What is calligraphy appreciation? Calligraphy appreciation is to appreciate the beauty contained in excellent calligraphy works through the appreciation of them. What we are talking about here is "calligraphy works", not writing. There is a fundamental difference between writing and calligraphy. If writing can be compared to the literacy stage in primary school, where words are required to be written accurately and squarely, then calligraphy is when a writer composes words into a pleasing article or poem. Of course, writing articles has its own composition methods and rules, so calligraphy works also have its own methods and rules. How to appreciate calligraphy works? Is there a specific standard for calligraphy appreciation? This is a question often asked by people who care about and love calligraphy. In short, we can use the words of Mr. Bai Jiao, a contemporary calligrapher, to answer: "The standard of learning can be used as the standard of appreciation." How to appreciate calligraphy works. When a calligraphy work is placed in front of us, how to evaluate, how to understand, and how to appreciate it are questions that every one of us who are new to calligraphy, and even the majority of readers, are confused and want to know. Wang Sengqian, a calligrapher of the Southern Dynasties, said in "Praise for the Intention of Writing": "The beauty of calligraphy is first in spirit, followed by form and quality. Only those who combine both can be introduced to the ancients." What he emphasized was that form should be used to describe spirit, and form and spirit should be combined. As a reader, I believe that before reading a work, you must first clarify the aesthetic standards for calligraphy appreciation. This is the basis for correct calligraphy appreciation. The second is to master the method of calligraphy appreciation, which is the key to calligraphy appreciation. 1. Aesthetic standards of calligraphy Generally speaking, "shape" includes stipple lines and the resulting calligraphy space structure; "spirit" mainly refers to the spirit of calligraphy. (1) Stippled lines in calligraphy. Stippled lines in calligraphy have infinite expressive power. They are abstract in nature, and the calligraphy image formed has no specific meaning, but it must contain all the beautiful qualities. In this way, special requirements are put forward for the stipple lines of calligraphy. It is required to have a sense of power, rhythm and three-dimensionality. 1. The sense of power. The sense of power of stipple lines is one of the elements of line beauty. It is a metaphor for the feeling of force that drawing lines evokes in the human heart. As early as the Han Dynasty, Cai Yong's "Nine Movements" made a special study of pointillism lines, pointing out that "hide the head and protect the tail, and the power is in the words", "make the center of the pen always move in the pointillism", "when the pointillism is exhausted, the power is collected" Of". It is required that the pointillism should be deep in the corner, must be taken in as it goes, and have a beginning and an end, so as to show the strength. It should be noted that we emphasize hiding the head and protecting the tail, which does not mean that the middle lines can be ignored. The strokes in the middle must be centered, so that the stipple lines are round and gentle, gentle but not soft, and contain strength. However, the starting and ending points of the stipple lines are not always hidden and sharp (both large seal script and small seal script must hide the sharp edge). In calligraphy, hidden and exposed are often combined according to needs, especially in cursive script, which is ever-changing. When appreciating, you should not only pay attention to the continuity and response of the beginning and end, but also pay attention to whether the middle section is smooth and thin. 2. Rhythm Rhythm refers to the regular changes in pitch, strength, and length of notes in music. Due to the different force and speed of calligraphy during the creation process, calligraphy produces regular alternating changes in different shapes such as weight, thickness, length, size, etc., which creates a rhythm in the stipple lines of calligraphy. The strokes of Chinese characters vary in length and size, which further enhances the rhythm of dotted lines in calligraphy. Generally speaking, static calligraphy (such as seal script, official script, regular script) has a weak sense of rhythm, while dynamic calligraphy (running script, cursive script) has a strong sense of rhythm and rich changes. 