Writing Techniques 运笔法

There are three basic elements of brush techniques: brush holding technique, writing postures and writing techniques. The beginner will not be able to master all the techniques in a short time, but they must pay due attention to the principles of applying these techniques. It will be a shame for someone who has practised Chinese calligraphy for some time without knowing brush techniques.

We have discussed about the brush holding techniques and writing postures. We shall now look at the writing techniques.

In writing Chinese calligraphy, each stroke involves three phases of executing the brush: To begin the stroke (qibi), to move the brush (xingbi) and to end the stroke (shoubi). If strokes of a Chinese character are regarded as the basis of word construction, then qibi, xingbi and shoubi are essential techniques that determine the form of each of them.

Writing techniques are the most difficult part of brush techniques and beginners tend to neglect them. Therefore it is necessary to always remind yourself to pay special attention on this as you begin to write characters so as to cultivate good habits in writing strokes as you go along.

The basic approach to qibi is: You start with moving the brush to the opposite of the intended direction of writing the stroke for a short distance and then turn the brush-tip towards to the intended direction and proceed to the second phase of moving the brush. For example, when writing a horizontal stroke, which must be written from left to right, you have to move the brush to the left shortly and then turn the brush-tip back and move rightward. Similar steps should also be applied to start writing a perpendicular stroke. The Chinese saying is that move the brush leftward first if you intend to move it horizontally rightward, and move upward first if you intend to write vertically downward. The process is repeated each time you start writing a stroke.

The basic approach to shoubi is: Before ending a stroke, turn the brush-tip to the opposite direction and move shortly to complete writing the stroke. This process is repeated each time you end a stroke. However, there are cases where there is no need to execute shoubi and you need to find out and memorise these exceptions.

In writing a calligraphy stroke, one actually needs mainly to remember to apply the following three major principles of ‘centered tip’ (Zhong Feng):

1. Always hold the brush in an upright position, that is, it must be perpendicular to the writing surface.

2. Always keep the tip of the brush in the middle of the stroke.

3. Always ensure that the brush tip points at the opposite direction of the brush’s movement.

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笔法有三个要素：执笔法、书写姿势与运笔法。初学者不可能在短时间内完全掌握这三个要素，可是还是应该注意这些技巧的法则。如果一个人学了一段时间的书法还不能了解笔法，那是令人感到羞惭的。
我们已经讨论过执笔法与书写姿势。我们现在看一看运笔法。

中国书法的书写，每一笔画都有三个步骤：起笔、行笔与收笔。如果笔画是构成中国文字的结构的基础，那么起笔、行笔与收笔就是决定每个笔画形式的重要技巧。

运笔是笔法中最难掌握的部分，初学者往往会忽略它。所以，开始书写时我们应该时常提醒我们要注意运笔；这样在锻炼过程才能培养起良好的书写习惯。

起笔的基本方法是：开始时向所要行笔方向的相反方向行笔一小距离，转锋回到所要行笔的方向继续行笔。比如，横画应该由左向右行笔，就应该先向左行笔一小距离，然后把笔锋转回向右行笔。相同方法应用于书写竖划。所谓：欲左先右，欲下先上。

收笔的基本方法是：在笔画结束前，把笔锋转向相反的方向，向前行笔一小距离并完成笔画。每次收笔都要重复这个步骤。但是也有不需收笔的例外的情况，我们必须找出并记住这些例外。

在书写书法笔画时，我们其实主要要记住中锋用笔的三个原则:

1．执笔要正直，就是要与书写平面垂直。

2．常令笔锋在笔画中间运行。

3. 要令笔锋指向行笔相反的方向。

The Letter of Loss and Confusion 王羲之《丧乱帖》

Lanting Xu, the famous work by Wang Xizhi (303-361), is reputed to be the best Xingshu (walking script) in the Chinese calligraphy history. As a whole, the brushwork of it is exquisite with thick strokes being robust but not awkward, while narrow strokes are delicate but not weak. The calligraphy was completed in a rhyme with the proper use of force of the brush, light or heavy, fast or slow. Its strong and clear-cut lines and round and mellow forms present us with a fresh, clear, exquisite and closely linked work of art.

However, some calligraphy critics feel that Lanting Xu is not Wang’s best work and instead, prefer the Sangluan Tie (The Letter of Loss and Confusion).

Original works of Wang Xizhi's calligrahy are rarely seen today and most, if not all of the works we see now are rubbed copies of his works by others. It is believed that both Lanting Xu and Sangluan Tie we see today are copy works of later calligraphers. It is not deniable that later calligraphers had done a great job in making the copy works look like the original works. However, in terms of reflecting the original and spiritual mood of the calligrapher, it is pointed out that the copy work of Sang Luan Tie had captured the spirit of Wang’s writing better than that of Lanting Xu.

The text of the calligraphy says, ‘Xizhi kowtows; I am lost and confusing to extremity. The ancestry tombs came apart again! The torment poisoned and pressed me quite brutally. I cried and wailed in despair. The pain has gone through to my heart and my liver. What can I do? Although the tombs are being repaired right now, I cannot go see to the work done. Oh the sorrow, like poison, is running deep each and every moment. What can I do? How can I be? Having come to the paper, I am at a loss of what more to put down. Xizhi kowtows ... kowtows.’

