Calligraphy style
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Overview
Calligraphy style, calligraphy style, fonts and calligraphy fonts refer to traditional writing fonts , different forms and differences of glyphs. There are five traditional calligraphy styles, namely running script, cursive script, official script, seal script and regular script. Contemporary calligrapher Ma Yonganyou created the sixth calligraphy style - Ma style. "Horse Calligraphy" created by Ma Yongan was registered with the National Copyright Administration on February 13, 2010, and was officially named. Nowadays, strictly speaking, there are six calligraphy styles, and each style has its representative calligraphers and masterpieces. In addition, each calligraphy style has derived many calligraphy schools. Generally speaking, there are currently only the above six major categories.
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The evolution of calligraphy
Seal script
Except for oracle bone inscriptions, most of the ancient texts handed down from the pre-Qin period in China are The words engraved on the bronze vessel. Because the copperware is a metal object, it is called "jinwen" or "jinjinwen". Among the bronze wares, the bell and tripod are the heaviest and most numerous in the country, so they are also called "bells and tripods". There are many types of bronze wares, hundreds of which exist in existence, and most of them are ritual vessels for ancestral temples or for sacrificial purposes. Epigraphic archaeologists, such as Luo Zhenyu, Rong Geng, and Su Yinghui, each have their own different classification methods. Among them, Su Yinghui’s article on bronze ware at the 50-year Chinese Art Exhibition in the United States is explained in a clear and logical manner according to Yong’s classification method. The classification is as follows:
Eating utensils include: Li, tripod (round (shaped with two ears and three legs, and square belly with four legs), Gui, Dun, Zu, Dou, and Lu (the main cooking utensils are Ding, Ge, and Dun. The main containers are Gui and Dou).
The types of wine vessels include: jue, jiao, zun, goblet, goblet, 卣, gong, fangyi, pot, bird and animal shaped statue, fou (above wine and drinking vessel), ban, spoon, etc. .
Musical instruments include: cymbals, cymbals (all have mouths upward, hold and strike.) Bells (all hang in the air to strike) bells, and bells (all have tongues, and their mouths downward, hold and vibrate) ). Yu, drum and so on.
Weapons include: spears, spears, halberds, swords, knives, arrowheads, etc.
Commonly used utensils include: plate, prison, bowl, basin, Ke, (above water utensils) dowry, area, pan, spindle, and stirrup (above miscellaneous types). (The main common utensils in the Shang and Zhou dynasties were plates and pots, both used for washing, but plates were also used to hold food, pots could be used to shine on the face, and if they were full, they could also be used as warming vessels).
The bronze inscriptions of the Yin Dynasty are extremely simple, with one word or number per vessel, often with pictographs, or even just one figure, with no words at all. There are also words that are neither words nor pictures, so they can only be called pictorial words. Some of these bronze inscriptions represent animals, some are related to war and economy, some are related to military affairs, some represent utensils, some represent princes and events, some represent life, and some use sub-glyphs as elements. Lu Dalin, a famous bronze writer in the Song Dynasty, said that the picture characters in bronze inscriptions are the original fonts of Chinese characters. The bronze inscriptions of the (Yin) Dynasty include Shang Fangyou, Shang Taisi, Shang Zhong, Bigan copper plate, Sanshi plate inscriptions, etc. Among them, the Taisi Ding of Shang Dynasty is the best, with dense composition and structure. The Wuzhuan Ding of Zhou Dynasty imitated its body. In short, the bronze inscriptions of the Yin Dynasty are simple and vivid, and the calligraphy is also extremely fluid.
The bronze inscriptions of the early Western Zhou Dynasty still retain the characteristics of the inscriptions of the multi-sub clan of the Yin Dynasty. The calligraphy has smooth curves. Its representative works are Zhou Gongyin, whose strokes are sharp and consistent, including fat and thick strokes. It also retains the characteristics of the Yin Dynasty bronze inscriptions that are full of vitality and strong writing power. The fonts are neat in shape and harmonious in structure, showing a unique and natural force. From the era of King Cheng to King Kang, although the glyphs were still neat, their boldness had been lost. And further formalization. The text on the Big Menu Cauldron (pictured below) is the only one that displays a unique and vigorous brushwork. It is a famous bronze ware from the Kangwang period of the Western Zhou Dynasty. There is an inscription on the inner wall, which is 291 words long, which is rare among the bronze ware of the Western Zhou Dynasty. The content is: King Zhou warned Yu (name) that the Yin Dynasty died of alcoholism, while the Zhou Dynasty prospered by avoiding alcohol. Ming Yu must try his best to assist him and respect the virtues of King Wen and King Wu. Its calligraphy style is rigorous, the shape and layout of the characters are very simple and plain, and the brush strokes are both square and round. It has a solemn and solemn artistic effect. It is a representative work of gold calligraphy in the early Western Zhou Dynasty.
The bronze inscriptions of the mid-Western Zhou Dynasty are small and neat, and the strokes are thinner, generally slender and lacking in variation.
