(This article is exclusively authorized to be published by teacher Liang Chun)
Liang Sanri’s press: I have been confused about penmanship since I was a child. Because what the teachers around me said and wrote were not the answers I wanted, and the various illustrations and annotations on the popular calligraphy copybooks also made me skeptical.
When I was in college, I read all the materials that could be found in the school library, such as "Shen Yinmo's Book Collection", Ding Wenjun's "General Theory of Calligraphy", Zhou Ruchang's "Questions and Answers on the Art of Calligraphy", etc. I am particularly interested in the verbal battles.
From the information I have come across, from the Qing Dynasty to the Republic of China, just one writing method can cause a huge controversy. For example, regarding whether fingers can move, can be divided into three schools: . One school is that advocates wrist movement, represented by Shen Yinmo , which believes that fingers cannot move. Once the fingers move, there is no wrist strength and only finger strength; One group advocates html that moves elbows 5. Represented by Zhujia , it requires the fingers and wrists not to move and move around with the elbow. If the fingers and wrists move, the whole body cannot concentrate on the pen; the school is which advocates finger movement, such as Shen Zengzhi and Changyu Zhao and Li Ruiqing, it seems that they cannot write the various edges and corners of the stele without changing their fingers.
Concerning center and side forwards, this has always been the focus of the quarrel : Shen Yinmo said that a center should be written, but Zhou Ruchang said that unless it was written in seal script, it would be a winger as long as it was cut, and there would be no center at all. Some people say that a winger is a slant forward, while others say that a winger can also be included in the category of center. The more chaotic the arguments become, the happier I am, because the truth becomes clearer and clearer, and the answers I want slowly become clearer.
Another thing that can help me prove the problem of penmanship is the lithograph printed inscriptions in the school's ancient book library. The lithographic printing technology before the 1950s amazes me. It can express the weight and depth of ink so clearly. You can even see the trajectory of each edge on the paper, allowing you to directly correspond to the shape of the pen tip - the tip of the pen. How is it distributed, where is the front, where is the belly, how to focus, how to disperse, how to gather, etc.
I have followed Liu Gongquan Lanting's poems, and this piece of ink has helped me answer a lot of questions. I secretly rejoiced for a time that I finally had some context for the so-called ancient brushwork, or the brushwork of the Jin and Tang dynasties. In the later teaching of , I always took the trouble to draw a schematic diagram of the shape of the pen tip and the distribution of pen tips on the blackboard. I think this is the key to penmanship. As for the general pen lines in , including the starting angle of the pen, the direction of the return stroke, etc., I think it is better to talk about it in the structure rather than in the category of pen technique. In , whether structure generates calligraphy, or whether calligraphy generates structure, , the Calligraphy Newspaper (Calligraphy Herald?) also had a debate a few years ago. In , I personally prefer structure to generate calligraphy.
Recently I saw someone discussing the brushwork of the Jin and Tang Dynasties, claiming that they would vigorously restore the brushwork of the Jin and Tang Dynasties. Some of their views are actually quite consistent with my conclusions back then. I dug out a certain chapter that I wrote when I was compiling a textbook more than ten years ago, titled "Character and Writing Techniques", and communicated with fellow readers.
Penmanship and penmanship
Liang Sanri
The first choice of calligraphy pays attention to penmanship, and calligraphers of all ages have attached great importance to penmanship. penmanship is the most important basic skill in calligraphy learning and an important basis for judging the level of calligraphy and the elegance and style of calligraphy. For beginners of , receiving good writing skills training is a prerequisite for rapid improvement and smooth development in the future.
The great calligrapher of the Yuan Dynasty Zhao Mengfu said: "The most important thing in calligraphy is the use of the pen, but the knotting of words also requires effort. The cover letter changes with time, and the use of the pen is not easy through the ages."
Zhao Mengfu's words have two meanings: First, calligraphy is based on the use of the pen. Among the various elements of calligraphy techniques, the use of the pen is the most important; second, the use of the pen is not easy through the ages. Although calligraphy has different font styles and appearances, The basic rules and principles for using pens are the same.
