Zhao Mengfu Running Script

Author: Compiled by China Book Publishing House
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 1999-01-01
Features: Practicing calligraphy requires learning from stone inscriptions as a necessary step. Learning stone inscriptions involves two aspects: reading and writing, which can be alternated repeatedly. Reading involves identifying strokes, structure, and composition by studying written characters, preparing for writing. Writing, on the other hand, includes tracing and copying. Together, these are referred to as tracing and copying. Tracing and copying characters involve replicating their strokes, structure, and composition. When practicing tracing, one should compare the model character while writing, known as "direct tracing." After mastering direct tracing, one can write characters entirely from memory without referring to the model, called "memory tracing." Once memory tracing is proficient, it indicates that the study of the inscription has reached a certain stage. Copying stone inscriptions can be done in several ways: red tracing, shadow tracing, and line tracing. It is recommended that learners of stone inscriptions combine reading with tracing and copying. Additionally, tracing and copying can be combined using a three-step method: Step 1: Directly trace the character model once; Step 2: Red trace the same character model, which can reveal errors from Step 1; Step 3: Directly trace the same character model again to correct the errors discovered in Step 2. This method is very helpful for improving calligraphy practice efficiency.
Zhao Mengfu, styled Ziyang, was also known as the Snow Pine Daoist. During the reign of Emperor Shizu, he served as a scholar at the Jixian Academy and later as a Hanlin Academician and Grand Master of under Emperor Renzong. He was posthumously honored as Duke of Wei and posthumously titled Wenmin. Zhao Mengfu was a man of profound knowledge, excelling in law, economy, justice, literature, music, calligraphy, and painting. He was particularly skilled in calligraphy. The History of the Yuan Dynasty records: "Zhao Mengfu mastered seal script, clerical script, regular script, running script, and cursive script, surpassing all ancient and modern calligraphers, and thus gained fame for his calligraphy." His calligraphy initially learned from Emperor Zhenzong, later incorporating the styles of Zhong You. His structural arrangements were refined, with smooth, flowing strokes, elegant, and vigorous. He transformed the calligraphy of the Song Dynasty. His mastery in tracing and copying was comparable to Mi Fu, known as the collector of ancient scripts. As the leader of Yuan Dynasty calligraphy, he integrated the ancient methods of the Jin and Tang dynasties, combining seal script, clerical script, regular script, running script, and cursive script. He was particularly renowned for his running and regular scripts.
Zhao Mengfu's Thirteen Annotations on the Orchid Pavilion Preface, Unraveling the Mystery of Writing, and Poem of Layers of Peaks in Smoking River are among his masterpieces, where his brushwork was skillful, the rhythm seamless, the structure graceful, and the spirit captivating.