The lights are on at three o'clock and the chicken is on at five o'clock, which is when men are studying.
Black-haired people don’t know how to study hard early, white-haired people regret studying late.
——"Encouraging Learning" by Yan Zhenqing
…
Yan Zhenqing said: "In the second year of Tianbao, I once asked Zhang Changshi for advice, but Zhang Changshi declined politely, saying: 'The brushwork is mysterious and subtle, and it is difficult to teach it rashly. It cannot be taught to someone with high ideals, but it can be said to be wonderful.'
I didn't give up, so I copied the calligraphy of Chu Suiliang and Zhang Xu, explored day and night, and worked hard to practice my calligraphy.
In the fifth year of Tianbao, at Pei Zhen's house, Zhang Changshi asked me about the meaning of the twelve strokes. I answered fluently based on what I had learned through my own study. Zhang Changshi nodded frequently, convinced that he was convinced, and finally passed on my brushwork."
Speaking of this, Yan Zhenqing took the "Lanting Preface" written by Bai Fu, looked at the first sentence of the article "the ninth year of Yonghe" and said:
"Li Taibai's clan uncle Li Yangbing said: 'In the fifteenth year of Wang Yi's reign, he focused on the eight methods of the word 'Yong'. With the power of the eight methods, he could penetrate everything.'
Today we will take the word "Yong" as an example. Through this character, it can be divided into eight strokes: dot, horizontal, vertical, hook, lift, long stroke, short stroke, and 捺.
, peck, and ding' eight rules for using pens."
After that, Yan Zhenqing dipped his pen in ink and explained stroke by stroke:
"The point is side. Side means tilted incorrectly. The point should be tilted, like a boulder standing on its side, dangerous and majestic. If the point is lying down or standing upright, it will lose its momentum. The point of "Yong" is made with exposed front.
The closing is to correspond with the horizontal painting below.
Horizontal means reining. Take the upward and upward posture horizontally, like a rider tightening the reins of a horse, and the strength is inward and straight through the vertical. If the lying pen is dragged horizontally or downwards, it will be exhausted and weak. When the paper is dropped against the front, go slowly and return quickly, and keep going backwards.
When entering and exiting flatly, there is a tendency to close in. It is not advisable to slide along the front to avoid being light and sluggish.
Vertical strokes are like crossbows. Vertical strokes should not be too straight. They must match the overall situation of the font. Only when you see the straightness in the curve can you have the momentum to advance. If it is too straight, it is like a dead tree standing on the ground. Although it is straight, it will be stiff and weak. The curve must be visible in the straightness, and the strokes must be straight.
Just like drawing a bow and shooting an arrow, although it is curved in shape, it contains infinite power.
The hook is a crotch. First, hold the pen forward to gather momentum, and concentrate the force on the tip of the pen. Then quickly lift the pen, then twist the pen edge and twist it, take advantage of the trend, and concentrate the force on the tip.
The design of the character Yong is slightly flat, mainly in line with the horizontal strokes on the right.
The two strokes are incompatible with each other. Although the two strokes are inconsistent, their hearts and minds are connected and corresponding. The posture is slightly upward, the force is used to send the brush, and the effective force is to withdraw the brush.
A long stroke is a sweep. The stroke is the same as a straight stroke. The stroke is slightly thicker and the force must be sent. When writing a stroke, it should be like brushing the surface of an object with your hand. Although the strokes are gradually speeding up, the stroke is light and crisp, giving it a free and neat posture.
, but the force must be sent to the end, otherwise it will float and be weak.
A short stroke is a peck. When writing a horizontal stroke, the pen should be written quickly and sharply. When the stroke is started, it should be from the left, sharp and slanting down, and lightness and strength should be used as the winner.
The Ning brush in regular script is called Zhe. The Ningu painting in regular script inherits the division of official script and comes from the ripples. The force of Nupiao brush in regular script is cohesive but outward, making the font develop comfortably and open. When writing, you should drop it gently against the front and fold it.
After the front comes out to the right, it spreads slowly and gradually becomes heavier, and ends with a slight upward trend to close the front. The closing of the front should be calm and powerful, the important thing is to be subtle, with twists and turns, and the momentum is natural."
…
After Yan Zhenqing finished speaking, he saw that Bai Fu was in a daze and said with a smile: "Young Master Bai, but why didn't I explain it in detail enough?"
Bai Fu smiled apologetically and said, "My lord, please forgive me. The difficulty I had just now has nothing to do with you. It was the boy who was entangled in himself and fell into a fog and couldn't extricate himself."
You are talking about brushwork, but what I see is all swordsmanship."
"Oh?" Upon hearing this, Yan Zhenqing became interested and said, "Bai Shaoxia, can you give me a demonstration?"
Bai Fu nodded, walked out of the study, came to the open space in the courtyard, unsheathed his sword, and demonstrated the eight moves of the word "Yong" one by one with his sword.
Point is the side.
Bai Fu taps the tip of the sword gently, and the sword edge falls sharply, spreading the sword. When the sword is full and closed, the body spins quickly, like an eagle swooping down, turning sideways.
