Calligraphy has basic writing techniques such as pause, lift, setback, pause, light, heavy, Xu, and Ji.
The so-called Xu Ji refers to the slow speed of writing, that is, speed. Don't write too quickly. If it is too fast, it is easy to lose control, lose the rules, and lose the situation; but don't be too slow. If it is too slow, it will appear reserved, slow, and intimidating. Therefore, the weight and speed of the strokes must be just right.
Ni Houzhan, who lived in the late Qing Dynasty and early Ming Dynasty, said that among the many brushwork techniques, the most critical one is "Xu". "Xu" means slow, which means being able to stay. If you can stay on the main body, you can stop, turn, set back, and fold, and you can also lift lightly and press hard. This is just like when a person learns to walk, he must first be able to stand and stand firmly. Then you can run, jump, and perform various other actions. Another example is that a person can perform many thrilling movements on a high-altitude tightrope as if walking on flat ground. When first practicing, the first thing is to be able to stop on the tightrope. Although the movements should be coherent, if there is no stop, the continuity of the movements will be difficult to achieve. A person with superb skills can perform so flawlessly that people cannot see the "stop" in it. This is the result of his progress from raw to mature, and practice makes perfect. There are countless ways to use the pen, and only when you can stop can you make changes. If you can't stop (can't stop), it will be slippery and frivolous, and no matter how many brushwork you use, it won't be useful. Therefore, in the process of learning, do not let go of the word "stop" easily. It can be seen from this that although the brushwork of calligraphy is mysterious and difficult to learn, as long as the method is correct and the time is spent, it is still possible to master it.