The calligraphy of the Wei and Jin Dynasties, with the square pen as the main form, relies on strict center-forward brushstrokes, twisting the tube, slanting, turning, and adjusting the front. When writing, Lu Feng starts the pen, lays down the paper, and strokes along the center line of the stroke. The square-edged strokes and turning points are tilted accordingly by the pen barrel, and the twist is used to adjust the front. Finally, Lu Feng closes the pen to the end of the stroke. The sharp tip of the brush always walks on the center line of every point of the painting, which is a meticulous center-stroke brushstroke.
Wei Bei, who has a square pen, shows his edge every time he starts and closes his pen, and he does not shy away from the sharp edges of his pen. It is precisely relying on the tilt of the pen barrel and the adjustment of the front by the twisting tube to ensure a rigorous center from beginning to end, which is the key to the square pen Wei Bei's operation.
(2) Examples of Wei Bei square pen writing. The red V-shaped mark indicates the position and direction of starting and retracting the pen. The circular mark with an arrow indicates the direction of tilting and twisting of the pen barrel at the turning point. , adjust the tip of the pen by twisting the tube accordingly, and the tip of the pen should always be on the center line of the stipple painting. 1. Right triangular point
Put the pen tip against the paper at the upper left end of the point. Press down evenly while moving the pen down to the right. At the turning point on the right, tilt the pen tube to the right, and touch the paper on the outside of the belly of the pen. Twist the tube clockwise and turn it downward, lift the pen evenly accordingly, and finally the tip of the pen closes at the lower end of the point (left picture). 2. Left triangular point
Put the pen tip on the paper at the upper right end of the point, press the pen down to the left turning point, tilt the pen tube to the left outer side, place the pen tip on the paper on the left side of the pen belly, and then twist the pen counterclockwise Adjust the pen tip downward and gradually lift it to the lower end of the point (left picture).
Calligraphy
The method of using the pen with triangular points of other shapes is the same. Just choose a convenient starting and retracting position, and adopt the twisting and tilting direction accordingly. 3. Right and inverted isosceles triangles
Start from the top of the right isosceles triangle and press the pen downwards to the right. When approaching the bottom, tilt the pen tube to the right, and at the same time twist the tube clockwise to the left. Draw the pen horizontally, gradually lifting it to the bottom of the left side to close the pen (left picture). You can also start from the left corner of the bottom edge and tilt the pen to the upper right, tilt the pen barrel slightly to the upper left, twist the tube clockwise and adjust the front to the right along the bottom edge and gradually lift it up, then close the pen to the lower right corner. Starting from the upper left corner of the inverted isosceles triangle, press the pen diagonally to the lower right. The barrel of the pen is tilted slightly to the left and lower. Twist the barrel counterclockwise and adjust the front along the upper bottom to the right and gradually lift it up, then close the pen to the upper right corner (picture on the right).
4. Horizontal drawing
Treat the horizontal drawing as a stroke connecting the triangular points at both ends. Lift the pen from the upper left hand, tilt the pen tube to the left, and twist the back edge of the tube counterclockwise to draw horizontal strokes. Adjust the center line to the right, spread the center line to the right end, tilt the pen barrel upward, and twist the pen clockwise to close to the lower right corner. (Picture on the left) Or, draw the pen close to the right end, tilt the pen tube downward, and twist the tube counterclockwise to the upper right corner (Picture on the right). 5. Vertical painting
The pen tip is drawn from the upper left corner of the paper, and the pen barrel is tilted slightly to the upper right. Then, twist the barrel clockwise and adjust the front downward to spread the pen tip. When it is close to the lower end of the vertical painting, the pen barrel Tilt left and twist the tube counterclockwise, gradually lifting the pen to the lower right corner (left picture). 6. Double fold
Start the pen in the same way as horizontal drawing, spread the pen to the first turning point, tilt the pen tube slightly to the upper right, and twist the tube clockwise to tilt downward to the right. When reaching the second turning point, the pen tube starts again Tilt outward to the right while twisting the pen to the left, gradually lifting the pen to the tip (picture on the right). Book 7. Square fold
