Calligraphy is an art.
In a narrow sense, calligraphy refers to the method and rules of writing Chinese characters with a brush. Including writing, writing, stippling, structure, layout (distribution, line order, composition) and other contents. For example, when holding the pen, the finger is solid and the palm is empty, and the five fingers work together; the center of the brush is spread out; the strokes follow the strokes, and the strokes are smooth and steep; the structure is based on the characters and shapes, and they echo each other; the distribution is intricate, the density is appropriate, the virtual and the real complement each other, and the whole chapter is full of spirit. ; Literacy in ancient times and today, big words and small words, it is better to be high than low.
In a broad sense, calligraphy refers to the writing rules of language symbols. In other words, calligraphy refers to writing according to the characteristics and meaning of words, using calligraphy, structure and organization to make them into beautiful works of art. With the development of cultural undertakings, calligraphy is not limited to using brushes and writing Chinese characters. Its connotation has been greatly increased. For example, in terms of tools to use, there are many kinds of pens alone, including brushes, hard pens, computer instruments, airbrush and branding tools, etc. The pigments are not just black ink blocks, but also include inks, adhesives, chemicals, spray paints, glazes, etc. In the past, the four treasures of the study - pen, ink, paper, and inkstone, their meanings have also been greatly expanded, and there are too many varieties to mention; from the perspective of the way of holding the pen, some hold the pen with the hand, some with the foot, and others use other There are also many people who write with their own hands, and some people even write without a pen at all, such as "Zhi Shu", "Xue Le Shu", etc.; in terms of writing type, it is not just Chinese characters, some minority languages ????are also on the list. In the calligraphy art world, Mongolian is an example; from the perspective of calligraphy style and composition, in addition to the authentic traditional calligraphy school, there is also the "intentional" school with the same curves and straight (lines) and a combination of movement and stillness, which is the so-called modern calligraphy. . It is based on traditional calligraphy, with innovations, highlighting the word "change", integrating poetry, calligraphy and painting, and striving to unify form and content, making the work a masterpiece of "beautiful meaning, beautiful sound and beautiful form" in Japan. Many calligraphers abandoned the linguistic nature of writing and established the "imagery" nature of writing. The "Moxiang" school emerged, using the weight and speed of the pen, the opening and closing of the pen edge, and changes in the writing position to write various Imagery writing. Although this school of calligraphy emphasizes "imagery" and its characters are novel, not all Chinese characters are "imagery" characters, so its progress is difficult and its development is limited. It can be seen that calligraphy, like other things, is constantly developing and changing. This must be paid great attention by people in the calligraphy circle.
Chinese characters are a unique traditional art of China. It was created by using pictures to record things. After thousands of years of development, it evolved into today's writing. And because our ancestors invented writing with brushes, calligraphy came into being. Throughout the ages, brushes have been the main way to write Chinese characters. As for other forms of writing, , such as hard pen, finger writing, etc., their writing rules are not completely different from those of brush writing, but are basically the same. Based on the original source (after nail bone inscriptions), here we focus on the rules of writing Chinese characters with brush. Having a "narrow sense" understanding of calligraphy will also be of great benefit to understanding "broad calligraphy".
Calligraphy has wide practicality
The most basic activity of learning calligraphy is. Writing, and the primary purpose of writing is to record things and communicate feelings. The minimum requirement is to write the words in a standardized, neat and clear way, so that people are happy to read them. If the words are written in a messy way, or even make up random words as you like, the readers will For example, if the "Book of Heaven" cannot be read, it loses its practical value. Some people think that using a brush for writing is not as convenient as using a hard pen. Patent, "We are not meant to learn calligraphy." Especially some older friends are bound by the outdated thinking that "people should not learn calligraphy after they are over thirty" and think that it is too late to learn calligraphy. It is mysterious, unfathomable, indescribable, difficult to express, and good things are difficult to achieve. All these ideas are undesirable, because there are rules when it comes to writing, especially when there are many occasions where there is no "facade" of calligraphy. Absolutely not. For example, trademarks, advertisements, slogans, couplets, calligraphy and painting banners, etc. are all inseparable from calligraphy. It is undeniable that it is convenient and quick to use pens, ballpoint pens and other tools to set calligraphy, but no matter what tool is used to write, the rules for writing are basically the same as using a brush, so no matter how you write, you should learn calligraphy.
Regarding the age of learning calligraphy, there is no doubt that there are great advantages in starting to learn calligraphy from a young age or a teenager. However, there are also many advantages in learning calligraphy for older people; they have knowledge, life, experience, quick understanding, deep feelings, and good expression. Wait, young people are incomparable. As for "genius", it specifically refers to "a person with this kind of talent". Any intelligence and wisdom are obtained through enthusiasm, diligence and scientific learning. "Nothing is difficult in the world, as long as you are willing to climb." "Be determined and don't be afraid of failure." A calligrapher answered a student's question with a few phrases that were very instructive, concise and clear, and endlessly memorable. Asked "What is the most suitable age to learn calligraphy?" Answer: "Any age is suitable from the beginning of literacy." Question: "Can I become a calligrapher?" Answer: "Do you think you can---you definitely can!" Learn Calligraphy is the same as learning other arts. As long as we don't doubt our ability, have confidence, enthusiasm, and use the right methods, we will definitely achieve success. Don’t be intimidated by the metaphysics of some monopolies. They describe calligraphy as miraculous, teach abstraction, neglect the basics and pursue the end, and are ignorant of the closed circle, which hinders subsequent learning. In fact, calligraphy is like "window paper", which also "breaks with one poke". Its charm can be characterized, its image can be expressed, its techniques can be achieved, and its composition can be achieved. "Going up to the hall and entering the house" is within reach.
