The Classics of Chinese Steles and Inscriptions -- A praise for Ni Kuang by Chu Suiliang

Author: Shanghai Fine Arts Publishing House
Publisher:
Publication Date: 2004-01-01
Features: The Tang Dynasty was a period of peak flourishing and maturity for Chinese regular script. Its main characteristics lie in the evolution of Tang regular script, which had reached perfection after the transformation during the Six Dynasties. The brushwork was precise and delicate, and the structure of characters (dignified and well-proportioned). In both large-scale brushwork and character structure, it established typical rules and models. Over the centuries, numerous calligraphers have taken the Tang script as their guide, valuing the principles of regular script and the foundation of stability, from which flowed into cursive and semi-cursive scripts. They incorporated new ideas, making adjustments and selections, shaping their own styles. Therefore, in a certain sense, the strictly regulated regular script, as the foundation for learning calligraphy, plays an important role. Unfortunately, the Tang regular script that has survived to this day is mostly in the form of steles. Once the true handwriting of a calligrapher is carved, the essence of the brushwork is lost. The subtleties of brush texture, changes in ink color, the interplay of brush movements, and the rhythm of writing are delicate nuances that steles cannot express. This poses certain difficulties for beginners when copying Tang steles. Thus, calligraphic theories throughout history have advocated emphasizing brushwork in ink, and proposed the idea: "The structure of characters can be learned from steles, but brushwork requires true handwriting." Due to the passage of time, very few authentic Tang regular script works by calligraphers have survived. The "Commentary on Ni Kuan" attributed to Chu Suiliang is one of the most important representative works. Chu Suiliang (596–658), styled Dengshan, was from Qiantang, Hangzhou. He was one of the "Four Masters of Early Tang." Chu was well-versed in literature and history, skilled in regular script, particularly in clerical script, and learned cursive from the Wang family (Wang Xizhi and Wang Xianzhi). He studied regular script under Ouyang Xun and Yu Shinan. During the reign of Emperor Taizong, he was recommended by Wei Zheng and appointed as an Attendant Scholar. He was tasked with authenticating the calligraphy of Wang Xizhi in the imperial collection, and thus his script deeply grasped the essence of Wang Xizhi's style while also developing his own distinct method. His style was lean and vigorous, with a touch of clerical script influence, appearing ancient and elegant. The "Commentary on Ni Kuan" is attributed to Chu Suiliang, but the work does not record the year it was written. However, Zhao Mengjian's postscript suggests it was a late work, now preserved in the Palace Museum, Taipei. Upon close observation, this script is vigorous in power, with straight and firm strokes, clear contrasts between thick and thin lines. The mid-section of each stroke is executed with the central brush, giving hooks and dots the strength of a thousand jin. The edges of the strokes are not smooth but textured, rich in quality, appearing lean yet full, thin yet clear. The structure of characters is mostly horizontal, with a touch of clerical script influence, exuding dignity and elegance. Zhao Mengjian writes in his postscript: "Chu Suiliang's 'Commentary on Ni Kuan' is graceful and flowing, like a sage immune to worldly desires." Even more pleasing is that this is an inkwork, providing valuable material for studying Chu's brushwork. Beginners who start with this piece can then proceed to copy works like the "Stele of the Holy Teachings on the Yan Pagoda" and the "Stele of Fang Liang Gong" to delve deeper into the art, achieving twice the result with half the effort.