The Eight Principles of the Yong Character: Lectures on Calligraphy Art: Illustrated Treasures Edition

Author: Zhou Ruchang
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2004-06-01
Features: Confucius said: "Reviewing the old enables one to learn the new." Since we do not even know the old, where can the new come from? The art of calligraphy follows the same principle. Chinese character calligraphy has a long history, with masters emerging over thousands of years. The profound truths and principles they discovered must not be abandoned—this is the "old." Only by understanding these principles can we speak of learning and innovation. For example, the "Eight Methods of the Yong Character" (side, press, draw, lift, tap, sweep, peck, split) are indeed the brush techniques of Chinese character calligraphy. Although they cannot fully encompass all brush techniques, they are quite representative. This book takes this as its starting point to explore Chinese calligraphy. Mr. Zhou Ruchang once claimed to have dedicated more effort to "calligraphy studies" than to "Red Studies." This book begins with answers to questions for beginners and progresses to brushwork, techniques, and calligraphy studies, interspersed with anecdotes of famous calligraphers. These are lectures in name, but in reality, they summarize Mr. Zhou's lifelong dedication to calligraphy studies. The book is divided into three parts: Upper, Middle, and Lower. The Upper Part, "Qiwèn" (Answers to Questions), explains the fundamental essence, knowledge, and significance of Chinese calligraphy in a simple and concise Q&A format, also covering model texts and various brush techniques. The target audience is young calligraphy enthusiasts and learners. The Middle Part, "Fēnlùn" (Discussions), is a specialized discussion on Chinese calligraphy, tracing its roots and correcting certain erroneous concepts about Chinese character calligraphy from a theoretical perspective. The Lower Part, "Zōnglùn" (Comprehensive Discussions), consists of individual essays that are interconnected, full of original insights, and distill key principles, offering new research topics and revelations for those with advanced knowledge of calligraphy studies. The book is richly illustrated, combining rigorous exploration with liveliness.
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