Explanation of the calligraphy style in Tang Liu Liguan's "Xuan Mi Tower" (Series of "Passing the 100-Character Test" explaining the calligraphy style of classic calligraphy masterpieces throughout the dynasties)

Author: Leng Wanggao
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2005-01-01
Features: Calligraphy, as an important part of traditional Chinese culture, is both ancient and young, classical and modern, profound and accessible. Over thousands of years, there have been numerous masters and masterpieces, exerting a profound influence on generations of culture and art, even becoming symbols of cultural identity in certain eras. In the past two decades, calligraphy has achieved significant development and presented unprecedented prosperity. However, despite the growing number of calligraphers, the popularization and development of calligraphy still have vast room for improvement compared to the vast population and increasing cultural and artistic demands in China.
The learning of calligraphy has its unique characteristics—practicing ancient works is essential. It is almost impossible to achieve success in calligraphy without practicing classic inscriptions. If learners lack a correct understanding and proper guidance, they are bound to take detours or go astray. Moreover, many calligraphy teachers themselves have not diligently practiced inscriptions and lack fundamental knowledge of the art, yet they still conduct classes, inevitably misleading their students.
However, the numerous masterpieces left by the ancients include some inscriptions with hundreds or even thousands of characters, which can be intimidating to learners, making them feel that learning calligraphy is too difficult. Here, we introduce a relaxed and efficient method——“The 100-Character Mastery” technique—that is suitable for beginners of all ages to start learning calligraphy and for calligraphy enthusiasts who have not undergone rigorous inscription practice to quickly catch up.
As is widely known, practicing inscriptions is merely a means, not the end, in the pursuit of calligraphy. Through studying one or more classic models that have been tested by time and history, we gain an understanding and expressive ability regarding calligraphic strokes, character structure, and other forms. Only then can we apply this knowledge to calligraphic creation.
“The 100-Character Mastery” is not just a slogan—it is highly operational, making the arduous training of fundamental calligraphy skills both effortless and swift, significantly lowering the entry barrier and shortening the learning time. Although there are thousands of Chinese characters, they are all composed of dozens of basic strokes. Mastering these strokes well means mastering half of the characters. Of course, these strokes vary greatly in different scripts and even in individual characters.
If we select 100 characters from a classic ancient calligraphy inscription, they will certainly cover all strokes of that inscription and most radicals and structures. In other words, mastering 100 characters well means you can basically write all characters! Writing 100 characters is not difficult and does not require too much time. The key lies in writing these 100 characters perfectly, approaching the form and spirit of the original inscription, ensuring each character “passes,” then making all 100 characters “pass,” and finally being able to generalize and apply the strokes you have mastered to create characters not found in the inscription, thereby achieving the goal of writing all characters well.
This “Calligraphy Practice Guide” selects 100 representative characters from classic inscriptions of different scripts, analyzing in detail the key points of practice in the order of “Basic Strokes,” “Radicals,” and “Comprehensive Practice.” It also lists similar characters related in form to expand the learning scope, helping you achieve twice the result with half the effort.
Indeed, simply writing characters well does not mean entering the realm of calligraphy art—writing and calligraphy are entirely different concepts. If you cannot write characters well, you will never reach the level of calligraphy art. However, if you write characters well and develop an interest and aspiration for calligraphy art, continuously reflecting, exploring, and pursuing it, you will soon be close to the realm of calligraphy art.