Jiang Kui (1163-1203), whose real name is Yao Zhang, was born in Poyang (now Poyang, Jiangxi) and was a Taoist priest of Baishi. He was an official all his life, traveling between Hubei, Jiangxi, Anhui and the Soviet Union, and died in Hangzhou. Famous poet, musician and calligrapher in Southern Song Dynasty. His calligraphy works include Jiang Tieping, Xu Shupu, and A Study on Some Notes of Mao Tie, among which Xu Shupu is highly praised by calligraphers in past dynasties. Continued Spectrum is a supplement to Sun's Jiang's Spectrum. Today, there are 18 books: introduction, original works, cursive script, pen and ink, running script, copy, Fiona Fang, back to back, position, density, fengshen, slow speed, brushwork, emotion, blood and calligraphy. Jiang has his own opinions on writing style, pen and ink, copying, composition and verve.
"Fengshen" theory is an important aesthetic viewpoint of calligraphy put forward by Jiang Baishi in Continued Books and Spectrum.
Jiang Baishi thinks: "The calligraphy is based on Fengshen Mai Chao." "Fengshen" refers to the elegance and charm of calligraphy. Calligraphy aesthetics should take the extraordinary charm revealed by works as the main criterion of beauty. Calligraphy works are "precious in fine veins, strong in bones and muscles, graceful and ready-made" (continued book spectrum, running script). He made a profound reflection on the calligraphy style since Wei and Jin Dynasties and even the Song Dynasty. He criticized that for hundreds of years, people struggled for Liu Yan's effectiveness, sweeping the floor in Wei and Jin Dynasties, and the imitators in modern times were "vulgar and lacking in outlook" ("Continuing the Book Score and Using a Pen"). He also despises the secularity of "seeking beauty and flattery in adulthood, especially now". Therefore, the theory of "Fengshen" is the opposite of "vulgar turbidity", "turbid disease" and "dusty customs" in calligraphy. It is an aesthetic ideal to advocate learning, wash away secularism, pursue Zhong and Wang, and inherit Wei and Jin demeanor.
Therefore, in the sequel, Baishi talked about Fengshen, and set up a chapter on Fengshen, discussing eight conditions for calligraphy to win Fengshen, and made an image description of Fengshen. Baishi said:
Fengshen people must be virtuous, learn from the past, be good at writing, be bold, smart, moist, adaptable and innovative. Natural elders are like handsome men, short people are like lean men, thin people are like mountains and rivers, fat people are like sons of distinguished guests, energetic people are like martial arts, charming people are like beautiful women, inclined people are like drunken immortals, and upright people are like wise men.
The conditions put forward by Jiang Baishi are worthy of our in-depth appreciation, including the summary of previous calligraphy experience and the practical experience in his own book. It is of great value to today's calligraphy creation and appreciation.
Fengshen must have a high character. Baishi Kaku Takashina's first place is the first key to win Fengshen in his book, which is quite insightful. Baishi agrees with Han Changli's exposition of cursive script in "Preface to Master Gao Xianxu" and Sun's "five times and five combinations" in "Book Score", arguing that "art never communicates with God until it reaches its peak" (continued "Book Score Emotion"). He once expounded the relationship between family background and calligraphy from both positive and negative aspects. Baishi said: "The charm is not high, although there are many memories, don't be vulgar. If Xiao (Xiao) is scattered, it will be easy to write. " The calligrapher's own mind and charm are not high, and his aesthetic taste and knowledge are low. Even though he studied many schools extensively, he didn't know his handwriting, the beauty of his back, the beginning and end, and the transformation, or regarded his mistakes as beauty and shaped his pen. After all, he can't wash away the dust and customs in calligraphy. On the other hand, only those who are scattered by Fengshen can get Fengshen of calligraphy.
Fengshen must learn from the ancient law. In order to gain the charm of calligraphy, we must learn from the ancients and have a wide range of inheritance. Bai Shi said: "The ancients left ink and got their small paintings, which were obviously different, so they also used their fine pens. Since the big order, I have lost more pens. Between words, the length complements each other, oblique and right mix, and fat and thin mix. As for today, it is especially important. " It can be seen that what Baishi said is not only a profound understanding of tradition, but also a sober criticism of the writing style at that time. Moreover, Baishi is well versed in the law of artistic dialectics. He pointed out: "Generally speaking, when writing, if you try your best to imitate people, you will lose some pride and get rid of common diseases." This is that we must learn from the ancients and express ourselves. This is the charm.