The bronze inscriptions of the late Western Zhou Dynasty are dense and balanced, graceful and elegant, such as the Mao Gong Tripod, which is one of the most famous bronze vessels of the Western Zhou Dynasty and was made during the reign of King Xuan of the late Western Zhou Dynasty. A long inscription of up to 498 words is cast on the inner wall.
The content is that in order to revitalize the Zhou Dynasty and eliminate the long-standing evils, the King of Zhou ordered his important minister Mao Gong to assist the King of Zhou loyally to avoid the disaster of losing the country, and gave him a large number of items. In order to thank the King of Zhou, Mao Gong specially made a tripod. Its matter. His calligraphy is a mature style of Western Zhou Dynasty bronze inscriptions, with a well-proportioned and accurate structure, neat and orderly style, strong and steady lines, appropriate layout, and full of rational color, showing that bronze inscriptions have developed to an extremely mature level. It should be the representative masterpiece of this period and has taken the initial shape of the seal script. As for the bronze inscriptions of the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, most of them are long and thin, forming the style of Xiaozhuan. There is another great work from this period, and we cannot but mention it - "Sanshi Pan" - this is a bronze from the period of King Li in the late Western Zhou Dynasty. Its inscription structure is very ancient, and the lines are round and concise. , because the center of gravity is lower due to the horizontal position, it becomes more simple and honest. It has a strong sense of "casting" and expresses a strong "gold flavor", so it occupies an important position in the system of stele studies. Hu Xiaoshi, a famous modern calligrapher, commented: "The seal style has been greatly prepared since the Zhou Dynasty, and its large instruments are such as the Yu Ding and Maogong Ding... The only one that is horizontal is the Sanshi Pan. ”
Since the Han Dynasty, most people believe that the large seal script was made by Taishi Zhen during the reign of King Xuan of Zhou (827 BC). For example, the Han Shu Yiwen Zhi contains fifteen chapters of Shi Zhen, and Ban Gu notes: "Wang Xuan, Taishi of Zhou Dynasty, wrote fifteen big seal scripts." Xu Shen also said: "Xuan Wang Taishi Zhen wrote fifteen big seal scripts, which may be different from the ancient prose." The ancient prose may be different. That is to say, Taishi Zhen was made by adding or deleting ancient texts, so the large seal script is also called "Zhenwen". Therefore, later generations believe that Dazhuan is a form after ancient Chinese writing.
Among the stone inscriptions handed down from ancient times to the large seal script, the Stone Drum Inscription (pictured left) is the most representative. This kind of stone tool is undoubtedly the oldest and most reliable stone carving relic in China. It is now stored in the Palace Museum in Beijing. "Shigu Wen" plays an important role in the history of calligraphy as a link between the past and the future.
There are ten stone drums. The original height is more than three feet. The characters are engraved around the drums. They are shaped like drums, hence the common name. In fact, it should be called Jie. Furthermore, the contents of stone drums are mostly related to hunting, and some scholars also call them hunting tablets. Han Yu in the Tang Dynasty and Su Shi in the Song Dynasty both left works of "Stone Drum Song" in which they chanted stone drums, so the common name "Stone Drum" is generally used.
The Shiguwen article is a description of a safari. The full text originally contained more than 700 words. It is in four-character style and is very similar to the style of classics. It is profound and difficult to understand, and there are many places where the text has been obliterated. Scholars like Han Yu also lamented that its "words are rigorous and precise, making it difficult to understand". Since Pan Di wrote "Shigu Wen Yin Xun" in the Yuan Dynasty, it has been generally understood that it is a kind of rhyme for song hunting. Originally, the order of the ten stone drums was certain, but this also gave rise to different opinions among various families. There were different opinions, which can be described as extremely complicated.
The oldest known rubbings of Shiguwen are the Song rubbings in the Tianyi Pavilion of the Fan family in Ningbo, Zhejiang Province. Ruan Yuan of the Qing Dynasty made a stone copy of it in the second year of Jiaqing (1798) and stored it in Hangzhou Fuxue. In the eleventh year of Tongzhi (1873), he made a stone copy and engraved it in Yangzhou Fuxue. Wei Tianyi Pavilion was burned in the 10th year of Xianfeng (1862). The extant Song rubbings are old copies collected by Anguo (named Mintai, named Guipo, Xishan, Jiangsu) in the Ming Dynasty, and unfortunately ended up in Japan. An loved Shiguwen very much, so he called himself Shiguzhai and collected ten kinds of ancient rubbings. Among them, there are three types of Tuo in the Northern Song Dynasty, which are called forward, middle and late. The one that has now been introduced to Japan is the Houjin version, which has a postscript in seal script written by Anguo himself at the end. It is the best among the existing stone drum rubbings and has been photocopied by Nigensha in Japan for a long time.
