The rise of cursive script in recent times comes from "Fei Cao Script", which is translated as cursive script was not created by saints. Contemporary people should learn what the ancients wrote to be the correct path. The original text and translation are detailed The introduction is as follows:
1. The original text of "Not in Cursive Script": Among the scholars in Yujun County were Liang Kongda and Jiang Mengying, both of whom were famous scholars of the time. However, they admired Zhang Sheng's cursive script more than Xi Kong and Yan Yan. Kongda wrote a book to express his gratitude to Meng Ying. He recited his text orally and wrote his chapters in regular script without any signs of laziness. So the disciples of later generations admired the two wise men, kept the order and wrote articles, and others compiled a volume, thinking it was a secret play. I am afraid that they will memorize the sutras and become vulgar. This is not the reason for promoting Taoism and revitalizing the world. I also think of what Luo and Zhao saw and were dissatisfied with it, so I wrote the original version of the cursive script to comfort Luo, Zhao, Xi Liang and Jiang Yan.
Purchasing the book written by Youdao Zhang Jun and Zhu Shijun, it is said that righteousness can eliminate evil, people will not provoke others, and demons will not cause their own troubles. Sincerity can be said to be a person who believes in the truth, understands destiny and is happy with heaven. If you praise Du, Cui, Juluo, Zhao, or Xinxin and have the intention of criticizing yourself, it is nothing close to Jinqi. You are despising them and valuing me!
Did the rise of cursive script occur in recent times? The upper part is not hung by the heavenly phenomena, the lower part is not vomited by the rivers and rivers, and the middle part is not made by the saints. At the end of the Qin Dynasty, the punishment network was dense, the official documents were redundant, the wars and attacks were carried out simultaneously, the military documents were exchanged, and the feathers were flying, so it was the official grass, which was quick and easy to show the simple fingers, which was not the profession of a saint. But it is expensive to delete, difficult to save trouble, and the loss is easy to restore. It is easy to obtain and know, which is very etiquette.
Mortals have different qi and blood, their muscles and bones are different, their hearts are dense, their hands are clumsy, and their calligraphy is good and ugly. How can it be better if you use your heart to create your hand? If people have good and bad looks, how can we learn to look alike? In the past, Xi treated her with heart rash, holding her breasts and frowning, and all the fools did it, which only made her ugly. The Zhao girl was good at dancing, and her steps were charming, but the scholar was not able to win, and she lost her integrity and prostrated. Fu Du, Cui, and Zhang Zi all had extraordinary talents. They were erudite and idle in their spare time. Later generations will admire Yan and devote himself to his work; he will be strong and look up high, forgetting his fatigue; he will be constantly vigilant at night and have no time to eat.
Moreover, people who write in cursive script have an ear for those who are skilled in craftsmanship; villages and towns do not use this to compare their abilities, the imperial court does not use this to serve as officials, and doctors do not use this to give lectures; they do not use this to prepare for the four subjects. Don't ask about this when you are in the job; don't ask about this in performance appraisal. Goodness does not reach the point of governance, but clumsiness does not harm governance. Isn't it too subtle to say this?
Those who care about the inside will miss out on the outside; those who have small ambitions will neglect the big. When you raise your head and stick the needle through it, you won't have time to see the sky. It's too late. In this chapter, we can study the thoughts sharply, review the calendar and laws, and push forward the progress; we can explore the depths of fishing and praise the gods. The heart that sees the world and the feeling of recommending saints. In the discussion of doubts, the quarrels between the secular and the Confucian are explained; according to the right way, the heretical theory is followed, and the elegant and elegant people are happy to speak; the harmony of virtue is promoted, and the grand moral ethics is xuanqing. If you are poor, you can keep your body and reputation, if you are rich, you can respect the Lord and achieve peace, so that you can live in this world and serve as a permanent reference for future generations. Why not use it as a source of abyss?
2. Translation of "Fei Cursive Script":
There were two scholars in the same county as me (now Tianshui County, Gansu), Liang Kongda and Jiang Mengying, both of whom were great masters and sages of the time. However, They admired Zhang Zhi's cursive writing more than they admired Confucius and Yan Yuan. When Liang Kongda wrote to Jiang Mengying, he recited Zhang Zhi's articles and imitated Zhang Zhi's calligraphy without any fatigue. As a result, many younger generations who were aspiring to learn admired these two sages. After their writing and creation, each person took away a volume, treating it as a precious treasure that would not be easily revealed to others.
