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

COMPOSITION

overcrowded nor empty. The second, Hung, is composed of three ‘cart’ symbols, and has the appropriate meaning, ‘ the rumbling noise made by wheeled vehicles’. Notice that the character is composed by ‘ piling’ one cart upon the other two in such a way that its central vertical stroke creeps down between the two lower ‘ carts’, and thus avoids an ineloquent blank in the centre of the character which would cause the whole to disintegrate. Similar principles may be observed in the other examples, Shéng and Ling, both of which contain duplications. An agreeable appearance is achieved by carefully regulated spacing of the strokes and an even formation of similar forms.

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Shéng Ling (eager) (rumbling of carriages) (sound) (spirit)

FIG. 107

In general, it is easier to achieve a beautiful effect with characters composed of large numbers of strokes than with simpler characters, because the writer has an abundance of material with which to fill the imaginary squares. Most painters would acknowledge that to compose a picture with a wealth of detail is actually easier than to compose one in which the effect is gained with only a few bold lines.

(2) Pi-Chiu (it€ #t), Avoiding and Approaching. Some characters are of uneven density, others have too many, similar strokes. With the first the calligrapher’s problem is to ‘ avoid’ over-density in one part and ‘ approach’ the looser part; with the second, it is to ‘avoid’ monotonous repetition and

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