The font of Shiguwen is roughly between Zhou Jinwen and Qin Xiaozhuan. It can be seen that it is indeed something from before Qin Shihuang, and it should belong to the system of Zhou Shu. Compared with small seal script, it can be called big seal script, which is the representative work of big seal script. Its font is similar to Xiaozhuan but more complicated, and it is similar to Zongzhou Yi vessels and more regular. It can be called a classic of seriousness and neatness. Kang Youwei, in his "Guang Yi Zhou Shuang Ji", called the stone drum inscriptions: "The fine gold falls to the ground, and the grass and grass are clouds. It does not bother to trim, and it has its own uniqueness. The body is slightly square and flat, and the insects are all in the same place. The gas is similar, and the stone drum is both It is the first ancient relic in China and should also be the first rule for calligraphers." It can be said to be highly appreciated. However, after the Northern Song Dynasty, the calligraphy school flourished, and few people started to study it. Until the middle of the Qing Dynasty, the trend of archaeological stele engravings revived, and the stone drum inscriptions were especially highly regarded by calligraphers. Wu Da can obtain its solemn and harmonious charm. Wu Changshuo expressed his ancient and heroic spirit. The calligraphy of both men is of great importance to the present and to future generations.
What is small seal script? According to Xu Shen's "Shuowen Jie Zi Preface" in the early Later Han Dynasty: "Shi Zhen wrote fifteen chapters of large seal script, which may be different from the ancient ones. Qin Li Si wrote the Cangjie chapter and Zhao Gao wrote the Yuan In the Li chapter and the biography chapter written by Hu Wujing, they were all based on the large seal script of Shi Zeng, or they were modified by the provincial government and called the small seal script." It can be seen from this that the small seal script is taken from the large seal script of Shi Zhen, and was created based on the simplicity and neatness of Zhen's text.
Small seal script and calligraphy of various styles: In the past, there was a saying that "if you don't study seal script, you can get li", because the official method originated from seal script, and learning seal script is also learning li. The fonts of official script and regular script must first be horizontal and vertical, which is consistent with the basic writing style of seal script. The structure of seal script is important and even, and official script and regular script also pay attention to uniformity. If the seal script is accurate and skillful, then writing official script and regular script will be naturally even. Writing running script and cursive script must be lively and lively, and you need to be good at drawing circles. Seal script has mostly semicircular or circular strokes. When the cursive script is in a graceful state, writing running script and cursive script is particularly lively and vivid, and the curves are full of wonderful twists and turns. This is the knowledge of seal script writing techniques, which is the basis of all calligraphy styles. For example, the writing style of the Xia Cheng Stele in Han Li is somewhere between that of seal script and official script, and there are still many rounded parts, which proves that seal script is similar to official script. The combination of Yan Kai and Seal Script achieves the most wonderful state in the world of calligraphy. The book Magu Immortal Altar Notes has even flesh and bones and a balanced writing force. Some people say that Yan comes from Seal Script, which proves that Seal Script is connected to Kai Script. Huanggu's running script, with its long strokes, is no different from seal script. Kang Youwei once said, "Huanggu's running script is as good as seal script." This proves that seal script is as good as running script. Huaisu's wild cursive writing is centered in the center of the strokes, thin, vigorous and graceful, and the magic of turning is seen in the flying. Bao Shichen has two posts of "Drunk Monk Madonna and Lu Gong, Guoyuan Seal Script, vigorous and vigorous, this is Cao Seal Script" "The theory proves that seal script can communicate with grass. To learn calligraphy in Li, Kai, Xing and Cursive, it is not necessary to write seal script first, but if you can write seal script first and then write Li Kai cursive, it will be easier to understand the calligraphy. Master Hongyi teaches writing methods: "You must start with seal characters, write at least five hundred every day, then learn official script, then enter regular script; after completing regular script, learn cursive script." The order is also to start with small seal script first. After the small seal script is completed, it can be written on the bells and tripods, oracle bones, and all ancient seal scripts can be imitated. Only then can the writing skills, power, charm and flavor be developed.
Xiaozhuan is composed of Zhenwen, written in round curves, with unified and well-proportioned strokes, rigorous structure, strong and solemn, and both (right of the picture is Qin's "Taishan Carved Stones"). It has a great influence on the art of Chinese characters and calligraphy. Xu Shen compiled fifteen volumes of "Shuowen Jiezi", which used "Xiaozhuan" as the main text basis. Therefore, we know that Xiaozhuan is the standard for all seal scripts, and those who learn calligraphy should not take it lightly.
Official script
Official script evolved gradually from ancient seal script and is said to have been created by Cheng Miao of the Qin Dynasty. The official script is divided into "Qin Li" and "Han Li". "Qin Li" has a round structure, similar to seal script, and mostly uses square pens, so it is also called "Gu Li". "Han Li" is also known as the "eight-point" font in the world. It changes from round to square and straight, with a wide and flat structure. The strokes advance in reverse and the ripples are exposed. This type of font evolved in the Han Dynasty, so it is called "Han Li". ".
