Thursday, July 2, 2009

Zhong Yao Stole Calligraphy Essay from Grave 钟繇开墓盗书

Zhong Yao (151-230) was thought highly as the originator of kaishu, or the standard script. He is also famous for holding the view that brush techniques are the key to good calligraphy. It is said that in order to obtain the handwriting of the famous calligrapher Cai Yong, he even resorted to stealing it from another famous calligrapher’s grave.
Below is the story of Zhong Yao recorded in Selected Essays on Chinese Calligraphy by Chen Si of Song dynasty.
When he was young, Zhong followed Liu Sheng to study calligraphy at Mount Niudu for three years. He also discussed brush techniques with Cao Cao (Emperor of the Wei State during the Three Kingdoms Period), Han Danchun, Wei Dan, Sun Zijing and Guan Pi. Once, he found the handwriting of Cai Yong (a famous calligrapher of the Han dynasty) on Brush Techniques in Wei Dan's possession. He begged Wei to let him borrow it but was refused. Zhong became so angry that he beat his chest and stamped his feet for three days, until he finally vomited blood. Cao Cao took out his panacea and saved Zhong from death. Later, after Wei Dan died, Zhong ordered people to open his grave and he finally got the essay of Cai Yong, from which he appreciated the meaning of the theory that ‘calligraphy with much strength and rich in sinew is of sage-like quality; that with neither strength nor sinew is sick. One must discover the secret and comprehend the essence of calligraphy, and it is best to apply the principles appropriately.’
On his death bed, he took out the essay from his pocket and said to his son, ‘I have been studying calligraphy for more than 30 years. I have learnt so many methods without success, until I learned Cai’s brush techniques. Whenever I meet a friend, we will discuss calligraphy by writing on the ground. My bedclothes were lacerated due to my practice on them with my hand. I would stay in the toilet the whole day thinking of calligraphy, and forget that I am in the toilet. I also imitated the living things in nature from the calligraphic point of view.’
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钟繇(151-230)被誉为楷书之祖。他以笔法为重的观点闻名于世。据说他为了要得到著名书法家蔡邕的笔法论文还得从另一个著名书法家的坟墓中偷来。
以下是宋陈思在《书苑菁华》记录有关魏钟繇的故事。
魏钟繇少时,随刘胜入抱犊山学书三年,还与太祖、邯郸淳、韦诞、孙子荆、关枇杷等议用笔法。繇忽见蔡伯喈笔法于韦诞坐上,繇苦求不与。自捶胸三日,其胸尽青,因呕血。太祖以五灵丹救之,乃活。及诞死,繇阴令人盗开其墓,遂得之,故知?多力丰筋者圣,无力无筋者病,一一从其消息而用之,由是更妙。?
临死,乃从囊中出以授其子会,谕曰:“吾精思学书三十年,读他法未终尽,后学其用笔。若与人居,画地广数步,卧画被穿过表,如厕终日忘归。每见万类,皆画象之。”

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