Horizontal is Le.
Bai Fu's strength penetrated the sword body, and the sword slashed horizontally and upward. Just as it was about to slide along the edge, Bai Fu tightened the hilt of the sword, just like reining a horse. The sword's power was not exhausted, so he moved slowly and returned quickly.
If you go back and forth, you will surely recover. If your opponent's weapon blocks it, it will definitely fall into the air.
Stand up as a crossbow.
Bai Fu stood with his feet back and forth, his body like a curved bow, holding swords in both hands, and slashed out from top to bottom. When the sword was slashed out, it was like a crossbow bullet, and the sword was like a rainbow, drawing a perfect arc, splitting Huashan with force, and thunderous.
.
The hook is a trap.
Bai Fu's knees were slightly bent, and he squatted first to accumulate strength, so that the strength was concentrated on his knees. The strength was not at the feet at first, but he suddenly aroused it, and then poured all his strength into the toes. He suddenly jumped up, the man and the sword merged into one, and the whole body's strength poured out from the arms and wrists.
When he came out, Wu Gou made a move and took advantage of the situation to strike forward. His sword was as sharp as the crescent moon in the sky.
The strategy is to rely on both sides.
When Bai Fu raised his long sword, he swung the sword like a whip. The force was on the hilt, and the force was on the tip of the sword. The force was concentrated at one point, and the tip of the sword made a sonic boom sound. He swung the sword back and raised it, just like using a whip to gallop a horse.
, you get up as soon as you start your horse.
Long skimming is plundering.
Bai Fu held the sword as if he were holding a comb in his hand, and like the hair of the comb, he moved down from the upper right to the lower left. With the force of the fall, the sword gradually accelerated. When the speed of the sword reached its peak, the shadow of the sword flashed like a flying swallow.
Passing under the eaves.
The sword moved like a rabbit, moving erratically and flying like lightning. Even though Yan Zhenqing was three feet away, he broke out into a cold sweat and immediately cheered loudly.
Shorthand means peck.
Bai Fu jumped into the air, kicked out his legs in succession, jumped into the air and changed steps, and stabbed down with his long sword, like a crossbow arrow. He stabbed out dozens of swords in an instant. The sword was sharp and sharp, and it came out with force, like a bird pecking.
The object is exactly Li Xuexuan's first sword technique during the sword discussion in Shushan - Emei Qizhu.
The pen is a pen.
Bai Fuyun's sword is like a knife, and his pen is like a knife. The sword energy is strong and sharp, and the momentum is majestic. The rockery in front of him, which is as tall as a person, is like a butler's ox. It was instantly dismembered by the sword energy and shattered on the ground. It was Dugu.
The sword demon's hurricane destroys the soul.
…
Bai Fu's peerless swordsmanship amazed Yan Zhenqing.
Yan Zhenqing tied her long beard with her hands and said with a smile: "Teaching and teaching are mutually beneficial. Today is an eye-opener for me. Bai Shaoxia's swordsmanship is unparalleled in the world, as if he was possessed by the sword master Pei Min."
Bai Fu hurriedly bowed, humbly declined, and said: "The first few sword skills are indeed evolved from the sword skills taught to me by Lord Pei. It's a pity that I am stupid and only learned seven moves, not all of Pei.
Your Excellency’s Nine Styles of Swordsmanship.”
Yan Zhenqing tied her long beard with her hands and said with a smile: "Young Master Bai doesn't have to be modest. General Pei and I know each other very well. He has taught one or two swordsmanship to others at most in his life. Even if the prince studies swordsmanship, it is no more than that."
The banished immortal Li Bai had superb swordsmanship and extremely high understanding, and Pei Min only taught him the five sword techniques. Seven postures are the limit of his sword techniques. At this time, I am afraid that you are the only one who can learn them all.
It's not that he is stingy because he only teaches seven moves. Eighthly, the nine moves of swordsmanship were created by Pei Min based on his own cultivation experience. He cannot teach them to others and can only perform them by himself.
When a swordsman has mastered the first seven sword techniques of General Pei, by chance, he will naturally come across a skill and create his own eighth and ninth sword techniques.
This point is exactly the same as what Zhang Changshi said: "The writing technique is mysterious and difficult to teach, and it is difficult to teach it to anyone who is not a person with high ideals."
After a moment of pause, Yan Zhenqing said with a smile: "If you can combine General Pei's sword skills, breath mobilization and calligraphy, send the power of Dantian to the tip of the pen, and experience the use of fingering and brushwork. By following this method, you can get twice the result with half the effort in calligraphy."
Once the Eight Methods of Yongzi are clear to the mind, one can further study the calligraphy of famous writers of the past dynasties. Then, one can completely forget the Eight Methods of Yongzi, see things, reflect on emotions, and use them as one wishes, so that one can travel around in calligraphy."
Bai Fuqi said: "Shouldn't the true preaching method be remembered by heart? Why do you ask me to forget it?"