Guli, from the Qin to the Western Han Dynasty, and even to the early Eastern Han Dynasty, was the common period of "Guli". The inscriptions handed down from generation to generation include the inscriptions on the stele of Qin Liang, Qin Quan, the Tao Ling Ding of the Han Dynasty, and the inscriptions on the Lingguang Hall of Lu , the engraving of the second year of Wufeng, the engraving of Lai Zihou, the monument for worshiping Ergong Mountain, the engraving of the opening of Baoxie Road, etc. The "Yunmeng Sleeping Tiger Land Qin Slips" (pictured below) unearthed in Hubei in December 1975 shocked the archaeological and calligraphy circles. Its excavation opened the eyes of modern calligraphers and provided real Qin Li information for the study of the history of calligraphy. The structure of Qin Li has its own special characteristics of the times, including the characteristics of later official scripts and the characteristics of seal script. The ancients said: "The seal script is the most effective and efficient one", which is very reasonable. In the sense of "fast", the Qin bamboo slips are written in brush and ink. Only the use of the brush and the fast writing of seal script can truly push Chinese calligraphy towards the direction of official script.
The Han Dynasty, from 206 BC to 220 AD, was a critical generation in the history of the development of Chinese calligraphy. The Han Dynasty was divided into the Western Han Dynasty and the Eastern Han Dynasty. During the more than 400 years of the two Han Dynasties, calligraphy changed from seal script to official script, and from official script to Zhangcao, Zhenshu and Xingshu. By the end of the Han Dynasty, my country's Chinese calligraphy styles were basically complete. Therefore, the Han Dynasty was a critical period in the history of calligraphy that continued the past and ushered in the future, transitioning from constant changes to finalization. Official script was a calligraphy style commonly used in the Han Dynasty. The official script of the Han Dynasty was also called Fenshu or Bafen. Not only did the writing techniques become more and more sophisticated, but the calligraphy styles were diverse. Liu Xie's "Wenxin Diaolong Stele" said: "Since the Later Han Dynasty, stele tablets have appeared." Therefore, the Eastern Han Dynasty's official script has entered a stage of sophisticated form and diverse schools. Among the more than 100 types of Han steles left today, A dazzling array of items, a brilliant and showy style. While the official script matured, there was also the official script that broke the official script, and it developed into Zhangcao, running script, and real script.
The continuous changes and development of calligraphy art paved the way for the smooth cursive writing and the flying wild cursive writing of the Jin Dynasty.
The more than two hundred years of the Later Han Dynasty was the heyday of the "eight-point" style. During this period, all the tablets were mostly in the "eight-point" font, and there were countless. There are about a hundred kinds of rubbings handed down from ancient times, including tablets and tablets from the Eastern Han Dynasty. Such as Shimen Ode, Yiying, Liqi, Kongzhou, Huashan, Shichen, Xizhaosong, Xiping Shijing, Hanren, Yinzhou, Caoquan, Zhangqian and other steles. Some of the fonts on these steles are long and dense. Some are wide and flat, some are simple and majestic, some are cool and sparse, some are high and pure, some are gorgeous and beautiful, some are rich and gentle, all of them are in their own extremes, with beetles everywhere, making it a magnificent sight. But as far as the "eight points" rule is concerned, the steles of Yiying, Shichen, and Caoquan should be more rigorous, and the steles of Xizhao, Zhangqian (pictured below), and Shimensong should be the three types of seal script, regular script, and running script in the official list. Representative work. All the above monuments are loved by the world.
Cursive script
Cursive script is the simplest form of Chinese writing. The origin of cursive script, like running script or other calligraphy styles, cannot be pinpointed when it began. Historical records say: "During the Warring States Period, King Huai of Chu asked Qu Yuan to write a constitutional decree. The draft was not yet submitted. Shangguan saw it and wanted to seize it. The ancestor of cursive script originated from this." According to this, there is a saying that cursive script originated from the draft. It can be seen that during the Warring States Period That is to say, cursive script has been formed. Because the font originated from a draft, in order to perform the function of sketching, it is relatively omitted and hasty. Naturally, it cannot be neat and written in a hurry. As the name suggests, it is a cursive script. However, this kind of cursive script can only be said to be a draft of ancient seal script (the font used at that time). The discovery of real cursive script began in the early Han Dynasty. Its evolution process should be that there was "Zhangcao" first, and then "Jincao". "Grass", and then there are "Kuaicao" and other grass styles.
Zhangcao is sketched in official script, so it originated from official script. Legend has it that it was created by Huangmenling Shi You during the reign of Emperor Yuan of the Western Han Dynasty. Zhao Yanwei Yun Manchao of Song Dynasty said: "Xuanhe, the ancient people of Shaanxi found wooden slips with all the characters written in Zhangcao. They were on the second day of Yongchu, when they sent their husband to rebel against the Qiang Xi. Mi Yuanzhang wrote: Zhangcao is the grass of Zhangzuo. Today's test Since ancient times, it has become more and more simple, so the large seal script has become a small seal script, and the small seal script has become a official script. It is also a natural trend; therefore, although it is called Cao, the Li pen is still there, and Liang Yao has not left the Li pen far away." This theory is more credible because Zhang Cao was obtained through Zhang Zou.
