Brushwork

Author: Erzi Congzhou

Brushwork

Zhou Zhi said: "I guess that in Zen Master Kukai's writings, there is only the technique of holding the brush, but not the technique of using the brush."

Goro Sakamoto and Ei Anzhai looked at each other with surprise on their faces: "There is also a way to use the brush?"

"Huh?" Zhou Zhi was delighted: "Of course, only the brushwork is the true essence of Erwang's calligraphy style!"

"In fact, Chinese calligraphy can be divided into many types of light pens. For example, those commonly used in the Jin Dynasty include sparrow head, chicken spurs, and willow leaves."

"Then there is a writing method similar to what Master Kukai left behind."

"After having these two things, the next step is the writing angle and the way to use the pen."

"This involves a series of professional terms, so Zhang Xu said that he needs to learn from the descendants of the Second Queen, 'otherwise, how can we know the words of the ancients?'"

"With the changes of the times, apart from the fact that the method of holding the pen has remained largely unchanged, changes in the pen itself and changes in the writing angle have brought about major changes in the way of using the pen."

"But the technique of brushstrokes is, in the final analysis, a kind of movement, and it cannot escape the characteristics of movement. Therefore, it does not mean that we cannot restore the ancient classic brushstrokes."

"Therefore, for ancient brushwork, especially the brushwork of the Jin and Tang Dynasties, we must not only pay attention to learning from others, but we must not understand it too mechanically or follow the diagrams. Instead, we must master and understand it in practice."

"But generally speaking, the brushwork of the Jin and Tang Dynasties was indeed a set of technical guidelines centered on the two kings. It is the crystallization of ancient classic calligraphy techniques. This is a basic set of rules for using brushes. If it conforms to this set of rules for using brushes, it means

Mastered the core of ancient methods."

“The core points of using a pen are movements such as rising, moving, and retracting, which include lifting, pressing, pausing, setting, rounding, square folding and other writing techniques. The most important thing is to ensure the center stroke of the twisting state, even if

Even when cutting in from the side, you must immediately change the state of the stroke into the paper. Switching to the center makes the strokes fuller and rounder, and penetrates the back of the paper, which is the so-called penetrating three-pointer."

Zhou Zhi tore off a piece of paper from Lin Wanqiu's notebook, clamped it on the cap of the rollerball pen, and then demonstrated how to write. At this time, the small piece of paper turned into an indicator. Everyone found that Zhou Zhi was simulating copying of "The Great Sun".

While reading the Sutra, the piece of paper actually rotated in various directions as the strokes stretched.

Zhou Zhi explained while writing: "The organic coordination of this set of movements requires long-term practice to achieve the ideal effect. However, the size of the movement range and changes in strength will all affect the formation of the style."

"When writing small characters, the changes in the movement of the pen will not be so drastic, but when writing large characters, you need to look for strong changes in the process of writing. No matter what font or font shape you write, you need to follow the above set of rules. It's just about the movement.

A slight difference in priorities can make a huge difference in a breath."

"In fact, there are many differences between the brushwork of the Tang people and that of the Jin people. The brushwork of the Jin people is more formal and emphasizes the ancient rhyme of square folds, while the brushwork of the Tang people is more decorative and emphasizes the complete movement of techniques."

"There are also huge differences in calligraphy before and after the Tang Dynasty. For example, the cursive calligraphy of Yu Shinan, Sun Guoting, Huai Su, and Zhang Xu is also very different. But they all use the center to write, with smooth blood, square and round turns, and sharp edges.

, every stroke is in place, this is the biggest feature of Tang Shu’s Jin Yi!”

"This method is not clearly expressed in Zen Master Kukai's brushstrokes, especially at the turning point. Please pay attention..." Zhou Zhi turned the penholder at an angle on the glass window, and the strokes also changed accordingly:

"This is a pen-turning method that maintains the center's movement of the pen. The pen barrel must also rotate first during the turning process of the strokes."

"Look again," Zhou Zhi wrote another stroke: "Look, this stroke only has the turning point of the stroke and not the turning point of the pen itself. After the turning point is completed, the wrist moves back to the center, which is a bit like how we write with a fountain pen now.

