Interpretation of Mi Fu's Running Script Brushwork

Author: Luo Hengguang
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2002-10-01
Features: The author is a renowned scholar-calligrapher. This book summarizes dozens of stroke characteristics, component features, and pen usage and structure in Mi Fu's running script. The content is uniquely arranged, with each page featuring the original work, double-lined running script, and key points for practice. It also includes works by Mi Fu and the author in running script. Mi Fu was a famous calligrapher of the Northern Song Dynasty, known as one of the "Four Great Calligraphers of the Northern Song" alongside Cai Xiang, Su Shi, and Huang Tingjian. He was originally from Taiyuan, later moved to Xiangyang, and finally settled in Runzhou (now Zhenjiang, Jiangsu). His given name was Fu, and he was styled Yuanzhang. After the age of forty-one, he changed his name to Fu. Born in the third year of Emperor Yingzong's Huahou era (1051) in the Northern Song Dynasty, he died in the first year of Emperor Huizong's Guanguang era (1107), at the age of fifty-seven. Mi Fu's calligraphy excelled in penwork and structure, with predecessors praising it as "calm and forceful, like riding a fine horse—advancing and retreating with ease, without the need for reins, capturing the essence of every stroke." Mi Fu's style had a profound influence on later generations, and even today, he remains a beloved figure among enthusiasts. A master of learning from the past while innovating, Mi Fu once said, "In my youth, I failed to establish my own style, and others called my calligraphy 'a collection of ancient characters.' I drew upon the strengths of various masters to create it. Only in my later years did I finally develop my own style, to the point where others could not discern its origins." He truly was a pioneer in breaking new ground. The author of this book, Luo Hengguang, graduated from the Zhejiang Academy of Fine Arts. He has conducted long-term, in-depth research and exploration into Mi Fu's calligraphy, achieving deep understanding and significant contributions. He has written numerous papers, including "Running Script Studies by the Scholar-Calligrapher Mi Fu," "A Selection of Mi Fu's Running Script Techniques," and "Studies on Mi Fu's 'Taoxi Poetry Scroll' and 'Shuisu Scroll.'" This book is one of his specialized works for our publishing house. It systematically and comprehensively introduces the characteristics and key techniques of Mi Fu's running script in three parts: "Strokes," "Components," and "Pen Usage and Structure." With one text paired with one illustration, the content is easy to follow and master, making it both an academically rigorous technical theory and a highly practical, accessible reference book. Its publication is expected to greatly benefit calligraphy enthusiasts, especially those who love Mi Fu's running script.