Writing Techniques: Use both Arm and Fingers 运笔：指腕并用

We noted that when applying the writing techniques, one must observe the principles of Centred Tip (Zhong Feng).

In writing Chinese calligraphy, a number of steps must be followed so that a stroke can be written properly. For example, in writing a vertical stroke with needle ending, one begins the stroke by moving the brush to the left. Turn the brush to the right. Pause a little. Pull the zhong feng, or central part of the brush, down and move the brush vertically downward. Before ending the stroke, lift the brush slowly so as to leave a sharp point on the paper.

Two concepts are involved in the process described above, moving the brush and turning the brush. The ability to move and turn the brush correctly is critically important.

One key principle of Zhong Feng is to maintain the brush in the perpendicular position all the time when moving the brush from point A to point B. It is generally agreed that the way to do this is to use one’s arm or wrist to move the brush. All other ways of moving the brush are not acceptable.

However, there is no generally accepted agreement on how the brush should be turned.

Suo Jing (239-303), the famous calligraphy in his essay ‘The Style of Caoshu’ said that in writing Caoshu (cursive scripts) ‘Dudu turns his fingers and Boying his wrists.’ One can interpret this to mean that both fingers and wrist can be used to turn the brush.

However, about a thousand years later, Jiang Kui of Southern Song Dynasty (1127–1279) made it very clear that ‘generally speaking, the brush must be held firmly and moved with high degree of flexibility. Do not use fingers to operate the brush, use wrist instead. The function of fingers is to hold the brush, not to operate it, and the function of wrist is to operate the brush, not to hold it.’ This is the first time in calligraphy history that the function of fingers and wrist was defined in clear terms.

Jiang Kui’s theory on writing techniques was accepted without question for almost a thousand years.

However, in the 80s of last century, a number of calligraphers started to challenge this theory. Sun Xiaoyun, a famous female calligrapher in China, is one of those who argue strongly that the only correct way of turning the brush is by using the fingers.

It would appear that one need take the extreme position of advocating either ‘use-wrist’ or ‘use-fingers’ method. Perhaps the best method is the traditional method of applying both fingers and wrist, based on the needs and writing conditions.
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我们注意到运笔法时，我们应该应用中锋原理。

书写书法时，我们应该遵照几个步骤来完成笔画。比如写垂针竖划时，起笔把笔向左上移行，把笔向右下转，稍顿，把中锋调整，笔向下垂直而行，笔划完成前，慢慢提笔，止于尖点。

上面所描写的过程，包含了两个概念：行笔与转笔。能够正确地行笔与转笔，至为重要。

中锋的一个主要原理是，笔从A 点移到B 点，笔杆一定要维持垂直。要做到这一点，一般的共识是以腕或手臂来行笔。其他方法都不可接受。

但是，转笔却无定论。

索靖(239-303)在他的‘草书状’提到‘命杜度运其指，使伯英回其腕。’我们可以解释为转笔时，指腕皆可用。

可是，千年后，南宋 (1127–1279) 姜夔却明确指出：‘大抵要执之欲紧，运之欲活，不可以指运笔，当以腕运笔。执之在手，手不主运；运之在腕，腕不主执。’在书法史上，这是第一次对手指与腕肘的功能有明确的说明。

姜夔的这个学说千年来一直毫不置疑地被接受。

在上个世纪的八十年代，不少书法家开始对这学说有所置疑。中国著名书法家孙晓云就是其中一个强而有力的认为转笔的唯一正确方法只能用指。

看来，我们不必要走‘腕运’或‘指运’的极端。或者，可以回到古人之‘指腕兼用’，视需要与书写情况而定。