Learn the Correct Techniques from the Beginning 从头开始学正确的技巧

If you have just started learning Chinese calligraphy, you have to focus on the followings initially in the same order listed here:
1.    The correct sitting postures
2.    The correct brush techniques
3.    The generally accepted principles of Chinese word structures

The main focus of the first four or five few lessons should be on making sure that the sitting postures are correct. This is relatively easy part of learning and most of the learners will be able to do it correctly after five lessons.

The next focus is on the correct brush techniques, which should be learned and applied from day one. Depending on the progress of learners, training on analysing the Chinese word structures can be started once the basic brush techniques are understood. It usually can be started from the eighth lesson onwards.

The benefits of correct brush techniques and principles of Chinese word structures will usually be appreciated only after about 12 months of learning, though the mastery of them requires a lifelong practice.

One of the most common problems of applying brush techniques is the glossing over of Qibi (starting the stroke) and shoubi (ending the stroke). It is therefore important that the learners must be regularly and constantly corrected on how to apply these two techniques.

Here are three other examples of commonly found mistakes.

1.    Fail to apply consciously the Zhong Feng techniques. (See diagram 1). The incorrect application of Zhong Feng (centred-tip pricinple) usually will result in having a stroke with smooth upper edge and rough lower edge.

2.    Fail to stress on the shorter horizontal strokes. When there are two or more horizontal strokes side by side in a word, the shorter horizontal stroke should usually be stressed. Beginners usually do not apply correct pressure to write these shorter strokes. (See diagram 2)

3.    Fail to emphasise the middle horizontal stroke. The middle horizontal stroke is normally the main stroke of any word; it should be emphasised and be outstanding. (See diagram 3)

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如果你刚开始学书法，你就应该根据以下次序几点注意学习：
1．    正确的书写姿势
2．    正确的笔法
3．    被普遍接受的结字原理
前四或五课要集中学好正确的写字姿势。这是学习中比较容易的部分，一般到第五课就可学好了。

另一个目标是学好正确的笔法。正确的笔法应该从第一天就开始学习与应用。看个人的情况，学习结字原理的分析可以在对笔法有基本的领悟后开始。通常从第八课开始。

对笔法及结字原理的好处，一般要在学习12个月后才开始领悟；虽然要精通他们却是需要终身学习。
应用正确的笔法的一个最大问题是，对起笔与收笔草率了事。所以时常与经常给学习者指出正确起笔与收笔技巧是很重要的。
这里还有三个常见的错误的例子：
1．    不能够正确地应用中锋。（见图1）不能正确地应用中锋会导致一个笔画的上面平滑而下面粗燥不平。
2．    短横划不重。在一个字中，如果有几条横线平行，短线应该粗重。（见图2）初学者一般无法应用适当力量来书写短划。
3．    不突出中间横划。中间横划一般是一个字的主要笔划，应该加重笔力与令其突出。（见图3）