Wang lived in the Wei-Jin period which was a time of turbulence and changes. The Wang family had to flee from the north to the south. It is quite obvious that this letter was written at a time when he felt he was so confused and helpless on knowing that the ancestral tombs in the north were damaged and destroyed. The anger and frustration was displayed thoroughly by words full of hopelessness and grief, and the non-conventional, bold and wild strokes.

The emotion was strong and calligraphic strokes were non-conventional in displaying that emotion – these are the conditions and elements that make Sangluan Tie a great masterpiece.

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王羲之（303-361）的著名的《兰亭序》在中国书法史上被认为是最好的行书作品。整体来说，它的笔法绝妙，笔画键实而不笨拙，细致而不软弱。整幅作品节奏完美，表现于用力得体，有轻有重，有快有慢的线条。它的强健而清晰的笔画及圆而熟的形式所带来的是一幅清鲜、晴朗与绝妙的紧凑的作品。

但是，有些书法评论者却觉得《兰亭序》并不是王羲之最好的作品，而偏爱《丧乱帖》。

现在很难看到王羲之的正品。如果不是全部，可说大多数是后来书法家的临摹作品。据说《兰亭序》与《丧乱帖》都是膺品。无可否认，后代书法家在临摹时，下了苦功，形态极像原作。可是，就表现书法家原本与精神而言，有人认为在反映王羲之书写精神方面，《丧乱帖》比《兰亭序》好。

王羲之《丧乱帖》全文如下：“羲之顿首：丧乱之极，先墓再离荼毒，追惟酷甚，号慕摧绝，痛贯心肝，痛当奈何奈何！虽即修复，未获奔驰，哀毒益深，奈何奈何！临纸感哽，不知何言！羲之顿首顿首。”

王羲之生活的魏晋时期，局势动荡不安与变动连连。王羲之的家族要从北逃离到南方。明显的，这封信是他在知道祖坟在北方遭受到破坏与损坏之后，感到混乱与无助而写的。无助与悲痛的语言，非传统、强烈与无束的笔画，通篇表达愤怒与挫折之情。

强烈的感情，以非传统的书法笔画来表达情感 – 这些都是使《丧乱帖》成为名帖的条件与因素。

Brushwork: Zhong Feng 中鋒用笔

Cai Yong once said, ‘Let the tip of the brush always moves within the middle of the stroke.’

As Chinese calligraphy is a uniquely Chinese art, it is understandable that there is a lack of a suitable vocabulary in English for describing the subtle qualities of line that have concerned Chinese calligraphy.

Calligraphy is mainly about writing Chinese characters with lines and it uses materials such as brush, ink, and paper or silk. One of the basic criteria for good brushwork is known as zhongfeng, which literally means ‘centered tip’. The term has no equivalent in English because it is essentially meaningless for both Western oil painting, which is painted largely with a flat brush, and Western calligraphy, which is written with a stiff pen.

While it is a term that can be interpreted in different ways, the concept of the “centered tip” is absolutely crucial to an understanding of Chinese brushwork.

Zhongfeng, like many Chinese art terms, is profound in its ambiguity. It may refer to the way the brush is held, the position of the tip within the stroke, or to the brushstroke itself. The most common definition refers to the manner in which a brush is held and, in this basic usage, describes a method of holding the brush in an upright position, that is, it must be perpendicular to the writing surface - bearing in mind that almost all Chinese calligraphy is executed with the paper or silk laid out flat on a table. When the brush is held this way the tip of the brush naturally occupies the middle of the line as the calligrapher begins to create a line or stroke. No matter in which direction the brush is then moved - up, down, left, right, diagonally, or in an arc - the tip of the brush will always be within the middle of the stroke, provided that the brush continues to be held perpendicular to the writing surface. This will enable the hair of the brush-tip to spread out evenly in all directions.

It is generally agreed among experts that, when a calligraphy piece done in zhongfeng, is held up against the light, a thin line of thick ink should be seen running in the middle of the stroke, even when the stroke turns at sharp angles or in curves. Mi Fu told us that one of the best examples of zhongfeng, is Su Shi’s transcription of the Chibifu. Unfortunately the effect cannot be discerned in photographic reproductions. It is said that the entire piece is done in zhongfeng, and it remains to this day a standard phrase of critical acclaim.

