Text/Yang
Q: I've also been cursing for two kings (Wang Xizhi and Wang Xianzhi) recently, but I think it's too difficult. Is there any way to get started?
A: Wang Xizhi's running script, as well as Wang Xianzhi's running script, are in an era when the running script has not been finalized. For beginners, it is really difficult to have a better understanding of Erwang's plays at once. Actually, it's not just beginners. Even those who have studied calligraphy for many years dare not pretend that they have a deep understanding of the calligraphy of the two kings.
Q: Is there a better way to get started?
A: Everyone's specific situation is different, and the way to get started is different. Three schemes, for reference only:
Option 1: Don't move Wang Hangshu for the time being, and write (Su, Huang, Mi and Cai) first. The reason is: Song Sijia has made great efforts in the normalization of running script, and we will find it easier to "get started" by writing these people's legal posts. Similarly, we can also write some calligraphy about face and body, lay some foundation for calligraphy and build some confidence.
Chunhua pavilion post: Wang Xizhi's running script
Option 2: Don't admit defeat. Pass all the calligraphy posts you can find, no matter what the effect is, just pass them once. Whether it is good or not is another matter, because our purpose is to "familiarize" the calligraphy of the two kings first. After having some general impressions, if it is still difficult, we will re-implement the first option just now. When the plan is almost implemented, two kings will come again.
Scheme 3: Visit the contents of the "First Two Kings", mainly including all kinds of bamboo slips, especially those in the Western Han Dynasty, the Eastern Han Dynasty and the Wei and Jin Dynasties. These bamboo slips are all ink books, which can let us see the real strokes of calligraphy in the era of the first two kings.
The above three schemes are actually complementary, so don't oppose them.
Q: I see that many people have written the calligraphy of the two kings, especially the works on display, which seem to be similar. Is this a deeper understanding of the two kings?
A: The phenomenon you mentioned does exist, and it can be regarded as a new "popular style", that is, all of them borrowed from the writing style of a famous two-king script. You can't say that this is wrong. You can only say that you have only successfully "copied" the writing style of famous writers, which does not mean that you have your own understanding of the two kings. To tell the truth, people are also very uncomfortable at this stage: it is difficult to explore new ways, but in order to cope with the exhibition, they have to write this "popular style", but they feel very uncomfortable after writing it. This is a bit far-fetched, and it is no longer a topic for beginners of calligraphy. However, this is worthy of serious consideration by any beginner of calligraphy.
Q: To what extent do you think you understand the scripts of the two kings?
A: It can only be regarded as a preliminary understanding. But I won't write any new popular two-kings script, which is more based on my own understanding. If I understand it wrong, this is a lesson. Anyway, the road is your own, even if it is a detour, you have to go by yourself.
Yang, Speaker of Yang Shufa Lecture Hall
1992 was admitted to the Chinese Department of Capital Normal University, majoring in calligraphy.
Ouyang Zhongshi's Second Calligraphy Master