3. Three-dimensional sense: The three-dimensional sense is the result of the center's pen. The strokes written by the center, "viewed against the sun, there is a wisp of thick ink in the center of the painting, right in the middle. As for the folds, there is no deviation in the middle." In this way, the stipple lines can be full, round, thick and round. Therefore, the center's pen has always been valued. However, we cannot find that side-stroke pens can be seen everywhere in calligraphy creation. Except for Xiaozhuan, all other styles of calligraphy are inseparable from side points. Especially in cursive scripts, wingers can be seen everywhere as a complement and foil to the center. (2) The spatial structure of calligraphy. The stipple lines of calligraphy intersect and combine to divide the space and form the spatial structure of calligraphy on the premise of following the principles of the shape and stroke order of Chinese characters. The spatial structure includes three parts: the structure of the single character, the movement of the entire line, and the overall layout. 1. The structure of single characters The structure of single characters requires neatness, length, and balance, and balance. In this way, on the basis of caring about righteousness, we can pay attention to the decay and decay of righteousness, its intricate changes, and the natural image. We can see the danger in the righteousness and find the interest in the danger. 2. The movement of the whole line. In calligraphy works, the characters are connected up and down (or front and back) to form a "connection", which requires continuity and continuity.
Although the characters in static calligraphy styles such as regular script, official script, and seal script are independent, the strokes are broken and the meaning is connected. Dynamic calligraphy styles such as running script and cursive script can be written in a coherent and coherent manner. In addition, the movement of Qi throughout the line should also pay attention to the changes in size, echoes, contrast between virtual and real, and the resulting sense of rhythm. In this way, the flow of qi can be naturally coherent and the blood vessels can be smooth. 3. Overall layout: In calligraphy works, dots are combined into words, ligatures are formed into lines, and lines are combined into chapters, which constitute the cutting of space by dotted lines, and thus constitute the overall layout of the calligraphy work. It is required that words and words, lines and lines should be sparsely spaced, and white should be used as black; it should be smooth and balanced, and the right and wrong should complement each other; it should be scattered and varied. Among them, static calligraphy styles such as regular script, official script, and seal script are mainly balanced and balanced; dynamic calligraphy styles such as running script and cursive script have intricate changes and ups and downs. (3) The meaning of spirit in calligraphy. Spirit originally refers to the look and brilliance of a person’s face. The spirit in calligraphy refers to the spirit, style, temperament, interest and meaning revealed in the stipple lines and their structural combinations. "Appearance is the most important, followed by form and quality. Only those who have both can be introduced to the ancients." It shows that the spirit is higher than the "form and quality" (the shape and appearance of the stipple lines and their structural layout). The form and quality are the premise and foundation for the existence of the spirit; therefore, the essence of the calligraphy art spirit is the overall harmony of the pointillism lines and their spatial combinations. . Pursuing brilliance and expressing one's soul has always been the highest realm that calligraphers strive for. The acquisition of spirit in calligraphy, on the one hand, depends on the proficiency of creative skills, which is the premise and foundation; on the other hand, only when the creative mind is calm and comfortable, the hands in the center of creation are smooth, and the things and I are forgotten, can we write the true feelings and nature. Integrate your own knowledge and aesthetic taste. 2. Methods of appreciating calligraphy. Appreciation of calligraphy is consistent with the appreciation of other arts and needs to follow the general laws of human cognitive activities. Due to the particularity of the art of calligraphy, the method of appreciating calligraphy is unique. Generally speaking, we can proceed from the following aspects. 1. From the whole to the part, and then from the part to the whole. When appreciating calligraphy, you should first look at the overall situation and have a general impression of its expression techniques and artistic style. Then pay attention to whether the pen, word knotting, composition, ink rhyme and other parts are both dharma and meaning, vivid and lively. After partially appreciating the work, stand back and look at the overall situation from a distance, correct the "rough impression" gained from the first viewing, and grasp it from a rational perspective again. Pay attention to whether the artistic expression technique and artistic style are consistent, what parts of the work are excellent and where there are shortcomings, and fully appreciate them from both macro and micro perspectives. 