Calligraphy is artistic
The stippling, structure and shape of Chinese characters are different from those of foreign languages. It changes subtly, has different shapes and different meanings. "Through the rich changes in the strength, shade, and thickness of the stipple lines, the ups and downs of the written content and thoughts and feelings, as well as the spacing of the fonts and the distribution between the lines, form beautiful compositional layouts, some of which are like jade dragon carvings, and some of which are carved by jade dragons. Some of them are like strange peaks, some are handsome and beautiful, and some are bold and bold, all of which give the written words a strong artistic color. "Calligraphy has become an everlasting flower in the national art, and the world appreciates it. From it, you can appreciate its spiritual demeanor, spiritual artistic conception, life interest, aesthetic pursuit, and the flavor of the times... Such a view is exciting and inspiring, and it is an art of masturbation, why not do it!
Calligraphy is good for health
"Writing can nourish qi and help qi." When practicing calligraphy, you must avoid any worries and doubts, activate your whole body, use all your strength, and focus on On paper, I can express my inner energy and relieve my depression. In this way, it has a certain adjustment and training effect on people's psychological and physiological aspects. Over time, it can make people's soul rejuvenated and live a long life without illness. Even if you are unfortunately sick, you can still practice writing to nourish your mind, heal your illness, and prolong your life. It has been said throughout the ages that calligraphy can make people healthy and live longer, and this is not a myth. For example, in history, great calligraphers such as Ouyang Xun, Yan Zhenqing, Liu Gongquan and Zhao Mengfu had an average lifespan of 79.2 years. Among them, Yan Zhenqing was killed at the age of 76, otherwise his lifespan would be longer. According to other information, when comparing the famous calligraphers and painters of the Ming and Qing dynasties (who share calligraphy and painting) with the eminent monks, among the 28 people, the calligraphers and painters lived 12.7 years longer than the eminent monks. The activity of calligraphy and painting may be more beneficial to health than the eminent monks' spiritual practice, and they are well known to the world. . Mr. Li Zhen, the "general calligrapher" who is now 76 years old, has improved his heart disease through practicing writing and no longer suffers from insomnia. He said with deep understanding that learning calligraphy, "over time, you will gain something. This "gain" is not only in calligraphy, but also very beneficial to physical health." It can be seen that splashing ink near the pond is indeed a fitness function. As long as you persevere and persevere, you can turn "calligraphy" into a wonderful "health regimen".
Calligraphy can cultivate sentiment
Sentiment is the synthesis of feelings and thinking, and calligraphy is a knowledge and an art. Its beauty comes from nature, life, and social practice, and is closely related to other things, both internally and externally. The characteristics, techniques, theories, and artistic conceptions of calligraphy are extremely wide-ranging. "If you have a book in your heart, you can write well." Learning calligraphy gives you a comprehensive knowledge of literature, philosophy, aesthetics, astronomy, geography, history, etc. Obviously, we cannot simply understand calligraphy as writing. Calligrapher Mr. Wu Shanmao said it well: "Calligraphy is writing, but writing is not all calligraphy." The inherent laws of calligraphy determine the seriousness of practicing calligraphy. This requires that calligraphers must have a good psychological state, treat it with a high degree of enthusiasm for learning, strong enterprising spirit, scientific thinking activities, and a sincere attitude.
We must be diligent and tireless to prevent whims and giving up halfway; we must go deep into life, expand our horizons, and prevent arrogance and hypocrisy, and be arrogant on our talents; we must strengthen our cultivation, broaden our artistic conception, and prevent sticking to conventions and neglecting the basics; we must enrich our knowledge and be knowledgeable about the past and present, and prevent ourselves from not asking for a thorough understanding and appearing ugly; We must be eager to appreciate, learn from and innovate, and prevent the same thing from happening again and again. Otherwise, your years will be wasted and nothing will be achieved. In short, splashing ink near the pond brings endless happiness. May we accumulate human wisdom and wisdom and make flowers bloom in our writings!
Chinese calligraphy is an ancient art. It has evolved from oracle bone inscriptions and bronze inscriptions to large seal script, small seal script, and official script, and finally to the cursive script, regular script, and running script that were finalized in the Eastern Han, Wei, and Jin Dynasties. Calligraphy has always spread. With the charm of art.
