Line is the foundation and soul of calligraphy, an important medium for calligraphy to extend its life, and also a medium for calligraphers to express their feelings, spirit, temperament and knowledge. The appearance of Han Li is an epoch-making milestone in the art of calligraphy, and the expressive force of any calligraphy can't match it. Of course, what is more direct is Han Li's main contribution-liberating lines, which has a decisive influence on our study of the beauty of lines. When we appreciate a calligraphy work, the lines are first felt by the appreciator, so it is also a bridge between the appreciator and the calligrapher. Through lines, viewers can enjoy spiritual beauty, comfort, purification and shock in their hearts. The brush tool of China's calligraphy provides an ideal support for the advanced shaping of line beauty. Appreciators can regard lines as aesthetic objects and grasp the deep connotation of the works visually. Calligraphers also regard lines as symbols of life in their works. Kang Youwei once said in the 18th review of Guang Yi Zhou Shuang Monument: "If a book belongs to people, you must prepare your bones and muscles. Blood is thicker than bones, muscles are hidden in meat, and the posture is strange, which can be described as beautiful. " The "tendons", "bones", "blood" and "flesh" here are all aimed at calligraphy lines. Kang Youwei believes that the beauty of calligraphy lines, like the beauty of human life, embodies the highest principle of calligraphy beauty. In the field of calligraphy art in China, the aesthetic characteristics of calligraphy lines are mainly reflected in the following aspects.
A sense of strength
The sense of force mentioned here is an ingenious force in calligraphy. It is the natural movement of the palm, fingers, wrists and arms under the coordination and control of human consciousness, which combines the aesthetic concept and writing experience of the writer. China's calligraphy has always emphasized brushwork, and Mrs. Wei's "Pen Map" has a saying: "Write and point out. Waves and bends must go all out. " Cai Yong in the Eastern Han Dynasty pointed out in "Nine Potential": "When you write hard, your skin is beautiful". Skin is a formal sense of line beauty. Generally speaking, if you write powerfully, the lines will be beautiful and rich in skin connotation. There is still a contrast between brightness and darkness in the power of skills: the person who makes a sharp turn at the beginning and end of the line is called brightness, and the power to stop smooth movement in the line is called darkness. This passage tells the true beauty of the power of lines. The reason why vigorous and powerful calligraphy works are beautiful is that it allows the viewer to appreciate the elegance of life and the rhythm of the soul in this solidified and static glyph. If the brushwork is weak and thin, the beauty of calligraphy cannot be fully expressed and brought into play.
(2) stereoscopic impression
For calligraphy, a graphic art form, three-dimensional sense is a contradictory statement. Because the line itself is flat, it is impossible to meet the physical standards of three-dimensional space. However, if a calligraphy work lacks three-dimensional sense, the lines will appear thin and boring, which is unsightly. The real three-dimensional sense should be calm and vigorous, which can make people feel the rich information contained between the lines. In short, the three-dimensional sense emphasized by calligraphy is an abstract and refined space. In the creation of specific calligraphy works, it has its own form because of the different calligraphy styles and the different aesthetic tastes of writers. The emphasis on three-dimensional lines is, of course, closely related to the traditional spirit of China people. Any kind of aesthetic consciousness can not be separated from the restriction of social content, and calligraphy is no exception. For example, Mrs. Wei, a female calligrapher, pointed out in the "Pen Map": "The beauty of the husband's three ends lies in the pen first, and the skill of six arts lies in the silver hook." The reasoning formula of this passage is: calligraphy-pen first; Use a pen-the center is heavy; Lines-you have to have a three-dimensional sense to look good.
Judging from the aesthetic feeling of calligraphy, the central skill is absolute. The winger technique is relative and can't be used independently. It can only be supplemented alternately with the center. And not in the theme. The reason for this is that the purpose of calligraphy is to pursue the beauty of lines, and the most important thing for the beauty of lines is to have a strong three-dimensional sense and thickness. We can reform the method of using pen, but we can't go beyond the ultimate goal of calligraphy beauty. It is not a simple question of skill, but a question of beauty in essence.
(C) sense of rhythm
We can find a kind of vitality from the rhythm of calligraphy works, and then experience the value of life in the vitality. The principle of rhythm is the intersection of contrast. In the form of calligraphy, it is the ratio of blank to ink, the ratio of blank size, the ratio of blank shape, the ratio of ink dots to lines, and even the ratio of ink thickness, wet and dry, Fiona Fang and turning point. Generally speaking, a contrast contains elements of rhythm. "Yin and Yang are the Tao", and "Yin and Yang" are the basis of rhythm. The movement characteristics of the pen in the process of line formation-tightness, lightness and heaviness, and speed-are the specific contents of line rhythm. The nature and types of all kinds of sports are also different, and no matter what kind of rhythm, it exists in comparison. Brush calligraphy can express the personality of many calligraphers. The vitality of every calligrapher embodies the aesthetic value of line rhythm. Such as: space rhythm, writing rhythm, blank rhythm, direction rhythm, etc.
The principle of rhythm seems relatively simple compared with the principles of force and three-dimensional sense. Because of the strength and line thickness, we can describe it in depth from the appearance and form from the practical starting point. But for rhythm, visible forms abound, and the invisible deep content is not only the content of calligraphy, but also involves physical and psychological problems. Three-dimensional sense, sense of strength and sense of rhythm basically contain all the contents of line aesthetic consciousness. Not only that, but even in the skill of calligraphy, the existence of "three senses" has included all the spatial contents of the skill.
The composition of force sense depends on lifting, pressing, stopping, tripping, turning, folding, square and circle, emphasizing a kind of ups and downs with a pen; The composition of three-dimensional sense depends on the pen with the center as the main body, and the rule of pen use is implemented within the specific range of line beauty, which not only pursues drawing lines on flat paper, but also pursues shaping three-dimensional effect; The composition of rhythm is controlled by speed, which is intermittent and has a gradual process, so it has a time attribute. Three-dimensional sense and sense of strength, plane movement and up-and-down movement constitute a three-dimensional action space, plus a sense of rhythm, which constitutes the contrast between time and space. They intersect and penetrate each other, forming the broadest artistic world of calligraphy skills.