Hui Gong Ge Writing Method (Beginner's Book 3) (Beginner's Book 3)

Author: Yang Guowei Wu Bin
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-06-01
Features: The Hui Gong Ge (Nine-Grid) divides Chinese characters into two sections—“Inner Palace” and “Outer Palace” for memory. The significance of these sections far exceeds the role of stroke positioning. It reveals to learners the structural principles of Chinese characters such as “tight inside, loose outside,” “dense inside, sparse outside,” and “solid inside, hollow outside.” Teachers using the Hui Gong Ge not only teach students which stroke is positioned where on a line or surface but also how to structure certain types of characters to make them compact and aesthetically pleasing. Therefore, the Hui Gong Ge teaching method not only helps students learn to write but more importantly, teaches them the principles of writing well. The content of this textbook, the first volume, focuses on the writing guidance of independent and vertically structured characters, which forms the foundational material of the entire series. All compound character structures and extension rules in volumes two and beyond are built upon this volume. The six writing textbooks follow a sequence: starting with independent characters, then compound characters; first vertical structures, then horizontal ones; emphasizing stroke extension before guiding the combination and arrangement of the main body. The teaching process progresses from simple to complex.
Volume 1 guides students to focus on the general patterns of independent and vertically structured characters, without providing detailed stroke instruction. These characters are primarily categorized into three shapes: regular triangles (trapezoids), inverted triangles, and rhombuses. Once students grasp the structural patterns, they can use the Hui Gong Ge to appropriately contract or extend the strokes and structure of the characters.
Starting from Volume 3, detailed guidance is provided on the main body of characters, especially the combination and arrangement of compound characters. The teaching methods emphasize the following points:
1. Differentiate the Inner and Outer Palaces of the Hui Gong Ge visually. For example, lightly color the inner palace or use different colors to distinguish the inner and outer palaces.
2. The left and right lines of the inner palace play a significant role:
- They indicate stroke extension.
- They serve as a local positioning guide.
- They determine the width of the character.
- They show whether strokes are straight or slanted. Thus, they must not be overlooked in teaching.
3. The top and bottom lines of the inner palace are also crucial. They decisively determine the height of the character and are essential for the positioning and emphasis of the first stroke in many characters.
4. In teaching stroke extension, emphasize strengthening students’ awareness of extension through repetitive practice. Teachers can guide students to use hand gestures, body movements, and writing techniques to practice. Additionally, colored pencils can be used to trace the extension or highlight it with pencils.
5. In teaching, focus on transitional guidance for students to apply their Hui Gong Ge writing skills. This involves helping students independently write characters based on the characteristics of their shapes, without relying on the inner palace. The skip-grid design in the textbook serves this purpose.
The Hui Gong Ge teaching method transforms the passive dynamics of teaching and learning. The teacher’s approach is simple: start with stroke extension, grasp the macro characteristics of Chinese characters, and progress from general to specific. Students visually grasp the simple and stylized combination forms of Chinese characters—the main body and extension. This innovative teaching and learning approach undoubtedly adds new vitality to writing instruction reform and greatly boosts teachers’ confidence in teaching and students’ confidence in learning.