2. Restore the static image to the process of movement and develop associations. As a result of creation, calligraphy works are relatively static. When appreciating, you should follow the author's creative process, use the method of "moving your eyes", follow the order of the work (language, time), imagine the rhythm and intensity of the author's pen during the creative process, and the different changes in the author's emotions, and transform the still image into a static image. Reduced to the process of movement. That is to imitate the author's creative process and correctly grasp the author's creative intentions, emotional changes, etc. 3. From calligraphy images to specific images, develop associations and correctly understand the artistic conception of the work. In the process of appreciating calligraphy, you should fully develop associations and compare the calligraphy image with similar things in real life to make the calligraphy image concrete. Then, based on the aesthetic characteristics of things similar to calligraphy images, we can further associate with the aesthetic value of the work, thereby understanding the artistic conception of the work. For example, if you appreciate Yan Zhenqing's regular script, you can compare the image of his calligraphy with specific images such as "Jing Qing presses his sword, Fan Kuai holds his shield, King Kong dazzles, and a strong man shakes his fist". From this, we can draw the following conclusions: Physically strong - masculine - It is full of heroic qualities - the characteristics of being dignified and inviolable, which reminds us of the dignified and majestic artistic style of Yan Zhenqing's regular script. 4. Understand the creation background of the work and correctly grasp the mood of the work. Any calligraphy work is the accumulation of a certain culture and history, and is the product of a specific historical and cultural background. Therefore, understanding the creative background of the work (including the creative environment), clarifying the unique cultural atmosphere contained in the work and the author's personality, aesthetic taste, creative mood, creative purpose, etc. are essential for correctly understanding the author's creative intention. It is very helpful to grasp the mood of the work. Wang Shu of the Qing Dynasty's "Xuzhou Inscription and Postscript: Tang Yan Zhenqing's Report to Uncle Haozhou" says: "The heart and liver of the "Ji Ming Manuscript" are split and unbearable, so the book is frustrated and uncontrollable. This "Gao Bowen" is full of heart and soul. Peaceful, so Ke Yi Wan Chang does not have the strangeness of "Sacrifice to My Nephew". It is said that when people are involved in music, they have to sigh. The situation is different, and the calligraphy is also different. "It can be seen that no matter the author. Personality cultivation, creative mood, or creative environment all have a considerable impact on the mood of the work. Towards.
In addition, calligraphy works are influenced by calligraphy styles and aesthetic trends of a specific era, making calligraphy works reflect diverse cultural atmospheres. This undoubtedly increases the difficulty of calligraphy appreciation, and at the same time makes it more interesting. In short, the process of calligraphy appreciation is affected by personality psychology, so there is no fixed model for the appreciation method. The above is only one method for appreciating calligraphy. Several methods can be used alternately during the appreciation process. In addition, during the appreciation process, you must comprehensively use various calligraphy skills, techniques and calligraphy theoretical knowledge, maximize your own aesthetic evaluation ability, and try your best to appreciate the artistic conception of the work according to the author's creative intention. Efforts should be made to achieve appreciation within the appreciation and appreciation within the appraisal, and to examine the works in a specific historical environment to make correct appreciation and fair and objective evaluation of the works. Of course, after mastering the correct appreciation method, doing more appreciation is an important way to improve the ability of appreciation. Yang Xiong said, "Be able to observe a thousand swords, and then be able to sword; be able to read a thousand poems, and then be able to write them." This is exactly what Yang Xiong said This means. It is very difficult to judge the quality of calligraphy, and the subjective factors of the reviewer often play a decisive role. First of all, there are different hobbies, so each has his or her own preferences. Some people like slender and beautiful, some like thick and rough; some prefer upright and calm regular script, and some prefer lively and smooth cursive. Secondly, there are different levels of literary and artistic accomplishment, and different levels of aesthetic taste. Some people pursue realism, some pursue freehand brushwork; some admire tradition, and some