Fold downwards, move the pen horizontally to the square fold, tilt the pen barrel upward slightly, place the paper on the outside of the belly of the pen, and at the same time twist the barrel clockwise to adjust the front and spread the lines downward. The pen has a square edge on the outside and an arc on the inside where the pen is folded, forming the unique characteristics of a square outside and a circle inside of the Wei stele. When the pen is closed, it is the same as a vertical painting (pictured left). Fold the bottom edge to the right, draw the pen vertically to the square fold, tilt the pen barrel to the left, and then twist the barrel counterclockwise to move to the right (middle picture). The image to the right is an example of a continuous square fold. 8. Left hook
Write vertically to the folded hook, tilt the pen barrel to the right and down, put the paper on the right side of the pen belly to write the tip of the vertical hook, then twist the pen clockwise to adjust the front to the upper left While writing, gradually lift the pen to the end of the vertical hook (picture on the left). 9. Right curved hook, Ge hook, and heart hook
Write the vertical pen to the arc turn, twist the tube counterclockwise, and keep the tip of the pen in the middle line of the stroke. When the hook is folded, the pen tube points toward the chest. With the forward stroke tilted, twist the tube counterclockwise as you twist and lift, adjust the tip of the pen upward to the left, and retract the pen tip to the end of the hook (picture on the left). 10. Skimming and hooking
Start with a square pen. After the upper end of the pen is put down, tilt the pen barrel to the right while twisting the barrel clockwise to adjust the front and spread the pen to the left. Gradually lift to the tip ( left picture). The tip of the pen is raised from the skimming hook. The pen tip touches the back of the paper while twisting the tube while pressing lightly to keep the pen tip running on the center line. When reaching the turning point of the skimming point, the pen tube tilts downward to the right. At the same time, twist the tube clockwise to adjust the pen upward to skim. Tip-tuck pen (pictured right).
11. Nip
Start with a square stroke. After the upper end of the stroke is touched, tilt the pen barrel to the left. At the same time, twist the tube slightly counterclockwise, adjust the front, spread the hair down to the right, and stroke along the center line of the stroke. When the pen is turned, fold the pen. The barrel of the pen is tilted downward to the left. At the same time, twist the barrel counterclockwise to the right and gradually lift it up, then close the pen to the tip (picture on the left). For the '3'-shaped strokes between the 'dot' and '捺' on the right, after the horizontal pen is placed on the paper, the pen barrel must be continuously twisted clockwise, counterclockwise, and in accordance with the force to write diagonally (picture on the right). 12. Mouth
To form a square fold mouth with four corners, start from the left side by drawing a vertical stroke and twist the pen. The second stroke is a square fold and the third stroke is a horizontal stroke to join the two ends. The key is to pay attention to all joints. Everyone must write meticulously according to their respective methods of starting, moving and closing the pen, and the last step is to end the pen horizontally, forming an outer square and an inner circle (picture on the left). 13. Turning at an acute angle
Twist the pen tube from top to left and spread the pen down. At the turning point, tilt the pen tube to the left. At the same time, twist the tube counterclockwise and adjust the direction to the right. Go to the turning point and write according to the right hook method. , tilt the pen barrel toward your chest, twist the pen counterclockwise, move the pen upward to the left, and stop at the top. Twist the pen barrel back and forth about 180 degrees to write in one stroke (picture on the left). The picture on the right is written in three strokes: initial, horizontal and dot. 14. Circle fold
Hold the pen in the upper left hand, such as writing vertical or horizontal drawings, and then move the pen while twisting the tube to adjust the edge, keeping the tip of the pen at the center line of the stroke, and lift the pen at the end of the stroke. 15. Leaving aside (3) the great development period of Wei stele with square brush as the main calligraphy style, such as "Cuan Baozi stele" (405 years, picture below) calligraphy "Cuan Longyan stele" (458 years), "Shi Ping Gong" ( 498, picture below)
"Statue of Yuchi" (495). "Yang Dayan", "Wei Lingzang", "Zhang Menglong" (522, picture below), including a large number of square calligraphy stone carvings from the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties, were collectively referred to as Wei stele by later generations.
Fangbi Weibei is based on the Han Dynasty twisting tube center movement, relying on the oblique turning of the pen tube to highlight Fang Jun's brushwork, creating a mature square brush center movement writing technique.