Regarding this famous saying, "using the pen is the best" has been generally recognized for hundreds of years, but there are always people who question "using the pen is not easy through the ages", because in their opinion, just taking the eight methods of Yongzi in regular script as an example, Each stroke has different characteristics. When using the brush, it must follow different angles and directions, and has different characteristics of lifting and pressing. How can it be said that the use of the brush remains unchanged? This is already the case with regular script, not to mention seal script, official cursive script, Yan Liu Ouzhao, Su Huang Mi Cai, different font styles, and endless changes in strokes and images?
People who hold this view obviously do not have the level of mastery of calligraphy that Zhao Mengfu did. Indeed, when I first started, I felt that each stroke had its own brushwork method, and different calligraphy styles had different fonts’ brushwork tips, so there was no room for confusion. When your skill and thinking reach a certain level, you gradually find that different strokes of point painting have a lot in common with each other, and they all conform to certain rules that must be followed. If the strokes conform to this rule, the strokes will be naturally vivid and powerful, but if they do not conform to this Regular brushwork, even if the appearance of the strokes is imitated, the image will inevitably be empty, the expression will be dull, and the expression will be stiff and artificial. What Zhao Mengfu said, "It is difficult to use a pen through the ages," refers to the deep-seated rules that must be followed when using a pen.
The so-called "penmanship" refers to the regular and principled methods and methods in using the pen. This method is very universal and can be applied to various calligraphy styles. What are the specific important rules in the writing method of
? We will explain penmanship from two aspects:
(1) penmanship;
(2) general principles of pen use
一The brush used in calligraphy is a soft object. In the process of writing, how to achieve the smoothness, strength and restoration of brush strokes and brush strokes constitutes the core of calligraphy pens. The most fundamental issue is actually the performance of the brush. All techniques of brushwork are first developed around this issue. Therefore, to learn calligraphy, you must first be familiar with the nature of calligraphy.
The ancients did not mention the concept of "writing style", but it is certain that they were very proficient in writing style. They knew that only by being good at imitating things can they get the wonderful principles of nature. Many calligraphers in the Jin and Tang Dynasties were also calligraphers. Researchers and improvers, their incomparable familiarity and scientific application of the performance of the brush can be seen from their ink legacy.
Calligraphy line stipples, regardless of shape, texture, and strength, are all related to the ability to correctly grasp the strokes. If you don't understand the strokes, you can't talk about understanding the brushwork. There are three main aspects to mastering the pen:
1. The ability to control the strokes of the pen
Stipple and shape, depends on:
(1) The angle of the pen rising and falling, the running direction;
(2) The depth of the pen entering the paper (light or heavy);
(3) Pen tip shape.
Article (3) The state change of the pen tip refers to the various deformations of the tip of the pen due to force during the operation of the pen, such as gathering, scattering, flat (square), round, etc., including the way the pen tip touches the paper, which is using the tip. When touching the paper, the pen is still holding the paper; whether it is about to move, or when the waist is weak; whether it is spread neatly, with all the strength, or whether it is broken and broken, and the voice is hoarse. The functions of
(1) and (2) are discussed in most calligraphy textbooks, and it is easy to draw diagrams on paper, so they are known to most calligraphers and are easier to master, but the most critical factor - The organizational state of the brush strokes is often ignored, resulting in inconsistent brushwork, similar appearance but far different texture and meaning.
As shown in some calligraphy textbooks, some calligraphy textbooks introduce the square strokes of Wei stele or European style
. In order to pursue the morphological characteristics of the triangle and square edges, fill in the corners one by one, especially the second corner at b, which is similar to painting. Instead of writing, the strokes are dull and artificial, and extremely unnatural. This kind of writing is not advisable. The reasons are: ① Drawing is not writing, and the strokes are artificial and unnatural; ② The speed is too slow and there is no strokes at all; ③ This is not how the ancients used their pens.
The correct way to use the pen is:
(1) The pen falls from the upper left to the lower right, and the tip of the pen forms an angle A.