admire innovation. Edit this paragraph Conditions for appreciating calligraphy: First, the appreciator should have various artistic accomplishments. As the saying goes, "The benevolent see benevolence, the wise see wisdom, the elegant see elegance, the vulgar see vulgarity." Everything will produce different opinions and conclusions in the eyes of different people. The same calligraphy work will also draw different conclusions due to different literacy levels of the appreciators. Calligraphy itself can be said to be "both simple and complex". It is so simple that it only conquers the viewer with the changes and arrangements of black and white; but it itself is a multi-dimensional structure. To deeply understand a work, it relies on a multi-faceted knowledge structure. The work should be understood from a wide range of social knowledge, various perspectives and levels of life. Calligraphy, like other arts, is a product of human social life. It involves politics, economy, and culture; it is closely related to various ideologies, such as philosophy, religion, history, morality, etc. It is intricate and unpredictable; calligraphy also has an inseparable relationship with other disciplines, such as philology, forensics, psychology, physiology, folklore, history, aesthetics, music and painting, etc. It also blends and learns from other art categories. Therefore, when it comes to appreciating calligraphy, the more knowledgeable and experienced you are, the deeper your understanding of the works will be, and the more pertinent and accurate your evaluations and conclusions will be. Second, appreciators should have extensive and profound experience in calligraphy. Liu Xie has a famous saying in "The Literary Mind and the Carving of Dragons": "After observing a thousand swords, one will recognize the weapon; after playing a thousand tunes, one will know the sound." It means that if you have the experience of appreciating many swords, you will naturally be able to identify their pros and cons; if you can play many kinds of tunes, you will also understand the rhythm. Calligraphy is the same as other art categories. If you don't understand its basic rules and development, you will not be able to accurately evaluate and appreciate it. The development of Chinese calligraphy has a history of more than 3,000 years. The art of calligraphy has emerged in my country since the 11th century BC. Oracle bone inscriptions are first written with a brush and then carved, and some are filled with ink or ink after being carved. Over the long years, the evolution of Chinese characters has gone through various stages of development including oracle bone, seal script, running script, cursive script, and regular script, and many schools and calligraphers have emerged. Great calligraphers such as Wang Xizhi, Yan Zhenqing, and Huai Su emerged, and tens of thousands of immortal precious legacies were passed down, which can be said to be brilliant and colorful. Although we cannot practice these one by one, we should have a certain understanding of the basic overview of the development of calligraphy and the representative calligraphers of each period. You should also have a general understanding of the current development status and schools of calligraphy. Have a certain understanding of the characteristics and rules of various calligraphy styles. Moreover, we must learn to study one or two calligraphy styles, master the basic rules of calligraphy through study, research, analysis, and comparison, and improve our ability to perceive the beauty of calligraphy. The more you read, the more you integrate, and the deeper you study, the faster your horizons will improve and the more you will have a say in appreciation and evaluation. Otherwise, there will be no way to appreciate calligraphy. A person who does not understand Ou, Yan, Liu, and Zhao, and does not know Su, Huang, Mi, and Cai, cannot appreciate calligraphy. Marx said: "If you want to enjoy art, you must be an artistically cultivated person." Isn’t that true for calligraphy appreciation! Third, appreciators must master certain knowledge of the Four Treasures of the Study and their development history.
"If a worker wants to do his job well, he must first sharpen his tools." The emergence of any good product is inseparable from handy tools or equipment. The production of calligraphy works is also closely related to the quality of the Four Treasures of the Study. Therefore, it is also very necessary to understand and master the development and performance of Chinese pens, inks, paper, and inkstones. Oracle bone inscriptions are carved on animal bones or tortoise shells with a knife, while bronze inscriptions are molded with clay and then cast. These are obviously different from what was written later with a pen. Even if they are all written with pens, the lines shown will be different due to different pen performance. Wang Xizhi's book "Lanting" used a rat whisker pen and cocoon paper, which