Fruitful: talent and diligence
Liu Wenhai was an artist who became famous in his teens. Born in 1967, he has participated in the national book fair every year since 1994, and has won national prizes in the field of calligraphy for almost one year. Especially in 1997, at the first National Calligraphy Art Festival, his calligraphy work "Ten Poems in Ancient and Modern Times" won the highest prize in one fell swoop-the "Top Ten Works Award" in the National Top 100 Calligraphy Exhibition. Since then, he has been very angry and can't accept it. As for Liu Wenhai's artistic achievements, Mr. Liu Zhengcheng, the calligrapher and editor-in-chief of The Complete Works of China's Calligraphy, commented that he was "a talented young man, diligent in seeking ... writing to Gu Zhuo with a pen, and his handwriting was very strange". The combination of talent and diligence shows that his success is not accidental. Liu Wenhai's grandfather and grandfather both had profound calligraphy attainments. He has been exposed to art since he was a child, and what is more important is his rare persistence and diligence. No matter how difficult the conditions were, he kept on studying books. 1992, Nanjing Art Institute held an advanced calligraphy class, and Liu Wenhai submitted a manuscript for registration, and was accepted as a disciple by his tutor Mr. Xu Liming. In "Nan Yi", he studied eagerly, using 3000 pieces of rice paper a year and losing 15 kg. In the end, his pen and ink skills and artistic knowledge were completely transformed.
Have a positive vision: sensitivity and transcendence
Yan Yu, a poetic theorist, once used Zen as a metaphor for poetry, saying, "Generally speaking, Zen is only wonderful, and poetry is also wonderful." For Liu Wenhai, the art of calligraphy is also "understanding the first meaning". On the road of calligraphy, Liu Wenhai constantly explored his own way of calligraphy on the basis of extensive reference and profound understanding of the characteristics and strengths of calligraphers of past dynasties. He started with Su Mi, the "two kings", and made great efforts in calligraphy. Later, he started with calligraphy, consciously integrated into the inscriptions of Han and Wei dynasties and the cursive style of famous artists in Ming and Qing dynasties, and paid attention to absorbing the simple and vivid characteristics of ancient folk calligraphy. In recent years, he tried to integrate Xu Qingteng's falling horse and Kang Nanhai's vigorous writing of essays, and his artistic concept became more and more mature. It is this sensitivity and diligence that makes Liu Wenhai understand the true meaning of calligraphy.
Looking at the End of the World: Realm and Pursuit
Sublimating the realm of calligraphy has become Liu Wenhai's conscious artistic pursuit. Liu Wenhai realized that the highest artistic realm of calligraphy is "getting out of the way" and "only looking at the spirit", thus achieving the great freedom of "I write my mouth by hand, but only grasp it by the past". To this end, he deeply understood the charm of traditional philosophy and aesthetics, absorbed the advantages of many art categories, strengthened his knowledge and cultural accomplishment, constantly improved his aesthetic knowledge, and endowed calligraphy art with brand-new life and soul. Liu Wenhai's calligraphy now has its own unique and mature artistic language and viewpoint. Those who are good at calligraphy have reached the realm of "doing whatever they want without overstepping the bounds". The more you look into your bones, the more you can see its high style, wonderful charm and elegant mind. Xu Benyi, a famous calligrapher, lamented when appreciating Liu Wenhai's calligraphy works: "This is the progress of one person and one generation."