(2) As soon as the pen is stopped, it is pushed back and propped up. The belly of the pen is away from the paper, and the pen hair is spread flatly in the up and down direction (the overflowing tip of the pen will naturally form a sharp edge at b, and there is no need to deliberately draw it).
(3) Lift the pen vigorously and upward (get the C angle, the unfolded pen edge converges from the middle of the two directions, naturally leaving a strong and powerful triangular point shape).
After you are proficient in using the pen, you only need to press and lift it. However, in the moment of lifting and pressing, there is a hidden movement of the edge of the pen, so that the edge of the pen can be lifted by pressing and spreading, and then spreading and gathering. This The surface requires extremely good control of pen strokes.
Not only do you use the pen like this, but you also use the pen horizontally and vertically, the way you write, the strokes, and the hook. At this point, Ouyang Xun "Jiucheng Palace" and other tablets have been distorted after engraving, and it is difficult to see. It depends on Ou's cursive calligraphy " Zhang Han Tie ", " Bu Shang Tie ", " Meng" "Diantie ", only by discerning the subtleties of its edge can we understand it.
The above examples show that when using a pen, one only considers the line of the stroke and the weight of the strokes. Although the appearance of the strokes can be written, the gist of the strokes is often lost, which is far from the essence of the ancients. The mystery of how the ancients used the pen lies in the control of the pen edge, controlling the convergence, oblateness, reclining and straightness of the pen edge to shape the image of the strokes. The conical shape of the pen tip can be used to form a round pen. Make good use of its flat (flat expansion) ) can be turned into a square pen. If you turn it forward, the strokes will be rounded. If you use it sideways, it will make square edges. The so-called "square pen is used to spread, round pen is wrapped", "turn to make the circle, and the side becomes square". A pen in your hand has to be spread out, wrapped up, poured down, lifted up, flattened, rounded, opened or closed. Any stroke can be formed into shape with natural strokes and no unnecessary back and forth movements. The so-called "using a pen is not easy through the ages" is exactly at this level.
Excellent calligraphy, whether it is cursive script, or serene script, official script, or regular script, can reflect the flowing and wandering timing of the strokes. The desired shape should be obtained as soon as the pen is pressed and lifted. Just look at the Jin, Tang, and Song Dynasties People's calligraphy and ink writing are concise and natural, and they are based on the nature of the pen, so the writing is naturally correct. Later generations became more and more mysterious. For example, in the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the writings were more abundant than the brushwork. In "The Authentic Calligraphy" written by Chiang Kai-shek of the Qing Dynasty, one vertical hook can be used for 12 movements, which is complex, subtle, serious and impressive.
Zhao Ziang's is known as a fast pen. It is said that he can write ten thousand words a day. Even if he writes in block letters, his brushwork is extremely fast and concise, showing his strong control over the brush.
2. Choose the most effective power transmission point - the tip of the pen
- the tip, where the pen power is concentrated and the ink flows concentratedly. Making good use of the pen can make the pen stand up and move with sharpness. This is called "standing the peak". The sharpness of the pen is straight and strong, effectively conveying the power of the fingers and wrists. "Kill" into the paper between the curves, and achieve the effect of penetrating the back of the paper and penetrating into the wood. If you cannot use the edge of the pen and just sweep and press with the belly of the pen, the texture of the strokes will be weak and the ink image will be empty.
The ancients emphasized that "the pen should be used with the edge", which includes two requirements:
, "Lifeng" writing. Whether writing has "writing power" depends entirely on whether a pen can be lifted up in your hand and moved "upright". Jiang He in the Qing Dynasty said: "(Using a pen) is like a person who is good at dancing with a pole, his spirit is at the tip of the pole, and a person who is good at using a spear, his strength is at the tip of the spear." Only when the tip of the pen is upright instead of lying down and dragging flatly can one kill into the paper. , only then can there be "astringency", and the lines written out are as if cast and carved, dignified and calm. The ancients' metaphors of "cone drawing sand", "printing mud" and "house leak marks" are nothing more than this. "It's like sharply engraved gold, long tapered boundary stones, just like using a pen to travel thousands of miles" (Zhang Huaijin of the Tang Dynasty). Ming Dynasty Dong Qichang said: "Those who have learned calligraphy for thirty years, but cannot practice it, will rise and fall, collect and fall, and restrain their ears." He also said: "The place where you write is easy." To be able to pick up the pen and not let it rip by itself is to keep the words from passing through the ages." These are both sweet and bitter words.