Although the "Zhangcao" font has been simplified in the "official script", it is still slightly rippled. If you look at the wooden slip writing in the early Han Dynasty (above), you can see that the early "Zhangcao" was actually emergency. Rough "official script" variant. Therefore, there are no certain standards to follow for its brushwork and structure. It was not until Zhang Zhi's Zhangcao calligraphy in the Eastern Han Dynasty that it reached maturity, and reached its peak in the Wei and Jin Dynasties. Among them, famous calligraphers, such as Wei Dan in the Wei Dynasty, Huang Xiang in the Wu Dynasty, and Suo Jing in the Jin Dynasty, are all known as the masters of Zhangcao.
The Dharma stickers handed down by "Zhangcao" include Shiyou's "Ode to the Master", Zhang Zhi's "Chunhua Pavilion Tie", Huang Xiang's "First Aid Chapter", Suo Jing's "Yueyi Tie", etc. Although it has been handed down and engraved to this day, the teachings are solid, the body is strong, and it has the characteristics of independence and self-improvement. It is still the best material for future generations to copy and study.
The strokes of "Zhangcao" have a slight ripple effect of official script, but the characters are independent and not connected; using symbols, each stroke is the same, which is a variant of Han official script.
Jincao
It is the cursive script that is popular today, commonly known as cursive script. It is said that it was created by Zhang Zhi (Boying) of the Later Han Dynasty. Wei Dan said: "Zhi learned from Du Du and perfected his skills. He can be called a sage, ahead of others and unparalleled." Zhang Huai's "Shu Duan" said: "Since Du Du is better than Zhang Cao, Cui Yuan and Cui Shi, father and son Ji Neng. Boying got Cui Du's method, so he learned something new, so he changed it to form the style of today's grass. There are alternate lines. However, Wang Zijing understands its purpose clearly, so the words at the beginning of the line often follow the last line. The world says that the one-stroke calligraphy originated from Zhang Boying. "It is also said: "Zhang Cao's book has different characters. Zhangzhi becomes Jincao, which is related to the upper and lower characters, or is above the lower character. Hu Shiyoucao is called Zhangcao, and it is called Jincao because of Boyingcao. "From this we know, "Jincao". The difference between "Zhangcao" and "Zhangcao" is that the character "Zhangcao" is unique and is made by sketching official script, while "Jincao" omits the wave of "Zhangcao" and involves the upper and lower parts, and is made by sketching "Zhangcao". Mr. Yu Youren's preface to the standard cursive script says: "The method is: focus on the couplets, eliminate the ripples, and use symbols to make the turns more beneficial. The so-called "poor and false" principles of Daling, which are extremely cursive, are the most effective. Press "Reshape" to remove the wave.
"The second language can be said to be the characteristic of "Jincao", and it is also the reason why "Jincao" becomes more and more concise
The "Jincao" calligraphy style was created by Zhang Zhi in the Later Han Dynasty and was completed in the Eastern Jin Dynasty. Wang Xizhi and his son, in particular, are the best at this style. The beauty and variety of their postures are really wonderful, and they have reached the pinnacle of perfection.
The "Jincao" dharma post handed down from generation to generation has been handed down since Zhang of the Later Han Dynasty. Zhi, Wang Xizhi of the Eastern Jin Dynasty and other great calligraphers of the past dynasties were also good at cursive calligraphy. Therefore, there are so many handwritings that have been circulated. Beginners of cursive calligraphy have almost no idea where to start. Volume 1.
Although Jincao came from the two kings, Zhang Xu and Huaisu were able to break away from the traditional Wei and Jin Dynasty methods and create new looks. , bringing Jincao into a new realm - famous as "Kangcao"
It is said that the name "Kangcao" was due to Zhang Xu, who drank too much alcohol before writing a book. , or help trigger inspiration from natural phenomena, and then shout and run wildly, and then write about it. In his "Autobiography" (left), Huai Su once quoted Li Yushi Dan as saying: "In the past, Zhang Xu's work was called Zhang Dian by people at that time, but now Huai Su's work is called a mad monk. Who said it is impossible to follow the top with madness. "It can be seen from the above that "crazy cursive" is due to the speed and weirdness of writing on the one hand, and the crazy attitude shown by Zhang Xu and Huaisu on the other hand.