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蔡邕说过：令笔心常在点画中行。

书法是中国特有的艺术，在英语词汇里缺少用来形容中国书法美妙的线条的字词，那是可以理解的。

书法主要是书写中文，应用的材料包括：笔、墨、纸或帛。用来评判笔法之好坏的其中一个准则就是‘中锋’，或‘笔锋在中间’。英语没有这个词的相对词，因为西洋油画用的是平锋笔，而西洋书法用的是硬笔，所以中锋对他们来说，没有意义。

这个词虽然有不同的理解，可是中锋对了解中国笔法是绝对关键的。

就如其他的中文艺术词语一样，中锋的含义模糊不清。它可以指执笔之法，笔锋在线条内的位置，或者笔法本身。最普通的解释指执笔的方法；而这种用法是说所执的笔要正直，就是说必要与书写表面垂直 - 记住书法是在与平铺在桌面的纸张或帛布上进行书写的。当用这种方法来执笔来开始书写时，笔锋自然就占据笔画的中间部分。无论毛笔向哪一个方向移动——上下、左右、对角、圆弧——如果毛笔能够与书写面垂直，那么笔心都回在笔画的中间。这也能够使得笔锋可以均匀地分散的每一个方向。

专家一般同意，一幅以中锋运笔而完成的书法作品，如果放在灯光下，不论它的线条是突转或圆转，我们可以在笔画的中间看到一条深线。米芾曾说，苏轼的‘赤壁赋’是中锋用笔的最好范本。可惜它的效果不能显现于影印本。据说整幅作品都是用中锋书写的，到目前为止，它还是为人赞颂的标准言语。

Wang Xizhi’s Story 王羲之的故事

Wang Xizhi (321-379) was born into an aristocratic family, but he was not enthusiastic about fame and wealth. When he first arrived in Zhejiang, he wanted to end his service for the government and retire to a life of comfort. The court loved his talents and wanted to appoint him as princely attendant and imperial secretary of the Ministry of Rites. But Wang declined these appointments. He finally retired from the government service on the ground of his poor health.

When he was young, he was slow and dull. No genius could be seen. In fact, he wrote more poorly than the other children. But his diligence in later years left others far behind. Whenever he took up his brush, he would concentrate so hard that he would forget about eating and his sorrows. Even when he was eating, reading or walking, he would think about the size and structure of the words and how to wield the brush. He would write with his finger. So eventually all of his clothes and books were worn out by his constant strokes. Once he forgot to have his meal while he was practising. So his dish was put on his desk. Not knowing what he was doing, he dipped his bun into the ink and ate with great relish, his mouth blackened.

When he was 20 years old, the Emperor’s advisor Xi Jian (269-339) sent one of his associated to Wang’s father to state his wish to have one of his sons as a son-in-law. Wang’s father told the messenger to take a look at the young men in the house. The messenger later reported to Xi that the young Wangs are all suitable men. However, when he arrived there to see them, all became tense and uneasy. There was one exception. He just lay on his back with his belly uncovered, nonchalant as if he knew nothing of the purpose of his visit. On hearing this, Xi said, ‘That one will do fine.’ And that young man’s name was Wang Xizhi.

Wang Xizhi is particularly remembered for his love for geese. Legend has it that one day, he visited the beautiful landscape of Shao Xing with his son by boat. He found a flock of gooses on the bank, he liked them very much and prepared to buy all of them. These gooses were raised by a Daoist who knew Wang Xizhi was a well-known calligrapher. He said to Wang, ‘If you could write Huangtingjing for me, I will give all of these gooses to you.’ Wang Xizhi was eager to get these gooses, so he agreeably complied with his demand and conditions.

It is said that Wang learnt the key of turning his wrist in calligraphy writing by observing how the geese move their necks.

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王羲之 （321-379）生于豪门大族，但他并不热心于名誉与富贵。初到浙江，他就想要辞官退休。后朝廷欲官授待中，礼部尚书、王羲之皆不接受。最后以健康理由辞官归隐。

王羲之小时候其实相当迟钝，看不出有什么天分。事实上，他写的字比很多孩子都差。可是后来的勤奋，他就把其他人都抛在后头了。每当他提起笔时，他总是集精会神的把餐食与烦难给忘了。就算是在吃东西，阅读，行走时，他都在思考字的形状与大小，及如何挥动毛笔。他会以手当笔。因此，他的衣服与书本都在长期的指划下而损坏了。一次，他忘了用餐，食物就放在书桌上。他自然地把馒头浸入墨汁中，弄到满嘴黑墨，还吃得津津有味。

他二十岁时，太会太尉郄鉴（269-339)派人去找王羲之的父亲，要求他其中的一个儿子当女婿。王羲之父亲告诉使者到屋内去观察一下他的儿子。使者回去报告郄鉴，说所有的儿子多不错。但是，当他观看他们时，他们都显得十分紧张与不安。只有一个例外。他躺在那儿，露腹而漠不关心，完全不把使者到访的目的当着一回事。郄鉴听后，说：‘这个不错。’这个年轻人就是王羲之。

王羲之最为后人所知的就是他爱鹅。传说有一次，他与儿子乘船旅游美丽的绍兴，看到一群鹅在河岸。他喜极而要把它们全部买下。这些鹅是一个道人所饲养的，而这个道人知道王羲之是个著名的书法家。他对王羲之说：‘如果你能够把《黄庭经》写给我，我就给你所有的鹅。’王羲之满心要得到这些鹅，自然愿意承诺他的要求与条件。

据说王羲之书法上的运腕就是由观察鹅转动它们的颈项而领悟出来的。