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

CHINESE CALLIGRAPHY

The poise of the hand in relation to the brush, as well as the disposition of the fingers, must be noticed. The average length of our brushes is about six f‘sun (-t) (a t‘sun equals 1-3 inches). In a book called ‘ Pi-Chén-T‘u’ (@ [i fi), ‘ Battle Array of the Brushes’, by the Wei Fu-Jén (f# # /\), the instructor of Wang Hsi-Chih, we read the exhortation: ‘ One ¢‘sun for K‘ai-Shu, two for Hsing-Shu, three for Ts‘ao-Shu’. This means that when writing in the three styles, K‘ai-Shu, Hsing-Shu, and Ts‘ao-Shu, the brush should be held respectively 1-3, 2:6, and 3°9 inches from the tip. For K‘az-Shu, if the handle is held rather high, the stroke produced will tend to be vague and weak. For Ts‘ao-Shu, a higher position helps the fingers to move freely. Conversely, if the brush is held too near the hair, the point is dulled, and every stroke appears heavy. In practice, every writer has to find his own position on the brush-handle, wherever he feels he can exercise most control.

When Wang Hsien-Chih, the seventh son of the famous calligrapher Wang Hsi-Chih, at the age of seven was practising writing his father crept behind him and tried to snatch away his brush, but without success. Thereupon Wang Hsi-Chih declared: ‘ This boy will win great fame for himself in calligraphy.’ ‘The story stresses the great importance of a firm grasp on the brush for the writing of good characters.

A very tight hold produces rugged, severe, powerful strokes ; a rather looser hold results in graceful, tender, and supple ones. But it is better to err on the side of firmness, for a loose hold is apt to end in weakness instead of fluid beauty. On the other hand, it is necessary to beware of holding the handle too rigidly, and so causing the strength of wrist and arm to end with the handle and not reach the hair, the result of which is a flaccid

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