Schematic diagram of Lifeng's brush use
"Lifeng" Guan Jian is good at utilizing the elasticity of the brush and taking advantage of the situation. It is also related to skill. When the skill is used, even the extremely soft and long-edged brush can still make a clang.
Beginners may not be able to feel the elasticity of the tip at the beginning and cannot stand it up. They can use a thin, long, soft and elastic object such as a bamboo pole to press down and hold it up with all their strength, focusing on the tip. , understand the skills of its movement, and then apply it to the brush, I believe it is not difficult to master.
. "The pen is everywhere." Every point and every painting in should be formed by the movement of the brush from beginning to end, in all directions. For example, after writing a little pause, there must be a lift in the pause, so that the tip of the pen moves to the position where the pen belly was originally pressed, so that the pen force can fully act on the paper, so as to achieve a solid and dignified stroke at the end of the pen.
Liu Xizai's "Book Summary" said: "In Zhang Wenshi's (Zhang Xu) book, the slightest painting is self-sufficient in mood. It should be known that the slightest painting is all due to the sharpness of the strokes. Otherwise, although the strokes are large, the center of the strokes will not be the same. If not, what's the point?" "Da Dianhua" refers to Simply pressing the belly of the pen can be pressed but not lifted, and the tip cannot be lifted when lifted. No matter how large the strokes are, it is still a hollow and dull image formed by the belly of the pen, rather than the solid quality of the pen that is concentrated in the tip. After careful examination of Wang Xizhi's calligraphy calligraphy, Ouyang Xun's running script, Chu Suiliang's "Yin Fu Jing", Zhao Mengfu and Wen Zhengming's regular script and ink writing are all like this.
The pen tip is everywhere
Theoretically, it is the top of the pen tip , in practical application, the edge refers to the section close to the tip of the pen and the brush tip, and further away is the waist of the pen. The waist of the pen is the elastic part of the pen tip. Many calligraphers also use the waist of the pen, such as , Yan Zhenqing, , etc. , the "power point" is often not at the front but at the waist of the pen. The waist can bounce away as soon as it touches the paper, so the stroke is heavy and can refresh the energy. It is a pity that many people who imitated him fell down and became weak after just one meal. Their appearance is similar but their expressions are very different. In modern times, Kang Youwei also used the pen, belly and waist very brilliantly.
From the perspective of the process of learning, beginners should work hard to practice the ability of standing at the front from the beginning, and try to use the front end as much as possible. After practicing to the point where the tip of the pen can bounce under any circumstances, no matter the tip of the pen, the waist of the pen, the base of the pen, or the side of the pen, it will be able to penetrate the back of the paper, just like a person with strong martial arts skills, no matter the fist, elbow, shoulder, arm, everywhere on the body, None of them can use their strength to injure the enemy.
3. Maintain and restore the elasticity of the pen
Elastic objects have a problem of elasticity limit. Within a certain range of force, elastic objects can quickly return to their original shape beyond the limit. Elastic damage is difficult to recover. The brush is soft and has limited elasticity, which requires us to:
Schematic diagram of a three-point pen
1. Control the degree of pressing of the brush:
Generally, it should be within half of the pen head. There have always been sayings of one-point pen, two-point pen, and three-point pen. The intention is to use the pen edge near the front end, so that the pen edge is less deformed and easy to recover. This is also the reason why when choosing a brush, you should choose "big brush to write small characters".
. During operation, loose and weak pens should be lifted up from time to time.