Original cursive script is It is enough to express one's spirit, bearing, education and create new artistic conception, but Kuangcao's strange speed, wanton verticality, dynamic brushwork and ability to change are more inspired by the artistic conception. Han Yu wrote in "Preface to Master Gao Xian" "" describes Zhang Xu's cursive writing: "Happiness, anger, poverty, sadness, resentment, longing, drunkenness, boredom, injustice, whatever moves the heart, must be written in cursive." In things, we can see mountains and rivers, cliffs and valleys, birds and beasts, insects and fish, plants and flowers, the sun and the moon and stars, wind, rain and fire, thunder and thunder, songs, dances and battles, and changes in heaven and earth, both joyful and shocking, all of which are contained in books. "When cursive writing reaches this state, it has become the same as mind and matter. It is completely divorced from practical meaning and is a pure and high-level art form. The masters of cursive writing in the past include Huang Tingjian, Zhu Yunming, Wang Duo, Fu Shan, etc.
Cursive script is difficult for ordinary people to read. If you cannot fully understand the written words, how can you appreciate them? Calligraphy is based on Chinese characters. Chinese characters are composed of dots and lines, and various forms of dots and lines are combined. The ever-changing graphics and dots and lines written at different speeds are like a string of notes, with high and low turns, ups and downs. Appreciating calligraphy is like listening to the melody and rhythm of music. Compared with other fonts, cursive script has the arrangement of writing space and the arrangement of dots and lines. Correspondence can be expressed more freely, that is, cursive script can best express the spirit of calligraphy art.
Regular script
Regular script is also called Zhengshu, or Zhenshu. : "In the early Han Dynasty, Wang Cizhong began to write regular script with Li characters." It is believed that regular script evolved from ancient Li characters. According to legend: "On the tomb of Confucius, Zigong planted a regular script tree with straight and unbent branches. . "The strokes of regular script must be simple and clear, and they must be like the branches of a regular script tree.
In the early days of "regular script", there were still very few official pens left. The structure was slightly wider, with long horizontal strokes and short straight strokes. Among the handed down posters from the Wei and Jin Dynasties, such as Zhong Yao's "Declaration Table" (pictured on the left), "Recommended Ji Zhi Table", Wang Xizhi's Yue Yi's "On Huang Ting Jing", etc., they can be regarded as representative works, as Weng Fanggang said: " Change the wave painting of official script, add some pecks and picks, and still retain the horizontal and straight style of ancient official script."
After the Eastern Jin Dynasty, the north and south split, and calligraphy was also divided into northern and southern schools. The northern style of calligraphy, with the style of Han official script The calligraphy of the Southern Dynasty is more sparse and graceful, and is better than that of the Northern and Southern Dynasties. Due to regional differences, personal habits and calligraphy styles are very different. They are different. Northern books are strong, while southern books are rich in beauty. However, Bao Shichen and Kang Youwei strongly praised the books of the two dynasties, especially the Northern Wei Dynasty's stele style, in order to emphasize the advantages of the Wei stele. .
The regular script of the Tang Dynasty is like the prosperity of the country in the Tang Dynasty. The calligraphy style is mature and there are many calligraphers. The regular script works of Yan Zhenqing of the Tang Dynasty and Liu Gongquan of the late Tang Dynasty were valued by later generations and regarded as models for learning calligraphy.
The ancients said this when learning calligraphy: "To learn calligraphy, you must first write regular script and write calligraphy." Big characters must be used first. Large characters use Yan as the method, and Chinese regular script uses Ou as the method. Once the Chinese regular script is familiar, then condense it into small regular script, and use Zhong Wang as the method." However, according to the results of many years of experimental research, it is shown that when beginners learn to write, it is not advisable to learn too big characters first. Suitable.
The regular scripts of the three great calligraphers of the early Tang Dynasty, Ouyang Xun, Yu Shinan, and Chu Suiliang, are all the most suitable copy models for Chinese regular script. The respective brief introductions are as follows:
Ouyang Xun's block script originated from ancient Li, based on Erwang style, and referenced the calligraphy style of the Northern School of the Six Dynasties. It has a unique structure, an original style, and is particularly authoritative. Its influence has penetrated deeply into society, and it has become almost the standard book for academics. The characteristics of regular script are that the pen is strong and sharp, the strokes are square and neat, and the structure is cheerful and healthy. His representative regular script inscriptions include the "Jiucheng Palace Liquan Inscription" and the "Huadu Temple Stele".
Yu Shinan's regular script is elegant and elegant, inheriting the legacy of Zen Master Zhiyong and being a direct descendant of the Wang School. Although it originated from the Wei and Jin Dynasties, its soft exterior and strong interior, as well as its deep and serene charm, swept away the cowardice of the calligraphy style of the Wei and Jin Dynasties. Among his representative works in regular script, "Confucius Temple Monument" should be the most representative.
Chu Suiliang's regular script is famous for its sparseness, thinness, and strength. Although he originated from the Youjun army, he is still charming. Its font structure seems to be very unrestrained, but it can skillfully reconcile the quiet style, creating a situation that has never been reached before. His representative regular script works should be the "Preface to the Holy Religion of the Wild Goose Pagoda".
