Interpretation of stroke order-the inherent requirement of calligraphy
What is the stroke order? Strictly speaking, it is the writing order of strokes. As we all know, Chinese characters are different from other languages in the world. Chinese characters are block image characters with ideographic system. As we all know, English and other Latin alphabets are phonetic systems, which determines that the stroke order of Chinese characters is unique to Chinese characters and not available in other languages.
There is no problem in the writing order of Latin letters in the ideographic system, so Chinese characters are different, and the block-like characters in the ideographic system need stroke order.
Moreover, in the process of using Chinese characters for more than 5,000 years, profound changes have taken place not only in language meaning, usage and pronunciation, but also in writing.
First of all, the evolution of stroke structure, from complex to simple, directly promoted the change of Chinese characters in font form. The development of Oracle Bone Inscriptions, Dazhuan, Xiaozhuan, Lishu, running script, regular script and cursive script not only reflects the evolution law in the past, but also highlights the complex process of Chinese character evolution. This is a change in words.
Secondly, it is a profound change in language meaning, usage and pronunciation. From notional morphemes to functional morphemes, from expressing realistic and objective things to expressing human subjective imagination, the scope and scenes of Chinese characters are constantly changing, which directly promotes the development of Chinese characters.
In this development process, many rules and usages have been formed, for example, a grammatical system has been formed in the use of meaning; In the process of writing, he formed his own aesthetic paradigm-calligraphy; In the actual language environment, a series of fixed collocations and idioms have been formed.
Then, the position of stroke order in this system is a part of calligraphy, the aesthetic paradigm of Chinese character writing. In calligraphy, the order of strokes is meaningful. If there is no calligraphy, or the requirements for calligraphy are very low, then the pen will become dispensable by the way.
The most direct example is that the letters in the Latin alphabet system lack the requirements and constraints of stroke order, and the existence of calligraphy is very low.
In the study of calligraphy, the application of stroke order is necessary.
When learning calligraphy, especially for beginners, the first problem is the order of Chinese characters. Of course, this problem exists in the process of children's literacy, but the order of strokes has a very special significance in calligraphy. Because stroke order is the first challenge to solve structural problems in calligraphy learning.
In front of us, stroke order is the order in which strokes are written. In addition, Chinese characters are also a kind of block image characters with ideographic system. When these two inferences are put together, another conclusion is drawn-stroke order is of extraordinary significance to the plasticity of Chinese characters. As far as calligraphy itself is concerned, from the final effect, calligraphy is the art of shaping Chinese characters. Therefore, the correctness of stroke order is of great significance to the beauty and ugliness of Chinese character writing.
Just like we play with building blocks, different building block sequences and different combinations will inevitably produce different building block shapes and express different things. For example, having a house and a car. The original parts of these building blocks are all the same, but the different construction order makes them have different effects.
So, this is the meaning of stroke order.
Historical contribution of stroke order-establishing norms and regulations
The correct stroke order can not be rigidly stipulated by one person's temporary regulations, but is the result of natural evolution and convention. Since the birth of Chinese characters, the problem of stroke order has always existed. However, with the progress and development of the times, Stroke Order gradually has its own operating system. There is no natural and profound truth in this system, but it is a recognized fact.
Of course, with the development of society, language will change accordingly. The writing style of Chinese characters is constantly changing, and the stroke order is also constantly adjusted and adapted.
That is to say, to some extent, seal script has the writing order of seal script, official script has the writing order of official script, and running script cursive script has its own order system.
However, as we all know, the methods of seal script are arbitrary, varied and imperfect, and there are many irregularities and difficulties in unifying them. It was not until the development of regular script calligraphy in Wei and Jin Dynasties that the stroke order was gradually standardized and became the product of social conventions. Therefore, Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties and Tang Dynasty are a legislative period, and one of the manifestations of calligraphy legislation in this period is the establishment of stroke order. Therefore, the order of strokes is of great significance to the standardization of calligraphy writing.
The mature development of regular script and the standardization of stroke order have always influenced the standardization and maturity of cursive script. Although the formation time is similar, the maturity and development of the three have always influenced and promoted each other. Among them, regular script is undoubtedly a basic existence, and gradually established its basic important position. Therefore, it also determines the importance of stroke order.
The standardization of stroke order also makes the shape of regular script relatively fixed and the change of shape less, which is of great significance to the formation of calligraphy "method"
Aesthetic effect of stroke order-formal beauty
The development history of Chinese characters in China for 5,000 years is developing in one direction, concise and fast. Therefore, the development from complicated seal script to concise and quick regular script is a great leap for Chinese characters in China. However, while Chinese characters are developing to the extreme, if we want to be more rapid and concise, we can only do enough work on morphological changes.
Therefore, with the development of regular script, there has also been the continuous development of running script and cursive script, which is the development and reform of Chinese character writing in form. Running script and cursive script have become one of the important forms of calligraphy because of their quick and simple writing. Especially the running script with both practical and aesthetic functions has achieved a high status.
Cursive writing is to achieve the purpose of rapid writing through a large number of abstract writing symbols. However, whether it is running script or cursive script, their morphological changes are essentially changes in the writing order, which makes the writing forms more diverse.
But another unexpected effect of these strokes is the aesthetic feeling of writing form, the pleasure of splashing ink on the strokes, the simple aesthetic feeling, the rapid writing in one go, like a waterfall of 3 thousand, the dancing of running water and the grand momentum of thousands of miles, all of which are the aesthetic experience of writing brought by strokes.
The above is a reflection on the importance of stroke order in calligraphy!
Note: The cursive script here only refers to the Chinese font evolved from regular script, not cursive script.