"Go to the ancients first, then go out to the ancients" is actually about the problem of "personal paste" and "paste" in the process of learning calligraphy. To learn calligraphy, you must copy it first. In the process of copying, we must try our best to figure out and learn without hesitation. "The essence of inspection is expensive, and imitation is expensive" (Sun Shupu). We should try our best to learn from writing and from one family to another. For example, in order to keep a straight face, we should copy not only the tablets such as Jingjin Monument and Damma Ancient Immortal Monument, but also the posts such as Confession Post, so as to keep a straight face and achieve the point of "confusion" and make "personal posts". This is "combining the ancients first". However, any successful calligrapher will never just walk behind others all his life. In the end, it will form its own face, only "sticking" but not "sticking", and eventually it will be ridiculed as a "book slave". According to Wu Shuo, he can be said to have learned, but people only know that his calligraphy is, not Wu Zixu. The fundamental reason is that he hasn't jumped out of Mizi's circle. There are many scholars who studied the two kings in the Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties, but most of them have formed their own characteristics. The fundamental reason is that they can "post". To learn calligraphy, you should "kick off the bridge". In real life, people who "kick off the bridge" are despised, and learning calligraphy "kick off the bridge" just shows that it has entered a new realm. This is "leaving the ancients". Li Beihai said, "Those who learn from me are vulgar, and those who learn from me will die", which also tells us to be innovative in learning calligraphy and not to always eat leftovers from others.
"Use the ancients first. After leaving the ancients, "not a one-time completion, but a number of people." "Only in this way can we make multi-dimensional and multi-angle choices and make your calligraphy work a meaningful form.