If the pen is moved forward, it will inevitably fall down and its elasticity will be weakened. You need to make a The "back to the top" movement is to set up the stroke, such as the backstroke at the corner, the squatting stroke at the hook, and the slight retraction before the stroke is made (the so-called "backstroke, squatting, and backstroke" are all types of strength for returning to the top). , all of which enable the scattered brush to be restored and erect to a certain extent, and even make the brush in a special strong state, clanking and wanting to bounce away, which greatly enhances the "writing power".
. After completing a stroke, use the pen closing movement to restore the pen tip to its original straight and straight shape, as if it had been wiped off, and you can write directly to maintain the continuity of the strokes.
Guan Jian uses the reaction force to straighten the tip of the pen. The reaction force has two forms:
One is the rebound of the pen. When the pen is returned, the pen is lifted against the direction of the stroke, and the tip of the pen is returned to the top and straightened, so the return action is correct. Whether it is straight or not depends on whether the tip of the pen is the most effective and smooth.
The second one is used in the forward position. First press the pen with a quick stroke, and then use the rebound force of pressing quickly to lift the tip of the pen. Such as hanging needles and long strokes, the pen should be used like this. The middle and back sections of hanging needles and strokes often show a plump state, which is the natural result of using the pen to take advantage of the situation. Other strokes and hooks are also made in this way by pressing hard. .
Therefore, when I am writing, the pen tip is always straight and straight, and it is running continuously, just like the spring of a clock. It is about to bounce away. When the pen is lifted from the paper, the pen tip can return to straightness and smoothness. This is This is what Dong Qichang, the great calligrapher of the Ming Dynasty, said: "has risen and fallen , "Self-tightening and self-binding" , Su Shi of the Song Dynasty said "It is easy to move, left and right, front and back, but it can't help but fall down, and it is stable, up and down like a rope, this is called the pen is straight." When the brush tip is closed, it looks like it is hanging. The rope of the heavy object is also straight. How freely the ancients used the brush!
二General Principles of Using Pens
No matter how the appearance of calligraphy changes, all calligraphy must comply with the following common aesthetic standards:
1. Strong texture, round, thick, solemn, as if cast and carved;
2. Implicit, meaningful, taboo Straightforward and exposed;
3. The momentum is accessible, smooth but not slippery, astringent but not stagnant.
Based on the requirements of penmanship and calligraphy aesthetics, summarizing the experience of previous sages, calligraphy should follow the following three basic principles:
1. Principles of center use of pens
center stroke, that is, when the pen tip moves, keep the main tip in the center of the stroke and the secondary points on both sides and around the stroke. In this way, the ink contained in the tip of the pen will seep out from the center of the stipple to the surroundings. The center of gravity of the stipple written is at In the middle, there is a three-dimensional effect. The strokes formed in the center state are round and full, with thick texture and strong three-dimensional effect, giving people a rich and subtle artistic feeling with inner essence. Therefore, calligraphers have always believed that using the pen in the center is an eternal principle. The ancients said:
"If you can play center, even if you are a failure, your pen will be good; if you are not able to play center, you will be good and bad."
"If you can play center, the flesh is on the outside and the bones are on the inside."
Diagram of the center
. How to make the center play well? Woolen cloth?
Guan Jian is able to "stand up" the pen when he writes. The pen is upright and does not fall to any particular side. "If the front is straight, it will be all around". At this time, no matter which direction it goes, it must be in the center. Therefore, after finishing the pen, (no matter when starting the pen or in the middle of the stroke), you must try your best to prop up the fallen pen tip. The key to propping up the pen tip is two words - "back to the top" (a common phrase in ancient writings). Returning to the front, setting back the front, squatting to the front, standing to the front, etc., all refer to returning the pen to the top of the pen, and the intensity of the force is different). It is the most important technical movement in writing and a sign of skill. After mastering it, many All pen-handling problems are easily solved with this.