Xiaokai, as the name suggests, is the smallest type of regular script. It was founded by Zhong Yao in the Wei Dynasty of the Three Kingdoms. He was originally the most outstanding authority in official script. The style of his regular script was also derived from the Han official script, with a vague style. It's like a flying giant playing in the sea, extremely vivid. However, the structure is wide and flat, the horizontal strokes are long and the straight strokes are short, which still retains the legacy of official script. However, the regular script has been fully prepared, and it is actually the ancestor of the official script. In the Eastern Jin Dynasty, Wang Xizhi studied the small regular script calligraphy more carefully, making it reach a state of perfection, and also established the standard for the appreciation of the beautiful small regular script calligraphy in China.
Generally speaking, writing small characters and writing large characters are very different. The principle is: writing large characters must be tight and seamless, while writing small characters must be wide enough. That is to say: writing large characters must be as precise as small characters; while writing small characters must be as cramped as large characters. Therefore, the ancients said, "Writing large characters should be like small characters, and writing small characters should be like large characters." Su Dongpo also discussed calligraphy. There is a saying that goes, "It is difficult for large characters to be dense and seamless, and for small characters to be wide and wide enough." How do you say these words? Because when we usually write large characters, we think that the position (area) is wide and can be used freely. As a result, the font becomes loose and empty. Writing small characters is just the opposite. Because the space is too small, if you worry about not being able to write, you will inevitably have to try your best to shrink. Often, shrinking is too much, which turns into crouching. These are all natural psychological phenomena and are easily violated. Therefore, Mr. Su's words "It's impossible to do anything big or small" are precisely aimed at this kind of expression, and they are also based on experience.
The coordination of the focus and strokes of writing small characters is not much different from that of large characters. As for writing, it's slightly different. The writing style of small characters should be round, graceful, straight, and neat; the writing of large characters should be majestic and thick. When writing large characters, use the reverse edge (hidden edge), and when closing the pen, use the returning edge; when writing small characters, it is not necessary to use the reverse edge, and it is better to use the sharp edge, and when closing the pen, it is better to use the pen or lift the pen. For example, when writing a horizontal line, the starting point of the pen may be pointed and the ending point of the pen will be round; when writing a vertical line, the starting point of the pen may be slightly paused and the ending point shall be pointed; Fat, but also slightly arced to the left and right, the strokes should be vivid and emotional; the points should be pointed and round, the pick should be pointed and sharp, the bend should be square on the inside but round on the outside, and the hook should be half curved and half straight. The writing style is flexible and changeable, and cannot be limited. Especially for the whole text, the strokes should be different but coordinated. When written line by line, the words should be well-proportioned but always on the same line. In this way, the Qi will naturally flow through it and look at it like a string of pearl necklaces, with a high spirit.
Small characters were necessary calligraphy for daily use in ancient times. In the past, when taking the imperial examination, most of the people who marked the papers read the characters first and then the articles. If the wording is not good, no matter how good the article is, it will be affected. He won the first prize in imperial examinations and the Hanlin Academy, paying special attention to calligraphy. Therefore, all the small characters of the number one scholar and Hanlin scholar are exquisite. Generally speaking, they are also good at writing small characters. Nowadays, hard pens are popular, and not many people use brushes to write small characters. However, using hard pens to write in small regular script copybooks has a significant effect of getting twice the result with half the effort. Therefore, if you want to write hard pen calligraphy well, you might as well find a good small regular script copybook and practice it. It will definitely lay a solid foundation that will benefit you throughout your life.
There are many small regular script copybooks. Among the ink rubbings handed down from generation to generation, the small regular script of Jin and Tang Dynasties is the most famous. These usually include Zhong Yao's announcement post in the Wei Dynasty, Jian Ji Zhi Biao, Le Yi Lun, Cao E Stele, Huang Ting Jing by Wang Xizhi in the Eastern Jin Dynasty, Thirteen Lines of Luo Shen Fu by Wang Xianzhi, Ling Fei Sutra by Zhong Shao Jing in the Tang Dynasty, etc. There are also ink photocopies of small regular script works by Zhao Mengfu of the Yuan Dynasty, Wang Chong of the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Yunming and others, which are also very good examples.
Running script
According to legend, there are two theories about the origin of running script:
First, according to Zhang Huai's "Shu Duan": "The person who runs script is Ying Ying of the later Han Dynasty. Created by Liu Desheng of Sichuan, it is a small correction of the official script, and it is kept simple, so it is called running script. "From this we know that "running script" is the transformation of "official script".
2. According to Wang Sengqian's "Able to Write Names of People in Ancient Times": "Zhong Yao's book has three types: the first is the book inscribed on stone, which is the most wonderful; the second is the charter book, which is passed down to secretaries and teaches in elementary schools. The third one is called Xingwen Shu. Hedong Wei Kaizi adopted Zhang Zhi's method and used Kaifa's method to make a draft. "From this we know that Xingwen's script is also called Xingwen's script. It originally developed from the signing of paintings by painting dealers. Those who heard from each other refer to writings, letters and the like.
