Chinese calligraphy : an introduction to its aesthetic and technique : with 6 plates and 155 text illustratons

ABSTRACT BEAUTY

have already learned something (page 74): it is strong, firm, sincere. The character Ts‘ou (@) means ‘foot’, and, appropriately, it compares with a dignified bishop stepping ceremoniously down, perhaps, the aisle of Westminster Abbey !

FIG. 78

In Fig. 79 the character Chieh (#4), ‘ boundary ’, well formed by Chao Chih-Ch‘ien, has the motion of an owl in flight when about to soar upward. The two strokes of the lower half, stretching out in divergent directions, seem to support the body of the character like the wings of a bird.

FIG. 79

Fig. 80 comprises the character J (#) for ‘thought’ written by Su Tung-P‘o and the figure of a person seated at ease. There is no suggestion of a wooden image in the character, but the imaginary person, from the inward movement ot the strokes, seems to have a pensive demeanour.

FIG. 80 [ 121 ]