Due to the difference in the force used to move the strokes forward and backward, there are subtle differences between the center and the edge:
The edge: When the pen is moved, the pen barrel is tilted forward, and the brush strokes are dragged along. When walking, the brush strokes naturally converge toward the center, and the lines are solid in the middle and slightly hollow on both sides. For example, Liu Xizai said in "Book Summary": "Xu Xian Xiaozhuan, the center of the painting has a hollow with thick ink right in it, and the inflection point is also in the middle, with no side parts." "This method is often used to write long and horizontal strokes in regular script, seal script, continuous cursive and other thin and round strokes."
brush strokes: When is using the pen, the tube is tilted later, and the brush strokes are pushed forward, so they are neatly opened and move forward in a state of full force. The outlines on both sides of the line have a particularly solid feel. Most of the square brushes on Wei stele are written in this way.
, side forward and center
When the direction of strokes changes, if you want to continue to maintain the center, you must change the direction of the stroke. Considering the need for continuity of strokes and stroke speed, it is often not until the stroke is completely reversed before continuing to walk, but The marching and sharpening are completed simultaneously, that is, turning while walking, the brush hair gradually stands up from lying down, and the sharp edge gradually returns to the center line from the side. This period of brushstrokes is called "side sharpening".
Schematic diagram of side writing
is shown in the figure. At the beginning of skimming, although the tip of the pen is still biased, the waist of the pen holding the paper is very powerful. It bounces back and penetrates into the paper. During the entire skimming process, the tip of the pen is lifted up, from upside down to upright, and from side to center. , so the sense of force is still strong. Wingers are considered desirable for success.
Illustration of writing with side strokes
Side strokes are easily confused with side strokes. In fact, there is an essential difference between the two. Side strokes are when the tip of the pen is lying down and wiping sideways. It does not reflect the use of the front at all, and the lines written must be thin and weak. The side forward is a conversion process of the pen tip from upside down to upright, from side to center. It is an auxiliary means for the center to use the pen. Some people also classify the side forward as a center. category, it can be seen that there is an essential difference between side forward and slant forward.
The side forward's writing postures are more vivid and dynamic than those of the center forward. Therefore, calligraphers have always advocated that "the center forward establishes the bones and the side strokes draw beauty", and the center forward is used in combination. However, due to the tilt of the pen tip, the strokes are inevitably slightly thinner and not as full and thick as the center. Generally, important strokes, such as the main stroke, try to use the center to show dignity and stabilize the entire character. Side strokes are used too much. , the overall character will be weak.
Chu Suiliang's center and side forwards
2. The principle of reverse rise and reverse retraction
When starting the pen, the direction of the stroke is exactly opposite to the direction of the stroke. The so-called "if you want to go right, go left first, if you want to go down, go down first" Writing method. To retract the pen is to bring the tip of the pen back in the opposite direction from where the pen was retracted.
Calligraphy begins with seal script and official script, and is written with Ni Feng. The famous calligrapher of the Eastern Han Dynasty Cai Yong said in " Nine Powers ": "Hide the head and protect the tail, the power is in the words, write hard, and the skin will Li. Hide the front and draw the traces of entry and exit. If you want to go left, go right first. When you return to the left, protect the tail. Draw the points and use your strength to close them." . "Books originate from nature." The writing goes against the grain and conforms to the laws of natural movement. When a boxer punches, he must first retract his elbows before he can strike powerfully.
started writing against the trend. In terms of writing power, it is the gestation and creation of power, and shows the implicit beauty of "hiding the head and protecting the tail" and "power is in the words", hiding the muscles and holding the bones. If you write straight and smoothly, your sharp edge will inevitably become weak.
The pen should also be collected backwards. The calligrapher of the Northern Song Dynasty Mi Fu has a famous saying "Nothing droops but does not shrink, no matter where it goes, it does not retract." Every stroke is made without going back, and there is no drooping without retracting. He sends his strength to the end of the painting. There is a tendency to protect and circulate. Make the end of the pen full and condensed.
Chinese calligraphy takes implication and eternity as its highest state. The reverse trend of rising and closing means that the pen does not move in a single direction in the painting, but "all directions". The beginning and end of the brushstrokes are rich in meaning and full of image.