Chinese calligraphy has a long history, reflecting the spirit of the times with different styles, and artistic youth is always present. Looking at the calligraphy of the past dynasties, "people in Jin Dynasty advocated rhyme, people in Tang Dynasty advocated method, people in Song Dynasty advocated meaning, and people in Yuan and Ming Dynasty advocated attitude." Tracing the development trajectory of calligraphy over three thousand years, we clearly see that it is in sync with the development of Chinese society and strongly reflects the spiritual outlook of each era. The art of calligraphy is a unique treasure in the world and a brilliant flower of Chinese culture. Calligraphy art is the most typical embodiment of the beauty of oriental art and the excellence of oriental culture. It is an artistic treasure that our nation can always be proud of. It has a profound mass base and artistic characteristics unparalleled by any art in the world. The art of calligraphy is becoming more and more popular.
The periodization of the history of Chinese calligraphy can be generally divided into Yan Zhenqing in the Tang Dynasty as a dividing point. It was previously called the "calligraphy style evolution period" and will later be called the "style change period". During the period of calligraphy evolution, the main tendency of the development of calligraphy was the evolution of calligraphy style, and the display of calligraphers’ artistic styles was often associated with calligraphy style. The calligraphy styles of the period of style change are already available, so there is no need to create a new font. So calligraphers put forward the idea of ??"advocating the meaning". The "style of calligraphy" has been fixed, but the "meaning" is alive, which further strengthens the author's main role.
The origin of calligraphy
Calligraphy is the art of writing Chinese characters. It is not only a cultural treasure of the Chinese nation, but also unique in the world's cultural and artistic treasure house. In the long history of evolution and development of Chinese characters, on the one hand, it plays an important social role in the exchange of ideas and cultural inheritance; on the other hand, it has formed a unique plastic art in itself. After research in modern times, regarding the origin of Chinese writing, it is generally believed that writing was created during the "Yangshao Culture Period" in the middle reaches of the Yellow River in China, about 5,000 or 6,000 years ago. Yangshao culture was named after it was first discovered in Yangshao Village, Shengshan, Henan in 1921. In the past 40 years, many discoveries have been made one after another.
The writings of various ethnic groups in the world can be summarized into three major types, namely ideographic writing; ideographic writing; and phonetic writing. Chinese characters are typical ideographic characters developed on the basis of ideographic characters. The pictographic method of making characters is to draw the actual objects. However, drawings tend to be more simplistic and abstract, becoming a symbol that highlights the characteristics of physical objects, represents a certain meaning, and has a certain pronunciation... Our Chinese characters, from pictures and symbols to creation and finalization, from ancient Chinese seal script to small seal script, From seal script to Li, Kai, Xing and Cao, various forms gradually formed. In the process of writing and using Chinese characters, the art of calligraphy, which is unique among the languages ??of various ethnic groups in the world and can be an independent category, gradually emerged.
Prehistory to Summer - Calligraphy that emerged from chaos
Chinese calligraphy art began with the emergence of Chinese characters. “Sounds cannot be transmitted to other places and remain in different times, so words "Words are the traces of meaning and sound." Therefore, words are produced. The first works of calligraphy were not words, but glyphs - hieroglyphs or pictorial characters.
The engraved symbols of Chinese characters first appeared on pottery. The initial characterization symbol only represented a rough concept of chaos and had no exact meaning.
More than 8,000 years ago, the Cishan and Feiligang cultures appeared in the Yellow River Basin. There are many symbols on the handmade ceramics unearthed from Feiligan. These symbols were the first It is a chaotic combination of people's communication function, record-keeping function and pattern decoration function. Although these are not real Chinese characters, they are indeed the prototype of Chinese characters.
Following the Banpo site of the Yangshao Culture about 6,000 years ago, painted pottery with some simple depictions similar to characters was unearthed. These symbols are different from patterns and patterns, pushing the development of Chinese characters one step further. This can be said to be the origin of Chinese writing.
Then there are Erlitou Culture and Erligang Culture. During the archaeological excavation of the Erlitou Culture, pottery pieces with carved marks were found. There are twenty-four kinds of marks, some of which are similar to the oracle bone inscriptions of the Yin Ruins, and they are all single independent characters. Erligang Culture has been found to have a writing system. Three bones with characters were found here, two with one character each, and one with ten characters, which seemed to be carved for practicing carving. This brought civilization a big step forward.
The origin of primitive writing is an instinct of imitation, used to image a specific thing. Although it is simple and chaotic, it already has a certain aesthetic appeal. This simple writing can therefore be called prehistoric calligraphy.
Shang Dynasty to Western Han Dynasty - Calligraphy in a clear sequence
From the Xia, Shang and Zhou Dynasties, through the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, to the Qin and Han Dynasties, more than two thousand years of historical development have also promoted the art of calligraphy. land development. During this period, various calligraphy styles appeared one after another, including oracle bone inscriptions, bronze inscriptions, stone inscriptions, bamboo slips and silk ink, etc. Among them, seal script, official script, cursive script, regular script and other fonts were finalized through the selection and elimination of hundreds of hybrid styles, and the art of calligraphy Orderly development began.