It is said that good calligraphy begins with the ability to control, manipulate and master the Chinese brush. Brushwork is therefore the soul of Chinese calligraphy. It emphasizes the strength of the strokes, the application of the brush, the lines and shapes; the strength or weakness of the brushwork contributes to the success or failure of a calligraphy work.
What makes for good brushwork? It is not an easy matter to convey the idea of good brushwork to people who have not been tutored in the Chinese cultural tradition and who have not learned how to handle the writing brush, to realise its remarkable qualities. Good brushwork must come from long and arduous training and practice.
The following passage is extracted from the Battle Formation of the Brushstroke (Bizhen Tu), a text attributed to Wei Furen (272-349), the most famous female calligrapher in China:
In recent years, people are not interested in learning from our ancient masters. They learn calligraphy by following their emotion and do not follow the proper techniques. They only remember the names. They are limited in knowledge, and poor in information. They are doomed to be fruitless in spite of their time and energy. Lacking in sensibility, they are simply beyond teaching. To set a yardstick for coming generations, I now listed here are seven strokes and their descriptions after the wonderful example of Li Si.
The first thing to learn in calligraphy is how to hold a brush. For regular script (kaishi), hold the brush at two inches from its tip; for semi-cursive and cursive script, hold it at thre
e inches from its tip. To write a stroke, apply the strength of the whole body to the brush. Always begin with writing big characters, not small characters. Calligraphy by those good in brush strength has much bone; that by those not good in brush strength has much flesh. Calligraphy that has much bone but slight flesh is called sinew-writing; that with much flesh bone but slight bone is called ink-pig. Calligraphy with much strength and rich in sinew is of sage-like quality; that with neither strength nor sinew is sick. Every writer proceeds in accordance with the manifestation of their digestion and respiration of energy.
一[横] is like a cloud formation stretching a thousand miles, indistinct, but not without form.
丶[点] is like a stone falling from a high peak, bouncing and crashing, about to shatter.
丿[撇] is like the tusk of an elephant or horn of rhinoceros (thrust into and) broken by ground.
乙[折] is like fired from a three-thousand pound crossbow.
丨[竖] is like a ten thousand years old withered vine.
丶[捺] is like crashing waves or rolling thunder.
刁[横折弯钩，replaced by刁] is like the sinews and joints of a mighty bow.
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一般而言，好的书法始于对毛笔控制、操作与掌握的能力。书法强调笔力、用笔、线与形；笔法之强弱决定作品之成败。
什么是好笔法？要对那些没有学过中华文化与没有学过用笔的人说明好笔法这个概念，那是件不容易的事。好的笔法来自长期与艰辛的训练与练习。
以下节录自《笔阵图》，据说是中国最著名的女书法家卫夫人写的：
近代以来，殊不师古，而缘情弃道，才记姓名，或学不该赡，闻见又寡，致使成功不就，虚费精神，自非通灵感物，不可与谈斯道矣。今删李斯笔妙，更加润色，总七条并作其形容，列事如左，贻诸子孙，永为模范，庶将来君子时复览焉。凡学书字，先学执笔，若真书去笔头二寸一分，若行草书去笔头三寸一分执之。下笔点画波撇、屈曲，皆须尽一身之力而送之。初学先大书，不得从小。善鉴者不写，善写者不鉴。善笔力者多骨，不善笔力者多肉，多骨微肉者谓之筋书，多肉微骨者谓之墨猪。多力丰筋者圣，无力无筋者病。一一从其消息而用之。
一[横]如千里阵云，隐隐然其实有形。
丶[点]如高峰坠石，磕磕然实如崩也。
丿[撇]陆断犀象。
乙[折]百钧弩发。
丨[竖]万岁枯藤。
丶[捺]崩浪雷奔。
刁[横折弯钩，以“刁”代替]劲弩筋节。
Seow Yawu’s (Xiao Yawu) interest in Chinese calligraphy is a result of the strict demand of the Chinese calligraphy home work by his first teachers. After leaving school, Yawu had to work overseas to earn his living and during this period, he lost touch with the Chinese culture.
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