The principle of reverse rise and reverse retraction is also a requirement of writing. When you start writing against the edge, the tip of the pen touches the paper in the opposite direction to form a kneeling pen. When kneeling, the edge of the pen is curved and slightly open. This is an important pre-Qin period. When pressed with this, the brush points will inevitably spread as much as possible and each will be in its place. Ten thousand hairs come together with all the force, so the inverse function of the strokes is to play the center of the strokes, which is what Bao Shichen said: "The incoming and outgoing strokes are equal, and the ten thousand hairs come out together." , he also said: "When writing, the brush must be laid flat on the paper, so that the four sides are round. This Shao Wen ( Li Yangbing ) seal method is the true secret of calligraphy." Beginners often do not know the secret language of calligraphy. So, if you do things according to the rules and follow the same rules, why have you ever carefully observed such subtle changes in the brushstrokes at the moment of touching the paper? To retract the pen, the reaction force must be used to return the tip of the pen to the top. "It is very stable, just like the end of the rope", just like licking the pen. Dipping the pen once can write consecutive numbers or even a line, maintaining the continuity of the writing posture.
The backstroke sometimes takes the form of "virtual". For example, when starting a pen to expose a front, it should be "virtually reversed" in the air. When closing a pen, it should be recovered in the air after the pen leaves the paper. A virtual reverse and "virtual reverse" are required. "Air collection" is a counter trend in the air, it is a fake action. Don't ignore this fake action. The calm texture formed by the air gesture has a meaningful meaning, which is incomparable with the straight in and straight out brush strokes. As the skill of calligraphers deepens, Naturally, I understand the mystery.
3. The principle of using the pen in all directions
The principle of using the pen in all directions means that when the pen moves in different directions, the corresponding strokes should be applied to the paper.
"Use all sides" was first proposed by Mi Fu, a calligrapher in the Song Dynasty. "Using the edge from all sides" actively uses each stroke and uses the strokes reasonably to make the strokes smooth and coordinated, with full strokes and round strokes, strong muscles and bones, no matter in the texture and shape changes of the stipples. The brushwork of repeatedly calling two or three sides cannot be compared.
A good writing brush should be a full and perfect cone. When it is perpendicular to the paper, no matter which direction you press the pen, you can get a smooth center. Schematic diagram of the eight sides of the
pen. The cross-section of the
pen head is a circle. For the convenience of research, we estimate and roughly divide it into eight sides: upper, lower, left and right, upper left, lower left, upper right, and lower right. In ordinary people's writing, due to the physiology of the right hand, the pen edge is mostly used on the "lower right" and the adjacent c and e surfaces. For example, if a beginner writes horizontally, the front is swept sideways to the upper abdomen and lower, and when writing vertical, it is the front. The paper is placed on the left side of the abdomen and on the right side. This is an unruly and eccentric way of writing. Even some calligraphers, especially those who advocate turning the finger to adjust the center (relying on twisting the pen barrel to maintain the center), still only use the d side or one or two adjacent sides.
is used in all directions, which means that when the pen is turned, the corresponding pen surface is used to touch the paper in the direction. Let's take the "heart" hook as an example to compare the difference between using the front from all sides and turning the pen to adjust the front.
As shown in the figure, write to the point where the hook comes out of the heart. In order to ensure the center effect when the hook is released, those who do not understand the principle of and must move the pen tip to a large angle of about 120°. As you can imagine, it is difficult and complicated to adjust the direction. Moreover, the pen tip is easy to twist and lacks elasticity, which affects the strength of the strokes. Those who know how to strike from all directions only need to stand up the pen tip slightly, and then use the upper left corner to counterattack, that is, You can get a full and strong hook shape. When you are skilled, you will never see any pause in the stroke.