Fengshen must be a good pen and paper. This is the material condition to emphasize the charm of calligraphy. Baishi said: "Paper, pen and ink are all auxiliary to calligraphy." Sharp tools can do a good job. Baishi holds a pen and says it is long and round, and it is long and contains ink. You can exercise, your strength is firm and powerful, and your circle is beautiful. If you want to draw it like a good bow, slow down, and if you give up, you will be in a hurry. It is also like a good knife pressing it. If you give up, you will be as straight as ever. With a good pen, you can have what you want. ("Continue the book score, use ink")
Fengshen must be very dangerous. If you want to win the charm of calligraphy, you must pay attention to danger and strength. Calligraphy should wash away vulgarity and turbidity with danger and strength. Baishi believes that in order to gain "dangerous power", when writing a book, "it is forbidden to go to China Bank, and its workers are also Ning Zhuo. Weakness is better than dullness. However, it is extremely necessary to wash away the vulgar posture, and the beauty is self-evident "("Pen for Continuing Book Music "). Moreover, Baishi pointed out that the power of danger comes from "justice" and said in the cursive script: "To learn cursive script, we should first adopt the methods of Zhang Zhi, Huang Xiang and Suo Jing Cao Zhang, so as to be healthy and positive. Then imitate Wang Youjun, change it, and drum it up "("Continued Book Spectrum, Cursive Script "). From "fairness" to "singleness" is the right way.
Fengshen must be very clever. A brilliant person refers to a calligrapher's brilliant knowledge and skillful operation. Only such a brilliant person can win the "Fengshen" of calligraphy. For example, Baishi criticized that "the truth of books lies in fairness and goodness" as a kind of "secular ethics". In his view, the magic of ancient and modern true books is nothing more than clocks and kings. Their calligraphy is chic, why should it be fair? However, people in the Tang Dynasty should obey the rules and have no demeanor in Wei and Jin Dynasties. However, the calligraphy in Wei and Jin dynasties is high, and every word is good at expressing its true state, which is not personal. This shows that calligraphers must have a good knowledge. From a technical point of view, it must be brilliant everywhere. For example, in the cursive script, "Don't draw too many straight pictures, it will grow wildly", "Cursive script is particularly taboo to be straight and clear, straight and straight, and the words have the shape of a bundle of reeds, without the gas of a mistress"; For example, the arrangement of density must be clean and tidy, and it is better to stop evenly. "Books are sparse and want to be old"; For example, if the pen is late, "if you can't make a quick decision, you will be exhausted if you are good at it later." If you specialize in speed, you will lose more strength. " By analogy, the unskilled can't get there.
Fengshen must be moist. From the aspect of ink method, writing regular script should be "dry, but not too dry" and moist. As a cursive script, "the beauty of polishing is the risk of dryness", but "the thickness of ink, the stagnation of pen and the dryness must be known", so we must pay attention to the problem of polishing. ("Continued Book Music, Using Ink") And from the whole work, blood is harmonious, so that it can be moist and windy. Baishi also specially designed a theory of "blood": the hidden front of characters is different from the front and full of joy. It's best to connect them from beginning to end. Huang Ting's lower case is different from Le Yi Lun, and Dong Fangshuo's painting praise is different from Lanting Preface. When writing at a time, each has its own potential and should be fixed. When you taste ancient masterpieces, you can always touch the vibration, such as when you see them waving. It can be seen that the blood is coherent, so that the blood can be moist and the wind can be exposed.
"Fengshen" must be recited properly. Why is going back so important? Because there is a little echo, contradiction, ups and downs and foil between paintings, they can have their own reason and spirit, just like people show "Fengshen" in their actions. Baishi said, "People who turn their backs are like people looking around, pointing at pictures, bowing to each other and turning their backs. Those born on the left should be born on the right, and those born on it should lie down. Between the major paintings, the theory of construction is different, seeking the ancients and the right army is the only one. " (Continued book spectrum, Xiangbei) Baishi realized the relationship between Xiangbei and Fengshen in calligraphy from the book of You Jun.
Fengshen must innovate. If calligraphy wants to gain charm, it is necessary to show its emotion, personality and style, and it is necessary to show new interests at all times. If you follow the ancients step by step, you will eventually become a "vulgar book" instead of a "slave book." Baishi attaches importance to innovation, which is related to the real "Shen Feng" of calligraphy.
When all the conditions are met, calligraphy can be superb. In order to understand Fengshen, Baishi portrayed it as an image and chose "people" to explain it, which is the best metaphor. All kinds of verve of calligraphy, such as samurai, beauty, drunken fairy, saint and so on. , showing different styles and verve from different postures. Baishi is best at comparing books with others and communicating with people and books. Baishi's own calligraphy is just like people. His calligraphy is ancient in Wei and Jin dynasties, and his pen is vigorous and mature. Ming dynasty pottery is called "degreasing powder, washing away vulgarity" in the book Shihui. The white stone is as beautiful as jade, and if it looks like a fairy, its books are like people. Just as Yuan Bao commented that "the book of white stone is like a hermit" (quoted from Ma Zonghuo's "Shu Lin Zao"), if Jiang Baishi's theory, his books and his people are combined, we can have a deeper understanding of his theory of Fengshen.