he is proficient in seal script and official script. Seal script, adopting Li Si's method and official script, is extremely subtle, with ever-changing body method and wonderful spirit, and is unique in ancient and modern times, and has the reputation of "being bold, refreshing and fascinating".
He wrote The Theory of Calligraphy, in which he first talked about the preparation before the book, then talked about the requirements when writing, and presented his understanding of calligraphy to us in the most concise and vivid words.
There is also a bizarre legend about Cai Yong's On Pen-Zhong You of Wei went to Baodu Mountain with Liu De to study calligraphy for three years when he was young. After returning, he talked with Cao Cao, Han Danchun, Wei Dan, Sun Zijing, Guan Pipa and others about how to use pen.
Zhong You suddenly saw Cai Yong's book on brushwork on Wei Dan's seat, so he tried to borrow it from Wei Dan, but Wei Dan didn't agree. Since then, Zhong You lamented his chest for three days, and his chest was bruised and he vomited blood.
it took Cao Cao five panaceas to revive him. Zhong You was obsessed with this book and dreamed of it, but Wei Dan never lent it to him.
After Wei Dan's death, Zhong You secretly ordered someone to steal his grave and got it. Therefore, it is known that those with strong brushwork and smooth veins are excellent, while those with weak brushwork and impassable veins are faulty, and calligraphy has entered a wonderful place since then.
This legend fully illustrates the important value of Cai Yong's On Pen.
The original text of Cai Yong's On Pen is as follows:
Those who write books are scattered. If you want to book, you should first spread your arms, let your feelings be arbitrary, and then book it; If forced, although Zhongshan rabbit can't be good.
Fu Shu, sit quietly and meditate first, feel comfortable at will, can't say anything, is full of anger, and has a calm look. If you treat the Supreme, you will be all right.
for a book, you need its shape. If you sit and walk, if you fly, if you come, if you lie down, if you are sad and happy, if an insect eats wood leaves, if a sword is long, if a bow is strong, if it is hard, if it is fire and water, if it is a cloud, if the sun and the moon have images in both directions, you can call it a book.
The translation is as follows:
Calligraphy expresses the character and sentiment of the writer. If you want to write, you should first get rid of vulgar distractions, make your temperament unrestrained and rich in imagination, and then write freely. If forced by things, even if you use Zhongshan rabbit brush, you can't write good words
To write, you should sit quietly and meditate, be free to be arbitrary, not to talk nonsense, be calm, and have a respectful and serious attitude; This deep and silent look is like facing the supreme emperor, and there is nothing wrong with writing.
the posture of writing must conform to a certain image. That is, if you sit and walk, if you fly and move, if you come, if you lie down, if you are sad and happy, if you eat leaves of wood, if you have a long sword, if you have a strong bow and a hard arrow, if you have fire and water, if you have clouds, if you have the sun and the moon. These images can be reflected in the whole character potential, which can be called calligraphy art.
pen LUN was included in Chen Si's book "the essence of the book garden" in the song dynasty, and it has been preserved and spread to this day, occupying an important position in the history of China's book theory.
According to Zhang Yanyuan's "The Book of Dharma should be recorded and the names should be taught by brushwork" in the Tang Dynasty: "Cai Yong was influenced by the divine man and passed on to Cui Yuan and Moon Hee, Moon Hee to Zhong You, Zhong You to Wei Fu, Wang Xizhi to Wei Fu, Wang Xizhi to Wang Xianzhi to Wang Xianzhi, Yang Xin to, Wang Sengqian to Yang Xin, Xiao Ziyun to Wang Sengqian, and the monk Zhiyong to Xiao Ziyun.
It can be seen that famous calligraphers of all ages have benefited from Cai Yong's Pen Theory, which is really a great achievement in the history of calligraphy!