As you can see here, using the front from all directions is the secret to adjusting the front. Many people think that it is difficult to adjust the strokes, such as starting strokes, turning, hooking out at a large angle, etc. You only need to set the stroke first (the key is still to set the stroke!), then change the corresponding strokes on the paper, and you can get smooth strokes. Center forward, very direct and effective. Now compare the advantages and disadvantages of the two with the twist tube front adjustment:
1, twist tube front adjustment, the repeated contact with the paper is one side of the pen (or the adjacent side of this surface), the pen tip is bent in a single direction, and there is a lack of adjustment of the reaction force. Not conducive to the production of elasticity. Using the front from all directions gives full play to the flexibility of the brush between forward and reverse. Keep the pen tip in a strong state at all times.
2. With continuous twisting, the tip of the pen is prone to twisting, and each can't do its best. If you use sharp edges on eight sides, each side will use positive and negative effects to offset and straighten out the chaotic sharp strokes at random.
3. When encountering a large arc turning (such as a heart hook), the twisting range of the finger is difficult to reach. Even if it can be twisted into a center, it is still very difficult. It can be used for writing straight books, but it will be too busy for writing running script. It can be seen that a certain calligrapher in the Qing Dynasty made good use of the twisting tube, which was often dropped when he was writing in a hurry. For those who use the sword in all directions, their fingers and wrists can remain relatively motionless, and turning in any direction will not increase the difficulty.
In fact, there has always been a lot of controversy among calligraphers about whether to twist the tube to turn the fingers. Some people say that twisting the tube to turn the fingers is an ancient method and must be twisted (Shen Zengzhi, Zeng Xi, Sun Xiaoyun); some people say that writing requires using all the strength of the body. Referring to desire , your fingers must not move randomly. When you move, you only have finger strength but no wrist strength or even the strength of the whole body (Zhu Jia, Shen Yinmo). They have different opinions, but they have all become excellent calligraphers. This just illustrates a problem - Nian Ye Yes, you can do it without twisting. The advantage of twisting your fingers is that it is easier to turn the pen to the front, but if you can use the pen sharply, you can also turn the pen without twisting. But even if you want to twist your fingers to turn the tip, don't always use the same direction and use the same pen surface. You must also use the pen tip in all directions, forward and backward, in order to maintain the flexibility of the pen tip. Those who are really good at twisting their fingers should be better at using their fingers in all directions.
See the subtle gestures above clearly, and you can maintain center at any time without changing your fingers. Understand this principle, and whether to change your mind or not is at most a matter of personal preference and style, not a matter of principle.
In addition, if someone wants to play from all sides, they are not following the principle of a center forward. This is a misunderstanding of playing from all sides and a one-sided understanding of the center. It's obvious that playing from eight sides helps keep the center forward when the strokes change direction.
4. Conclusion
The above principles for using pens are interrelated and mutually reinforcing . The brush hair is soft and will bend when it is stressed, but we hold it up and use it upright. "Erect" means that Taking advantage of the elasticity of the pen hairs, it can only touch paper Force; at the same time, it is used in the same direction, the force is evenly distributed, the lines are full and three-dimensional, and the standing is smooth, which means reaching the center. The center is the core of the brushstrokes. The reverse direction of the strokes is to obtain the center of the strokes. The so-called "If you go against the grain and come out flat, nothing will happen." "Together with all the strength"; closing the brush in all directions to restore the stroke's edge is also for the center of the next stroke; when the stroke route is changed, the corresponding edge painting is used according to the situation, and all sides can be used freely, and the momentum is generated from all sides. This ensures that the center can be maintained in any direction and angle. Of course, the center forward is relative. The forward may fall to one side from time to time, but he is still full of elasticity and can get up as soon as he is knocked down. He is dangerous and powerful. This is called a side forward. These are what the ancients called "writing techniques". They can be summed up in just a few sentences, but they are difficult to come by. They have principle and guiding significance. Once understood, all the changes in the writing, cursive, seal and official writing can naturally be achieved. suddenly see the light.
Finally, I would like to thank you all for reading. It is not easy for me to code, and everyone has worked hard to read the post. If you see something you don't like, you are welcome to argue with me, because the truth becomes clearer the more you discern it.
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