is different from what we use today to write with a goat's hair pen. What's more, there are no less than a hundred kinds of materials and methods used to make pens from ancient times to the present. In addition, paper varieties and properties are also diverse. Other aspects, such as the reform of ink and inkstone, the method, form and quality of mounting, also affect the effect and quality of calligraphy works. Therefore, when we appreciate and evaluate calligraphy works of various periods, we must involve and study the tools and materials used by the authors. Edit this section on the steps and methods of calligraphy appreciation (1) Overall understanding. I quoted Mr. Bai Jiao’s saying, “The standard of learning is the standard of appreciation.” Learning calligraphy starts with basic stippling, then learns structure, and then the composition and layout. Appreciating calligraphy works, contrary to creation, must start from the whole, then go to the parts, and then go deep into the core. Just like looking at a person, when you meet, "you don't need to look at his ears, eyes, limbs, head and face, but you should look at his behavior, laughter, and where his spirit is expressed." This mainly refers to "spirit". Wang Sengqian said: "The wonderful way of writing is that the spirit is the most important, followed by the form and quality. Only those who have both can be introduced to the ancients." After observing the spirit, and then considering the form and quality, this is the secret of appreciating calligraphy. However, it is difficult for those who focus on pointillism to get the true meaning. An excellent calligraphy work should first be able to impress the viewer as a whole. If the overall beauty is lost, the local "beauty" will also lose its meaning. And heralds the failure of this work. To grasp the whole, one must maintain a certain distance from the work. The overall layout and meaning of the work will emerge from a certain distance. In some works, the strokes and structure of each character are quite good, and even have a certain degree of skill, but the whole thing is quite messy, just like the actors in the chorus, no matter the high, medium or low voices, all singing at the top of their throats. Octave, even if everyone's voice is high-pitched and beautiful, if the melody is lost, the beauty of timbre harmony will be lost. The overall beauty of a calligraphy work is the beauty of the composition and layout of a work. The dots are gathered into characters, the characters into lines, and the lines are combined into chapters to form a composition. Whether the arrangement of the composition is balanced and coordinated, and the care is rigorous, like a team of organized and disciplined soldiers; or like the scattered and dense stars in the night sky; Whether a work is successful or not, the composition and layout are an important factor. The composition is a collection of characters, integrating the whole picture. Although it is an independent part of calligraphy skills, it is closely related to the rhythm of writing, changes in ink rhyme, writing power and momentum, structure and artistic conception, etc. contact. A work is a whole. It combines the size, length, expansion and contraction, opening and closing of the glyphs, the lightness and speed of the pen, and the changes in the shades of ink under the control of the brushstrokes to form a balanced and unified whole. For example, Wang Xizhi's "Lanting Preface" has a long-awaited writing style in the final chapter, echoing from beginning to end, rising and falling, as if sleeping. The blood is connected and the energy is concentrated. Therefore, the layout achieves the artistic effect of connecting up and down, echoing left and right, and remaining together throughout the text. The beauty of the layout of the composition lies in the fact that it conforms to the laws of natural beauty, and the beauty lies in the fact that everything is in its proper place. For example, in Su Dongpo's "Han Shi Tie", the structure of the whole text changes in size, length, density, etc., and reveals a kind of unrefined interest intentionally or unintentionally. On the contrary, an arrangement that is too neat and flat without change, a messy one that lacks charm, and some that are too restrictive or too scattered will not give people a kind of beautiful enjoyment. (2) Partial analysis of composition is to look at the impression and effect of calligraphy works as a whole. It includes the treatment of many aspects of the relationship between the main text and signature of the calligraphy work, branches and blanks, signature and seal, etc. However, the overall effect is composed of partial, individual words and lines. If the individual partial words and lines are not beautiful, then the overall beauty will be out of the question. It should be said that "a single line is beautiful, but when combined well, it achieves higher beauty." Here we talk about three aspects of "partial analysis": calligraphy, writing and ink techniques: 1. Calligraphy. Calligraphy is the structural arrangement of characters, that is, "collecting dots and drawings to form characters". The beautiful Chinese character form is formed through the processing of violation and harmony, straightness and obliqueness, sparseness and density, increase and decrease, direction and back, looseness and tightness, flatness and danger, avoidance and success. This is the ideal calligraphy.
