Which one of Wen Zhengming, Zhao Mengfu and Wang Xizhi do you think is better at running script?
I like the cursive calligraphy works of Wen Zhengming, Zhao Mengfu and Wang Xizhi very much, and I write their works in my spare time. If we compare their calligraphy works, it is not difficult to see that Wang Xizhi ranks first, Zhao Mengfu second, and Wen Zhengming third.
Let’s talk about Wang Xizhi first. The characteristics of his running calligraphy are precise writing, clear pauses and frustrations, and rhythmic lines. The structure is changeable and the posture is sideways, breaking the standard structure of Chinese characters. His characters are wide open and close, and his body shape is changeable and invisible. You can only see its changes but don't understand why they change, and you can't find any regularity. This is why people have been unable to surpass him for thousands of years. He is also good at writing, and every piece of work has a beautiful stroke that leads the whole article and plays the finishing touch. This point is difficult to find in the roles of Zhao Mengfu and Wen Zhengming. They are all inferior to Wang Xizhi in terms of commanding the overall situation.
Let’s talk about the characteristics of Zhao Mengfu’s running script. The writing path is clear, and the starting, moving and ending of the pen are all explained. It makes it easy for scholars to understand and learn. The appearance of the characters is round and the muscles and bones are contained. The dots are vigorous and powerful, and the structure is broad and beautiful. The dots and paintings echo each other very closely. It looks soft on the outside but strong on the inside, with a graceful figure and a strong frame. The pen is round and square, flowing and flowing. This is related to Zhao Mengfu's hard practice of calligraphy. He wrote tens of thousands of words a day and was very skilled in calligraphy. This is still far from the level of Wang Xizhi's calligraphy, which is as floating as floating clouds and as powerful as a startling dragon.
Finally, let’s talk about Wen Zhengming. The characteristics of his running script are that it is wide and comfortable, and the knots are smooth and square. of stretching. "Fang Zhongyin" is the word "indulgence but restraint" in the knot. It pays attention to the connection of ideas. There are not many links between the strokes in running script. It pays attention to the left and right glances between the strokes. They seem to be disconnected, but the charm of each other is connected. There are also density and spacing, back-to-back posture, bowing and avoiding, styles leaning on each other, different lengths, mixed sizes, walking and grassing, avoiding duplication, etc. Although Wen Zhengming's running script is wonderful, it is weaker than Wang Xizhi and Zhao Mengfu in terms of grandeur.
Thanks for the invitation. Previous calligraphy has its own merits and emphases. This is why when learning calligraphy, you must learn from the strengths of others and work together to create a personal calligraphy style! ?