Text/Tianshui Shiyi
A friend asked me some time ago: What do I think of the current calligraphy circle? I remained silent, but he kept asking and answered casually: "When? Everyone will become a calligrapher." He was confused for a moment, which led to the topic I talked about today.
Because of my hobby of calligraphy and painting, I have made many calligraphy and painting friends. Every day after work, I would check the WeChat Moments to see what my book friends were up to. But I don’t know when a strange trend started in the Moments, and everyone became a calligrapher. At first, I felt that in the Internet information age, some publicity and promotion was natural. But later I discovered that this trend was getting stronger and stronger, and even those who drew ghostly symbols or graffiti became calligraphers. This makes me have to bring it up and talk about it.
Not long ago, a friend on the Internet added me as a friend and said: "I am one of the top ten calligraphers in a certain county. I heard from my friend that you like calligraphy, so I came here to communicate with him. "It was originally a pleasant thing to discuss and learn with colleagues. But because of his irresistible status and a series of titles, I feel a biting cold wind. After chatting for a long time, I learned nothing about calligraphy. I didn’t see any works, just the so-called “membership certificate”, “first-class artist”, “photo with so-and-so everyone”, and “interview with a certain leader” photos A lot of them were sent.
Speaking of this, I can’t help but recall the scene a few years ago, when there was a temple fair in Fuxi Temple. In a corner crowded with people, an old gentleman who bought letters was asking someone to buy a book. A young man introduced his glorious journey. One moment he asked the young man to search calligraphers on Baidu to find him. The next moment he took out his certificate and gestured, calling himself a calligrapher without mentioning the work he wrote.
I’m a little bit confused, do “calligraphers” rely on these so-called authorities, or on these publicity and promotions, or on the “Top Ten Masters” shown off to you by the online media. Are calligraphers just stuck in their ways? The answer is obviously not that. It is estimated that even our "Calligraphy Saint" Wang Xizhi would not say that he is a calligrapher. I really don’t know where your confidence in calling yourself “calligraphers” comes from. Anyway, I think you are really brave, so brave that you don’t even know where this “family” comes from.
A calligrapher is a person who is good at calligraphy; a person who has the ability to write Chinese characters and can push it to an artistic level. To put it simply, he is an artist whose main creation is calligraphy. Therefore, Wang Xizhi is represented by the "Lanting Preface"; Yan Zhenqing is represented by the "Manuscript of Sacrifice to Nephew"; Mi Fu is represented by the "Shu Su Tie"; Zhao Mengfu is represented by the "Dengba Stele"; Wang Duo is represented by The representative work is "Xianshan Garden Calligraphy"; Wu Changshuo's representative work is "Xiling Seal Society Records". What is the representative work of the calligrapher you claim to be? Have you really pushed calligraphy to an artistic level?
Without these, can we write with peace of mind and stop making noises? Don't keep showing up with half a bottle of water, okay?
Speaking of this, some friends will say: Now is the Internet society, publicity is a normal thing, so why make a fuss. I want to say: That’s because you don’t take calligraphy seriously. The charm of Chinese calligraphy is not just about writing good calligraphy. Those who write good calligraphy are “calligraphers”, not so-called calligraphers.
It is not easy to become a calligrapher. It has all-round quality requirements for people who learn calligraphy. The first is of course the basic skills of writing. The basic skills of writing are the basic part of calligraphy.
Secondly, it is the study and study of calligraphy works and calligraphy ink of previous generations, and a lot of practice and practical creation. In addition, I think true calligraphers are those who have a deep understanding of calligraphy. It is necessary to achieve the so-called "extensive and profound", which indispensable is the extensive pursuit of literature, history and philosophy and the acquisition of external beauty. So it is not difficult for us to understand why calligraphers of all dynasties were often writers, poets, painters, or scholars at the same time.
If you are like me, then you might as well be called a "calligrapher" temporarily. As for whether you can become a calligrapher, just give your works to everyone and pass them on to future generations. Let’s do an evaluation for you!