Calligraphers have always regarded the structure of characters as the most important factor in calligraphy skills. Because no matter how beautiful the composition is, it is just a matter of form, and if the structure of the characters is not good, it can hardly be called a good work. Sun Guoting of the Tang Dynasty said: "If several paintings are applied together, the shapes will be different; all the points will be arranged in a consistent manner. Each point will form the rule of one word, and one word will be the final standard. If it is violated but not violated, it will be harmonious but different." Its subtlety points out that every word should follow a rule: that is "violation" and "harmony". "Violation" means change, and "harmony" means unity. It is necessary to achieve overall unity amidst the intricate structural changes. Chinese characters have undergone several changes, and various calligraphy styles have their own rules of structure. Calligraphers in the past dynasties have discussed structure. As a calligraphy appreciator, you should learn and master these rules and use these rules to make a correct evaluation of calligraphy works. For example, regular script includes "Thirty-six Methods for the Structure of Large Characters" by Ouyang Xun of the Tang Dynasty, "Eighty-four Methods for the Structure of Large Characters" by Li Chunjin of the Ming Dynasty, and "Ninety-two Methods for the Structure of Regular Script" by Huang Ziyuan of the Qing Dynasty. They are all good reference materials for learning. Wang Xizhi's "Lanting Preface" is an excellent model for studying the structure of running script. The "Cao Jue Baiyun Song" written by the Song Dynasty has also been widely circulated by future generations. Generally speaking, there are more elements of "violation" in cursive script, while there are more elements of "harmony" in regular script and seal script. But it cannot be generalized. In modern times, some people have used cursive methods to emphasize "lyric expression". In this way, the "harmony" component of seal script is greatly reduced, and it is also quite characteristic of the times. This is the so-called principle of "writing is difficult to use through the ages, and the characters are passed down from time to time." The so-called "ugly calligraphy" in modern "popular calligraphy style" also pursues a word-formation technique that "seeks unity from multiple contradictions and creates certain contradictions from unity" through various artistic forms and rich word-knot changes. Give the work a new visual effect. Although there are endless controversies to this day, as an attempt, it is also possible to let the viewers make a choice in the debate, without having to beat them to death with a stick. When we appreciate it, we need to examine and evaluate it from multiple angles to enrich and improve our appreciation skills. 2. Brushwork. Literally the pen method. From the perspective of calligraphy appreciation, it should be written with the correct pen and standardized stipples. Pointillism naturally differs depending on the style of calligraphy. However, book reviews throughout the ages have held that "any brush (line or stipple) that can give people a sense of beauty should be strong." This kind of strength is called "pen power" in traditional calligraphy. To judge whether stipple painting has "pen power" - that is, the aesthetic conditions of calligraphy lines, the criteria are mainly based on "roundness" and "astringency". Circle is a three-dimensional rather than a flat concept. The round lines are full, strong, and have a sense of relief, which can express the full and round strength. The round lines are the result of the center's strokes, which is what the ancients said: "Let the center of the pen move in the dots, and let the center of the pen come out of the dots." "Looking at it in the sun, there is a wisp of thick ink right in it." This is the effect metaphorically expressed by the ancients "breaking a hairpin's strands", "drawing sand with a cone", and "printing mud". If the pen is tilted to one side (pointing to the bottom), the lines (stippling) written will be flat, thin, floating, weak, and the bones will be exposed, and there will be no beauty at all. Let’s talk about “astringency” again. Astringent means not smooth or smooth. The pen used in writing is the artistic effect of lines breaking through the resistance on the paper and struggling to advance. The pen edge encounters obstacles and