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

COMPOSITION

the latter shrink to insignificance. After some practice the writer will find himself enlarging and contracting his characters almost unconsciously. .

We call beautiful characters Ch‘iieh Hao (8) #), ‘just right’. The reasons for the writer’s success are often very difficult, if not impossible, to describe—some magical co-ordination of brush and brain seems to have been at work. Ou-Yang Hsiin, the famous calligrapher of T‘ang dynasty, wrote some instructions on composition which convey better than any I can write the things to be desired. I will translate his words freely in order to avoid puzzling the reader with technical terms :

Have the idea in your mind before you take up the brush. Design the composition only after you have thoroughly considered it. Be very careful with the general shape and spacing, and do not let the character tilt sideways. Too pale an ink will dim the characters’ lustre, too thick a one will impede the flow of the brush. A broad fleshy stroke looks gross; a very slim one exposes the ‘bones’. Do not spoil a character by over-pliancy, nor cause discomfort by imbuing it with a quarrelsome feeling. Let all four sides be evenly proportioned and all parts co-ordinated. Short and long strokes must be calculated in relation to one another, and a compromise effected between the coarse and the fine. Mind and eye together should determine density or looseness of texture, and also inclination—whether upright or aslant. The animation and spirit of a character depend largely upon its proportioning. It is fatal to place a light head on a heavy base, or to shorten one side too much in relation to the other. The stance of a character should be like that of a well-built man. Achieve these qualities, and the atmosphere of your writing will be delightful. Only follow these instructions, and there will be no reason for failure.

Trial and error is a good way of learning. Choose some printed character and try to write it as pleasingly as you can: then compare it with the same character as written by some

1 From ‘ The Book of Calligraphy’, by Ou-Yang Hsiin (Bk BB 2) 3 =). [ 187 ]