Words."

"Look again," Zhou Zhi wrote another stroke: "This stroke is simply that after the turning point, the center does not even recover, and it is completed directly with the side peak."

"The first method is very complicated and tests one's skill, but the written characters are more in line with the Jin people's emphasis on character and character, and the Tang people's emphasis on magnanimity and heroic aesthetic taste and stylistic connotation. This is the Jin and Tang calligraphy techniques."

"Of course, the calligraphy system is a very complex system. It does not mean that Er Wang's brushwork is to pursue the center of the stroke. On the contrary, Er Wang is also a master of using side strokes. If the side strokes are used well, it will add a beautiful temperament to the calligraphy.

This is what is called in calligraphy, 'taking the beauty from the side'."

"I'm just giving the simplest example to explain what the 'law' and 'inheritance' of calligraphy are." Zhou Zhi took off the piece of paper from the pen barrel and handed the pen back to Lin Wanqiu: "But from these alone, we have at least achieved

It can be seen that Zen Master Kukai’s calligraphy uses the third method and the second method more frequently. Therefore, although the calligraphy style of the two kings of the Jin Dynasty is imitated as much as possible in terms of knotting, in the section of writing,

It still seems relatively monotonous, far less rich than Zhang Huai's, and more difficult to pursue the two kings. It should be because he has not been taught his method by an expert."

Seeing that Sakamoto Goro and Anzhai Eichi's faces were a little pale, Zhou Zhi quickly said: "Of course, this does not mean that Zen Master Kukai is not a great calligrapher. On the contrary, there are many famous calligraphers in history who are not fond of the two kings. Kukai

The Zen master was able to take the word "Er Wang Knot" from the Dharma, but he went his own way in using the brush, combining the two. Hey... the special regular script of the Japanese restaurant, was it influenced by him?"

Seeing that Zhou Zhi did not slander Zen Master Kukai, the two of them breathed a sigh of relief. An Zhaiying said with a smile: "Yes, that set of fonts is actually modeled from Zen Master Kukai's "Heart Sutra"."

Zhou Zhi said: "In fact, the calligraphy techniques of the Jin and Tang Dynasties are not absolutely suitable for today. Many people don't know that calligraphy underwent a huge change in the Song Dynasty."

"Mr. Xiao Zhou, what are the changes?" An Zhaiyingyi asked.

"The orientation of the writing surface has changed."

"What does this mean?" Anzhai Eiichi became even more confused.

"The Qin and Han Dynasties mostly wrote bamboo slips. The writer held the slips in one hand and a pen in the other. The way of writing was like this." Zhou Zhi made a gesture: "The writing surface is generally perpendicular to the ground, while the direction of the pen is generally horizontal to the ground.

of."

"Including silk books, most of them were like this. In the Jin and Tang Dynasties, this style of calligraphy was also preserved."

"The double hook method was invented in the Tang Dynasty to copy the calligraphy of famous calligraphers. It involves covering the calligraphy with yellow wax paper, tracing the outlines of both sides of the strokes through sunlight, and then filling in the middle. This is where the name double hook comes from."

"This is also consistent with the vertical writing style at that time."

"In line with this vertical writing method, the brushes at that time mostly used wolf hair, which was very elastic and could resist the gravity of the brush itself after being dipped in ink."

“It wasn’t until the Song Dynasty that wooden tables and chairs became popular, and the way of writing was more often done by laying paper on the table, with the writing surface horizontal to the ground and the pen barrel oriented perpendicular to the ground.”

"The softer brush hair was widely used at this time, and the way of writing has changed greatly. Therefore, the style after the completion of the calligraphy will inevitably have some deviations from that of the Jin and Tang Dynasties."

"Even the most extreme imitation will have some detailed differences due to these basic changes."

"This can actually be seen as a practical change that keeps pace with the times, rather than a degeneration of art and aesthetics." Zhou Zhi concluded: "To pursue the same trick is to go astray."
Chapter completed!