resistance on the paper, and the pen advances slowly. The more fully this kind of obstruction and counter-obstruction is expressed, the more powerful the lines will show themselves. As mentioned before, the "house leak marks" are not only round, but also astringent. Because the water from the house leak flows down the wall (earth wall), it is not like there is no resistance on the flat and smooth glass, but on the rough wall and there is resistance from sand and soil dust, causing the downstream water line to form Either left or right, straight in the middle, there are water marks that seem to be stagnant but still flowing, which is in line with the expression of astringent lines in calligraphy. "Round" and "astringent" are also intrinsically related. The circle is the center of the pen, and the pen must be upright to artificially create a counter-trend movement. The ancients had a saying of "horizontal scales and vertical reins", which means that writing horizontally is like scraping fish scales in reverse, creating a certain resistance; writing vertically is like riding a horse and trying to move forward, but you have to use the reins to control the horse, which is a kind of momentum building. go ahead. Liu Xizai said: "When the pen is about to move, if something refuses it, try your best to fight with it, but it will be astringent unexpectedly." Such lines are not light and slippery, not fluttery, but have the effect of being calm, dignified, vigorous and spicy. . In addition, the rhythm of calligraphy lines is also one of the important conditions for evaluating and appreciating works. The rhythm of calligraphy lines is like the length, high and low, fast and slow of music, and cannot be described in a straightforward manner. It is reflected in calligraphy, not only in the length and weight of lines, but also in the speed of strokes.
Regardless of the style of calligraphy, the movement of the pen is not a "uniform" movement. Instead, the speed of the pen movement is adjusted according to the calligrapher's emotions and the requirements of the composition, so that the appreciator can be infected by the calligrapher's emotions from the work. Of course, various calligraphy styles have their own specific rules and standards. As it is said in "Calligraphy", "Zhen uses dot painting as the form and quality, so that it can be transformed into emotion; Cao uses dot painting as emotion, so that it can be transformed into form and quality." Whether you are studying or appreciating calligraphy, you should learn and master these standards and The rules must be clearly distinguished and applied flexibly before one can enter the realm of calligraphy appreciation. 3. Ink method. Ink technique is the technique of using ink. It is an important topic in the art form of calligraphy. "Character and pen are formed from ink", "flesh is born from ink, blood is born from water". Without the change and coordination of ink color, it will be difficult to achieve the effect of using the pen. If words lack flesh and blood, they have no life. Therefore, Bao Shichen of the Qing Dynasty said: "Calligraphy and calligraphy are based on the pen and become ink, and the ink method is a key to the art of calligraphy." Sun of the Tang Dynasty said in court: "It will be dry and moist, and it will be thick and dry." He also pointed out the key point of using ink. "Dry", "moist", "dense" and "dry" are contradictory laws. The ink should not be too dry, as too much dry ink will make it dry; and it should not be too moist, as too much humidity will make it fat, muddy and unclear. Du Fu's poem says: "The ink is dripping and the curtains are still wet", which is the ideal use of ink. Even after many years, it still feels as if it was just written, and its energy and spirit are indelible. "Those who are not good at using ink will easily dry up if it is thick, and it will be almost thin if it is light. In a few years, it will be submerged and lifeless." Ink can be roughly divided into five types: thick, light, dry, wet, and burnt. However, the disparity should not be too great. Ink colors that seem to have little change should be written with characteristics that make people feel that the changes are extremely rich while maintaining "moisture". , is the ideal ink. Edit this paragraph: Several specific issues in calligraphy appreciation As calligraphy appreciation, in addition to the above, you should also pay attention to several specific issues, summarized as follows: (1) Stable attention Calligraphy appreciation must give full play to the role of "attention". "Attention" means putting the will into a certain aspect, which is the direction and concentration of mental activities on certain things. When people "pay attention", they can clearly observe and reflect the things they are pursuing while staying away from other things. This is a positive psychological state. It is restricted by a person's personality, interests, and beliefs. When appreciating