I am afraid that they will deviate from orthodoxy and become vulgar. This is not the way to promote the great truth and revitalize customs. I also think of the days when Luo Hui and Zhao Xi were ridiculed and belittled by Zhang Zhi, who once claimed to be better than Cui and Cui. Du is not enough, but Luo and Zhao Youyu are below. Therefore, I specially explain the origin of cursive writing to everyone, so as to put an end to Luo Hui and Zhao Xi, and stop the bad trends caused by Liang Kongda and Jiang Mengying.
I have privately read Zhang Youdao's letter to Zhu Shijun. The letter said that righteousness can eliminate evil. If a person has no negligence on his own and the news points out flaws, he will be evil. Things don't happen on their own. This can really be said to be a person who firmly believes in the right path, upholds the true nature, knows the destiny, and is happy to act according to the principles of heaven. As for him praising Du Du, belittling Luo Hui and Zhao Xi, being happy and self-satisfied, thinking he is good, isn't this similar to boasting about himself, looking down on others, and valuing himself?
Is the rise of cursive script close to tradition? From an upper perspective, it is neither a natural phenomenon indicated by celestial phenomena; from a lower perspective, it is also different from the river chart and Luoshu emerging from the water; from a middle perspective, it is not created by a sage. Generally speaking, in the late Qin Dynasty, punishments were severe, the legal system was tight, official documents were cumbersome and lengthy, wars broke out, military documents came and went quickly, and urgent official documents were urgent and numerous, flying everywhere, so the scrawled official script came into being. .
It is purely to meet urgent needs and convey instructions simply and easily, which is not the achievement of a saint.
It is just more valuable than being able to eliminate troubles, reduce complexity and become more concise. It only seeks to be easy to write and understand. It is not a formal writing method. Therefore, ancient books praise this and say that when encountering problems, you can act cheaply. However, people who learn cursive calligraphy do not consider its intention to simplify, and simply think that the calligraphy of Du Du and Cui Yuan is equivalent to the picture of the ancient dragon and horse, and the image of the turtle in Luoshui.
People over the age of seven or eight, if they are allowed to dabble in learning, will abandon the formal writing created by Cangjie and Shi Zhou, and compete with the cursive script of Du Du and Cui Yuan as models. When Zhang Zhi exchanged personal letters, he also wrote that he wrote almost as soon as he thought of it. The time happened to be very tight and he had no time to write in cursive. Writing cursive script was originally intended to be simple and fast, but instead it became difficult and slow, and it really lost its meaning.
Everyone’s Qi, blood, muscles and bones are different. There is a difference between rough and precise thoughts, and there are also differences between clever and clumsy writing skills. Therefore, the beauty or ugliness of calligraphy depends on the author's mind and writing skills. How can it be achieved by force? Just like people's faces are divided into beautiful and ugly, how can we make them similar through learning? In the past, when Xishi was heartbroken, she held her chest and frowned. Many fools imitated her, which only increased their ugliness.
The beauties of the State of Zhao are good at dancing and walk really beautifully and charmingly, but those who learn from them fail to learn the essentials. Instead, they lose their original walking steps and become only crawling on the ground. Look at Du Du, Cui Yuan, and Zhang Zhi. They all have talents that are beyond the ordinary and unparalleled. They use a little leisure time after their erudition to enjoy and create in cursive script. Later generations admire them but concentrate on their work. Learn cursive handwriting, delve into the difficulties, look up to the heights, and forget about fatigue.
Moreover, for people, cursive writing is generally just a trivial talent. Local governments do not use it to test talents, the imperial court does not use it to select officials, and doctors do not use it to evaluate students; The four subjects do not require perfect writing. When the central government recruits sages, it does not ask him the reason behind it. When evaluating performance and promotion, it does not check his handwriting skills. Even if you write well, you will not be able to understand the political situation, and if you write poorly, it will not harm the governance. From this, isn’t cursive writing a trivial talent?
Those who focus on the inside will definitely miss something external, and those who focus on small areas will definitely neglect the big areas. If you raise your head to thread a needle, you have no time to look at the sky; if you lower your head to catch lice, you have no time to look at the ground. The world is so vast, but it takes a lot of thought and energy to write it down. It is better to focus on the seven kinds of scriptures to check the calendar, coordinate the laws and regulations, and move towards the expected goal step by step. Explore the subtle and profound truths in Diao Le, and secretly help carry out the will of the Holy Light. Look at the original intention of heaven and earth, and study the feelings of saints.
Analyze doubts and bring them to justice, clear up disputes, adhere to the right path in the midst of heresy, be on the same level as elegant music in the midst of solemn voices, arouse the supreme virtue of harmony, and promote mysterious purity and harmony. of greatness. In this way, when you are frustrated, you can protect your life wisely and leave a name for future generations. When you are proud, you can respect the wise king and rule the world peacefully. This will make you famous in the world and serve as a reference for future generations forever. Isn't the influence far-reaching?