Hui Gong Ge Writing Method (Beginner's Book 6)

Author: Yang Guowei
Publisher:
Publishing 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 patterns 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 guide them on 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 part of the entire curriculum. All subsequent compound character structures and their extension rules in the remaining volumes are built upon this first volume. The six writing textbooks are arranged in the following sequence: first independent characters, then compound characters; first vertically structured characters, then horizontally structured characters; emphasizing stroke extension first, then guiding the combination and arrangement of the main body. The teaching process also progresses from simple to complex.
Volume 1 guides students to focus on the general patterns of independent and vertically structured characters, without providing detailed instruction on stroke writing. Independent and vertically structured characters are basically divided into three types: regular triangles (or trapezoids), inverted triangles, and rhombuses. As long as students grasp the structural patterns, they can use the Hui Gong Ge to appropriately contract and extend the strokes and structure of the characters. Starting from Volume 3, there is more detailed guidance on the main body of characters, especially the combination and arrangement of compound characters. The teaching methods should pay attention to the following points:
1. Differentiate the Inner and Outer Palaces of the Hui Gong Ge with vivid distinctions. For example, lightly color the inner palace grid or use different colors to distinguish the inner and outer palaces.
2. The left and right sides of the Inner Palace grid 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. Therefore, they must not be ignored in teaching.
3. The top and bottom sides of the Inner Palace grid are also crucial:
- They decisively determine the height of the character.
- They are particularly important for the positioning and emphasis of the first stroke in many characters.
4. In teaching stroke extension, emphasize the reinforcement of extension awareness:
- Teachers can lead students to practice repeatedly using hand gestures, physical movements, and writing methods.
- Colored pencils can be used to trace the extended parts, or pencils can be used to circle them.
5. Pay attention to the “transfer guidance” of students’ writing skills using the Hui Gong Ge:
- Focus on guiding students to independently write characters according to the characteristics of Chinese character shapes without relying on the Inner Palace grid.
- The grid-skipping design in the textbook is specifically for this purpose.
The Hui Gong Ge teaching method has transformed the passive situation of both teaching and learning. The teaching method for teachers is simple: start with stroke extension, grasp the characteristics of Chinese character shapes from macro to micro, and proceed step by step. When students write, they visually grasp the simple and schematic combined form of Chinese characters—the main body and extension. This innovative approach to teaching and learning undoubtedly adds new vitality to the reform of writing education and greatly boosts the confidence of both teachers and students in teaching and learning to write well.