calligraphy specifically, a series of psychological activities such as feelings, thinking, understanding, and imagination must be concentrated into the work to maintain the stability of attention. We can glance at any work and even comment on it, but this cannot be regarded as true appreciation. Appreciating art requires a period of time to feel, think, and understand, thereby accelerating the operation of psychological activities. Especially for works with huge artistic capacity, you should watch and ponder them repeatedly to gain something. It is recorded in the Song Dynasty's "Sustained Book" that Ouyang Xun saw the stele written by Suo Jing when he was traveling. The first time he took a general look at it, he passed by. The second time he passed by, he sat down and tasted it carefully. The more he looked at it, the more he felt. Well, I simply stayed there and spent three days and nights beside the monument before I left. This is enough to show that for a good work, only by carefully appreciating it can you appreciate its profound artistic connotation. This story is also a great example of Steady Attention. (2) Appreciate more original works. To explore the beauty of calligraphy and improve your appreciation level, you must read more original works, because most printed works are reduced and printed from large original works. Works of one meter or several meters are reduced to only a dozen centimeters or a few centimeters in size, often distortion. Just like the comparison between real scenery and landscape photos, you cannot experience the refreshing feeling of walking into real mountains and real water from a landscape photo. When we face the original calligraphy, we can not only view it from a distance, but also appreciate it in detail. The changes in the brush technique and ink color can be clearly displayed before our eyes. (3) Read more. Improving the level of calligraphy appreciation is inseparable from the improvement of knowledge and experience. In order to improve the level and level of appreciation, it must be supported by multi-faceted knowledge, such as philosophy, literature, history, aesthetics, music, dance, painting and other aspects of knowledge. Because not only is the content of calligraphy both profound and broad, but it is also connected with the aesthetic principles of other art categories. The so-called "Kung Fu lies outside the writing", "Kung Fu lies outside the painting" and "Kung Fu lies outside the book", among which reading more is very important. (4) To be able to appreciate calligraphy in the practice of calligraphy creation, you must not only learn calligraphy, but also practice calligraphy creation yourself. Only calligraphers can keenly feel the subtle beauty in calligraphy works, just like only poets can express themselves in poetry. It's like feeling the indescribable and shocking subtleties in it. Without a profound experience of creation, it is difficult to obtain the deepest meaning of a book. The above is just a discussion of the basic rules and methods in several main aspects of calligraphy appreciation. The purpose is to provide some reference and reference for older students learning calligraphy.
These so-called method rules are very specific, but in essence they are still relatively abstract principles. It does not have specific tools and methods like the quality inspection standards of industrial products. This is also determined by the characteristics of calligraphy art. Therefore, the degree of understanding and mastering this evaluation and appreciation standard is related to the depth of the appreciator's contact and understanding of the art of calligraphy, the level of his calligraphy attainments, and his knowledge and personality outside of calligraphy. As for the deeper aspects of calligraphy appreciation, it remains to be discussed and studied in depth. In the teaching of calligraphy in universities for the elderly, students often ask questions such as: "So-and-so is a great calligrapher, why can't his handwriting be so good?", "There is a person in our unit who has not even graduated from elementary school, but his handwriting is so good." The calligraphy is better than that of so-and-so calligrapher." Of course, problems like this are not without special circumstances, but generally speaking, the handwriting of calligraphers will never be worse than that of people who have not even graduated from elementary school. There is a problem with the relationship between "writing" and "calligraphy", and it also illustrates the problem of older students' understanding of calligraphy works and their ability to appreciate them. In order to improve the appreciation level of calligraphy among the students in the calligraphy and painting class of the elderly university, the author will not hesitate to give some superficial opinions on how to appreciate calligraphy works. I hope that Fang and colleagues will give you some advice. Hongchen Painting Garden