Learning calligraphy has methods (Shen Yinmo on calligraphy)

Author: Shen Yimò
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2006-08-01
Features: Mr. Shen Yimò was a renowned calligrapher and poet in China, skilled in regular, running, and cursive scripts, particularly excelling in running script. He admired the calligraphic art of the "Two Wangs" of the Jin Dynasty and extensively collected the strengths of famous calligraphers from various dynasties, creating a unique and elegant personal style through his understanding of their essence. Mr. Shen Yimò was proficient in brushwork, offering profound insights into brushstroke dynamics and techniques. His advocated theories and calligraphic art had a significant impact on modern calligraphy circles. This book compiles practical and helpful calligraphy-related writings by Mr. Shen from the 1950s and 1960s, which were originally scattered across different periodicals or published as standalone books. It is supplemented with selected calligraphic works by Mr. Shen and images of famous calligraphers mentioned in his writings, aiming to provide readers with a deeper understanding of his thoughts. To promote Mr. Shen Yimò's calligraphic philosophy and benefit more calligraphy enthusiasts, his calligraphy-related writings have been newly compiled and published. To help readers better understand Mr. Shen Yimò's calligraphic philosophy, this book includes selected calligraphic works by Mr. Shen and images of works mentioned in the text as supplementary content. Mr. Shen Yimò was a renowned calligrapher and poet in China, skilled in regular, running, and cursive scripts, particularly excelling in running script. He admired the calligraphic art of the "Two Wangs" of the Jin Dynasty and extensively collected the strengths of famous calligraphers from various dynasties, creating a unique and elegant personal style through his understanding of their essence. Mr. Shen Yimò was proficient in brushwork, offering profound insights into brushstroke dynamics and techniques. His advocated theories and calligraphic art had a significant impact on modern calligraphy circles. This book compiles practical and helpful calligraphy-related writings by Mr. Shen from the 1950s and 1960s, which were originally scattered across different periodicals or published as standalone books. It is supplemented with selected calligraphic works by Mr. Shen and images of famous calligraphers mentioned in his writings, aiming to provide readers with a deeper understanding of his thoughts. To promote Mr. Shen Yimò's calligraphic philosophy and benefit more calligraphy enthusiasts, his calligraphy-related writings have been newly compiled and published. To help readers better understand Mr. Shen Yimò's calligraphic philosophy, this book includes selected calligraphic works by Mr. Shen and images of works mentioned in the text as supplementary content.
When practicing calligraphy, one must first start by imitating, which is an unalterable beginning method. However, I do not advocate tracing with thin or oil paper over a model, nor do I recommend writing with nine-grid paper. Why? Because the method of imitation is merely to help beginners compare with the model and have something to rely on, so as not to be at a loss. But one must not forget the most important thing—developing personal creativity. If one only knows how to imitate, it will hinder the free development of one's own expressive ability. Writing with nine-grid paper out of habit will also make one feel anxious when facing a blank sheet of paper, resulting in disorganized writing.
It is best to first carefully examine the model you intend to imitate, looking at every stroke and dot several times before picking up the brush to write. At first, focus only on the beginning and end of each stroke, feeling each one and gradually noticing their arrangement. In the early stages, it will naturally be difficult, and the benefits of the model will not come easily. But after a considerable period of "heart and hand following"—a time of combined mental and physical practice—the strokes will gradually become similar to those of the model. After some time, the brushwork and intent of ancient calligraphers will unconsciously merge with your own movements, even when writing independently without the model, the results will bear some resemblance. This is because you will have learned to apply the brushwork and intent effectively. Only when this is achieved can one consider it a certain level of success.
Mi Yuanzhang believed, "Carved inscriptions cannot be learned; one must view the original manuscripts to truly grasp the essence." Once characters are carved, they inevitably lose some of their original form, and the starting points of the strokes are easily distorted by carvers, making it impossible to see how they were originally executed. The starting points of strokes are crucial—they are the "golden needle passing on the secret." If this part is unclear, learners will waste much effort in guessing. However, the (regular script) of the Wei, Jin, and Southern and Northern Dynasties, apart from carvings, has no ink traces left in the world, only handwritten Buddhist scriptures in small regular script. Tang Dynasty calligraphers' ink traces include Cui Suiliang's large-character "Yinfu Jing" and "Brother Kuan Zan," Yan Zhenqing's "Self-Inscribed Announcement," and Xu Hao's "Zhu Juchuan Announcement." P34