-Zhao Shu's famous saying.
"Calligraphy is based on pens, and words should also be used. The word Gaijie has been circulated from time to time, and it is not easy to use a pen through the ages. " This is a passage written by Zhao, a great calligrapher in Yuan Dynasty, in Postscript of Dingwu Lanting. More than 700 years have passed, and Zhao's exposition on writing with a pen in calligraphy has become a famous book quote that people often quote.
Why can these two short sentences become famous sayings that people often quote, and even today, more than 700 years later, they are still the topic of endless discussion among calligraphers? This is because this postscript clearly points out the importance of using a pen and receiving characters in calligraphy creation, and especially emphasizes the decisive role of using a pen in calligraphy creation.
There has been a heated debate in contemporary book circles about the problem that it is not easy to use a pen through the ages. Calligraphers who agree with it believe that this is Zhao's incisive judgment on using a pen. People who disagree think that calligraphy pens should be ever-changing. How can it be "eternal"? !
The latter view is actually confusing "pen" with "brushwork". The brushwork is changeable, but the correct brushwork rule is certain. What are the correct rules for using a pen in calligraphy? The author once pointed out in the article "On the Qi Mechanism of Calligraphy Creation" that the qi law of calligraphy is the fundamental law of calligraphy and an eternal and difficult law of calligraphy. Because calligraphy pays attention to the expression of strength, the vividness of spirit and the strength of character, whether it is character or character, whether it is spirit or meaning, it needs to be realized by using a pen. The so-called "using a pen with gas" means controlling the pen with gas and raising the pen with meaning. In the process of using the pen together, people's spirit, temperament, temperament and knowledge are all reflected in the pen, and the quality of lines is transformed into humanistic quality through using the pen. This is the secret that calligraphy can express humanistic spirit. The ancients said, "Books reuse pens, and only people can use them." They also said, "Those who are good at books use pens, while those who are not good at books use pens." Therefore, "using a pen" is the key for calligraphers to master pen and ink and express their spirit. Zhao realized this and translated his knowledge into various words, thus reaching the conclusion that "calligraphy is based on pens". Later calligraphers also had the same understanding when appreciating the creation, and they had a * * * sound to this passage on Zhao's page. Under the condition of acquiring * * * knowledge, it is not surprising that this sentence on Zhao's page has become an eternal famous saying.
It is worth mentioning that this passage on Zhao's page seems to emphasize the importance of using a pen, but in fact it is also emphasizing the importance of "knot words". "Calligraphy is based on the use of pens, and writing also requires labor." Calligraphy is a visual art, although writing is influenced and restricted by the use of pens to a certain extent, it is restricted by the law of formal beauty to a greater extent. Wang Xizhi said in "On Bi Xing": "If you lose a little bit, if a beauty is ill, you can't draw a line, just like a strong man's arm." Therefore, "knot words" is also the most important in calligraphy creation. Interestingly, Zhao put "writing with a pen" and "writing with words" together and said, "Writing with a pen is not easy through the ages." On the other hand, in contemporary book circles, when emphasizing the exhibition hall effect and personality expression, there is an exaggerated deformation in the knot, and the change of clutch is "popular and economical", which is really evidence of "expressing feelings in the knot". There is no special treatise on Zhao's album pages at present. However, some of his essays and postscript have many wonderful solutions and profound implications. For example, Zhao pointed out in the Postscript of Dingwu Lanting: "It is beneficial to learn ancient calligraphy and know the meaning of using a pen. The right army book Lanting has been retired. Because of its potential, it is not as good as ambition, so it is also a god. " He also said: "In the past, people had to carve a few lines in ancient times. If they concentrate on learning, they will become famous all over the world. Besides, Lanting is the masterpiece of the right army. If you don't learn by yourself, why not learn from others! " Zhao learned from the ancients in calligraphy theory and attached importance to "learning from the ancients", which is the main reason why later calligraphers regard Zhao as a retro school.