Ouyang Xun's Great Script Collection of "Nine-Five Palace"

Author: Lu Youzhu
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2004-05-01
Features: This book has the following characteristics in its editing: First, it is highly practical and meets the needs of beginners in calligraphy, offering easy-to-use content. The authors of this calligraphy character manual are all teachers who have long been engaged in calligraphy teaching. They are not only diligent calligraphers with successful creations but, more importantly, they possess rich experience in calligraphy teaching. They can start from the practical aspects of calligraphy teaching, draw on various strengths, and provide targeted analysis and explanations that align with students' actual learning needs. This approach ensures precision, addresses specific issues, and effectively helps students overcome difficulties and improve their shortcomings. Their analysis is concise, straightforward, and easy to understand. They tell you where the difficulties lie in learning calligraphy and where details are often overlooked, as well as how to overcome challenges and refine weaknesses. This focused approach will inspire and benefit beginners in calligraphy.
Second, the book is arranged in a progressive and accessible manner, emphasizing simplicity, clarity, and ease of learning and teaching. For example, in the character manual of the Qinli Stele, the brushwork section first explains horizontal strokes, followed by vertical strokes. A horizontal and a vertical stroke together form the character "" (shí). Next, diagonal strokes are introduced, and adding a long diagonal stroke creates characters like "" (zài) or "" (zuǒ). The character "" (piàn) is a basic combination of horizontal and vertical strokes with an additional diagonal stroke. This step-by-step progression is logical and interconnected. In terms of learning, it starts with the easy and progresses to the difficult, moving from the simple to the complex, making it particularly suitable for beginners. Even kindergarteners would appreciate this gradual teaching method. The same principle is applied to the arrangement of other character manuals.
Third, the book's editing combines vertical and horizontal elements organically, enriching the content. Most character manuals follow a single-line structure, focusing solely on vertical arrangements—starting with brushwork, then moving to component structures, and finally discussing overall composition. However, in calligraphy teaching practice, we have found that many excellent calligraphy teachers combine brushwork and structure. When explaining a basic stroke, they demonstrate its position in a character, its length, thickness, and curvature, integrating vertical and horizontal elements seamlessly. This approach gives beginners an understanding of structure even when they first encounter brushwork. Since Chinese characters are an organic whole, brushwork and structure are closely related. In teaching, we often separate brushwork, components, and structure for convenience, but in reality, they are inseparable. This is especially true in cursive and semi-cursive scripts. Zhao Mengfu once said, "Brushwork is timeless, while structure varies with the times." However, this is not entirely accurate. Brushwork is not timeless, and structure does not only vary with time but also changes with brushwork variations. These differences have led to the diverse styles and forms of calligraphy works throughout history. On the surface, it may appear to be about structure, but fundamentally, it is about brushwork. The brushwork of Yan Zhenqing differs greatly from that of Emperor Zhenzong of Song, and likewise, it varies from that of Wang Duo and Zhang Ruili.
Therefore, combining brushwork and structure in analysis aligns more closely with the essence of calligraphy art and the realities of calligraphy teaching. This can be seen as a new attempt and breakthrough in calligraphy education.
Another feature of this Grand Calligraphy Character Manual series is that it analyzes and explains the typical characters from a single work by a classical calligrapher. Each volume provides a detailed breakdown of individual strokes while also offering an overall grasp of components, structure, and composition. The original calligraphy is enlarged and printed in relief for easy observation and appreciation. Each volume focuses on one work by a calligrapher, and when combined, the entire series presents a magnificent collection. It covers five major styles— Seal, Clerical, Regular, Cursive, and Semi-Cursive—creating a perfect combination. Readers can purchase the entire set to gain a comprehensive understanding or buy individual volumes as needed, offering convenience for readers at different levels.
We also hope to receive understanding and support from teachers, parents, and all calligraphy enthusiasts.