Advantages of running script: Zhang Huai's "Shu Yi" said: "Running script is neither cursive nor true, and it depends on the relationship between Ji and Meng; those who have both true and cursive scripts are called true scripts, and those who have cursive scripts are called cursive scripts." "Xuanhe "Shu Pu" also said: "Since the official script is swept away, the truth is more restrained, and the cursive script is more relaxed. Those who are in between are the running script." The running script is neither as formal and complicated as the official script, nor as wild as the cursive script. The disadvantage of being difficult to recognize is that it has the advantage of being "unrestricted, easy to recognize and easy to write", so it is used in all writings, letters and letters. It also pays special attention to this style of writing, both ancient and modern. Over time, it has become the most popular font in society and the most practical font in daily life. In terms of application value, it is considered the greatest. Therefore, it can be passed down from the later Han Dynasty to the present day, and it will remain new over time.
Ma Script
Ma Script, also known as Ma Script, Ma Script, and Ma Script Calligraphy, was created by the contemporary calligrapher Ma Yongan. Horse calligraphy is a new calligraphy style based on inheriting traditional calligraphy. Compared with traditional calligraphy, there are six standards, five of which are completely different from traditional calligraphy and are a completely new concept and calligraphy style.
Ma Yongan was born in Shangcai County, Henan Province in 1956. He started working in 1974. After graduating from university in 1981, he stayed in Beijing to work. He worked as a reporter and editor in the People's Daily, the Ministry of Radio, Film and Television, and the Ministry of Culture. He has also served as deputy secretary-general and secretary-general of art societies such as the China International Calligraphy and Painting Art Research Association and China ATV Painting and Calligraphy Academy. During this period, he published several literary works, calligraphy and painting works. In 2002, he published "Ma Yongan's Discovery of Fang Zhousu" and in 2003 he wrote "PH Value, the Nemesis of SARS". After 2003, he mainly engaged in the creation, research and teaching of calligraphy and painting, and was responsible for the daily management and administrative work of calligraphy and painting art. In 2005, he was appointed as a professor at the Huaxia Art Institute. In 2006, he was appointed as a consultant of the Nanchang Tengwangge Ci Fu Research Institute. In 2007, he served as the Secretary-General and Vice-President of the Chinese Calligraphy Artists Association and the Vice-President of the Chinese Art Artists Association. In 2008, he served as the Chinese Art Collectors Association. President and director of Long Shuncheng Art Museum, he served as executive chairman of the Chinese Calligraphy Artists Association in 2009. In July 2009, Ma Yongan's calligraphy was named "Ma's Calligraphy" by the China Calligraphy Xintiandi Research Center and was included in the "Modern Calligraphy". On February 13, 2010, Ma Yongan's calligraphy was verified by experts, passed and obtained the registration certificate from the National Copyright Administration of China, and was officially named "Ma Style Calligraphy". The sixth calligraphy style after the five calligraphy styles of Chinese style, seal style and Kaishu style - Horse style. The influence of horse calligraphy on Chinese calligraphy is extremely profound. In the future development, we will realize this more and more clearly.
The structure of horse-style calligraphy is based on the main script, supplemented by the side script (there was no such term before, it was relative to the main script). The front and side scripts are used interchangeably, making it vivid and lively. In traditional calligraphy, regular script is regular script and cursive script is cursive script. The front and side are clear and slightly dull.
The momentum of horse calligraphy is high on the left and low on the right, following the trend, stretching and smooth, in line with the mainstream aesthetic orientation, more eye-catching and inspiring. Traditional calligraphy, which has remained unchanged for thousands of years, is always low on the left and high on the right. It goes against the trend, seems to be blocked, is not smooth, and does not conform to the aesthetic ideal of human beings' longing for beauty.
The strokes of horse-style calligraphy have few pauses and no folds. The strokes of seal script and cursive script are used to move the strokes smoothly and naturally without any artificiality, which opens up a broader aesthetic space for the art of calligraphy. In traditional calligraphy, because the pen movement is contrary to the trend, writing can only be completed with a folded pen. There are many folded pens and there are many pens, which lacks suppleness. Formal writing is just over death, while cursive writing is at the other extreme. These are not in line with traditional philosophical thoughts and fundamentally violate the aesthetic consciousness of the subject.
The stippling of horse calligraphy is rich in changes. Compared with traditional calligraphy, it goes in the opposite direction and is an invention and creation.
Horse calligraphy, the pen is inserted into the pen plate, as thin as silk, and the tip of the pen is outside. The strokes are as light as heavy, as light as hairs, as heavy as clouds, and all the hairs are emitted. The brush strokes are not closed, and the momentum is like breaking bamboo, dripping with joy, and flowing thousands of miles, giving people a sense of pleasure. Traditional calligraphy has the same method through the ages. If you want to go right, go left first, if you want to go up, go down first. Everyone sticks to their old ways and is lifeless.
Mi Fu, the great calligrapher of the Song Dynasty, said, "Those who are good at calligraphy will have enough in one stroke." Horse calligraphy has formed its own unique style in terms of structure, momentum, brushwork and stippling.