"Flower Stream Poetry Collection - Enlarged Selection"

Author: Xu Fangzhen
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-01-01
Features: The "Series of Enlarged Ancient Inscriptions and Calligraphy Classics" takes commonly used calligraphy classics for beginners as the blueprint, selecting typical character examples and categorizing them by stroke, radical, structure, or variant forms of the same character. It is supplemented with techniques such as character enlargement and (flipping of stone inscriptions), making it the preferred calligraphy textbook or teaching reference for. This volume is compiled based on the "Taoxi Poem Manuscript" by Mi Fu. Mi Fu's running script can be described with the words "sinking and decisive." He has left behind numerous masterpieces, and the "Taoxi Poem Manuscript" is one of them. It was written when Mi Fu was thirty-eight years old, capturing his poetic reflections while traveling along the Taoxi River. The manuscript was created in the third year of the Yuanyou era (1088) during the reign of Emperor Zhizong of the Song Dynasty. This piece is executed with brisk and decisive strokes, meticulous attention to detail, rounded and full brushwork, abundant force, and a vigorous yet fresh aura. Its structure is unconventional, dynamic, and graceful, like clouds unfurling in the sky, embodying an extremely natural and spontaneous charm. The spacing and alignment of characters are varied, with a mix of sizes and densities, creating a lively and spirited composition throughout. Beginners practicing this manuscript should pay attention to how each character's posture is established by a dominant stroke, while the remaining strokes are supplemented with variations in direction, inclination, and turns. The brushwork combines side, middle, and tip strokes, with lifting, pressing, and twisting techniques, showcasing extreme versatility. Therefore, when writing, one must be decisive and confident, avoiding overly slow speed to fully experience the "sinking and decisive" style of Mi Fu's calligraphy.