution. Only in this way, the law will not die, it will not be in line with books, and it will not be stuck in a rut and difficult to extricate itself. Thirdly, expressing feelings is the ultimate goal of calligraphy. The so-called love has an end but not an end, and the form has an end and endless meaning. A person who can take a different road and let the wind fall. This can generally be said to knowledgeable people, but it is difficult to tell outsiders.
Throughout the history of books, Jin Yun, Tang Fa, Yi Song, Ming and Qing Dynasties and the emphasis on modern forms all have their historical roots, and smart learners are good at choosing from them. Sculpture, charm, grace and realm are the basis of calligraphy, and moderate decoration is essential, but it must be based on the principle of setting off the theme. Don't pretend to be the master, put the cart before the horse.
Yuan Bo's calligraphy pursues interest and artistic conception on the basis of respecting the law. He didn't deliberately create some superficial style, but paid attention to gradual progress and epiphany. The key to learning books lies in the progress of technology and Taoism. When Taoism approaches Taoism, Taoism becomes technology. The key lies in the strength of ancient knowledge and the level of comprehension. The former needs physical efforts, while the latter needs ideological nourishment. However, the two cannot be separated, and only when they are integrated can they be comfortable.
Yuan Bokai's calligraphy is rigorous and elegant, and the cursive characters are flying and full of silence. Truth contains grass, and straw bag contains truth, so that this group of contradictions can be quietly dissolved into harmony in the natural flow of self-transportation, which is the right way to learn. However, its artistic style is only a gradual biochemical emergence intentionally or unintentionally, and it can't be the same as those Japanese who are far-fetched and eager for quick success.
The overall style of his calligraphy can be summarized in sixteen words, that is, legal principle, implication, elegance and hazy weather. Of course, taking Yuan Bo's practice today as an example, if he can incorporate more generous and extraordinary images of Fengshen in the future, so as to avoid falling into excessive "exquisiteness and smallness" in the future, his calligraphy realm will be more lofty.