Johnson Tan Chin Kwang on Learning Calligraphy by English Educated 陈振光谈受英文教育者学书法



陈振光与他的书法 Johnson and his calligraphy

Today, Johnson Tan, an English educated, shares with us his determination and experiences in learning Chinese calligraphy.

As the Chinese saying goes ‘live and learn’, continuous learning is so important in today’s fast changing world that one must learn fast to catch up with the pace. In my days of primary and secondary education, the schools in Singapore are divided into English stream or Chinese stream. All pupils needed to study a second language in order to complete their studies. For me, I studied in an English school and Chinese was my second language subject. Chinese studies during my time were very basic and it is more a language consisted of oral practice and composition writing. It was always a struggle for me when it came to class test, examination on dictation or write from memory. For all we need to do actually was just to memorize all the wordings and writings by hard. How strokes were written was not considered to be important as long as the words look recognisable on paper and the phrasing is proper. I learned very little about Chinese classical literature or history, although I would like to learn some idioms that can be used in composition for getting extra marks. No Chinese brush was used then and Calligraphy to me was just something for a small elite group of Chinese educated scholars. I survived through this education system. And it is history now.

For me, conversational Chinese and reading the classic/complicated font are quite manageable and life goes on. Writing in Chinese is generally not common in my working environment and as years passed by I have returned what I have learned to my Chinese teachers.

And then there is a need to do business with China, as most businesses today cannot miss the opportunity created by this big and fast growing economy. However, this is becoming a challenge for me. If I can speak fluently in Mandarin and am able to read Chinese, I can position myself well within the China business circle. But, the fact is that what I learned in school is not good enough. The rich and long history of China are much more than what I had learned before and the Chinese literature, classics, poems, writing and many more are just alien to me.

With no regrets for the past, I try to find opportunities to read and write in Chinese. Now my weekends mean having to read the Singapore main Chinese newspaper Zaobao together with my daily Straits Times. In order to brush up my Chinese, I also watch Chinese classic serial movies like the ‘The Romance of the Three Kingdoms’, ‘Water Margin’, ‘Kangxi Dynasty’, ‘The Grand Mansion’. These are just some very good serial movies that conveniently provide me with some facts on Chinese history and other Chinese knowledge.

A Chinese folktale talks about ‘The old man moves a mountain’, which is actually about how ‘Faith can move mountain and without Faith, non-existing mountain will just be created’. There is also a saying that ‘A journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step’. All these encouraging and positive idioms are very useful and applicable in our lifestyle that I would like to share with you. I take the courage and determination to enrol in a 3-year learning course on Chinese Calligraphy and literature at the CCSS. During the 3 year period, I had the privilege to learn from my teachers, my seniors and peers. There are many pains and gains through this learning process which I can share with you in future.

To end this note, I must say that ‘If I can make it, you can make it too’, as there should be no hurdles or obstacles for an English educated person to learn Chinese writing or Calligraphy if he or she got the will power.

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今天，陈振光，一个受英文教育者，与我们分享他学习书法的历程与决心。

华人说，‘活到老，学到老’。在今天的社会，为了能跟得上社会的不断改变，不断与快速地学习是很重要的。我在读中小学时，新加坡的学校分为华校与英校。我们必须选读一科第二语文才能毕业。我当时读的是英校，而华文就是我的第二语文。在我们那个时候，华文科所学的东西相当基本，不外是口试与作文。每一次的班上考试，听写或默写，对我来说都是一种挣扎。这些学习其实都只是死记措词及苦练写法。字的笔画并不重要，只要字形在纸上看起来有点象，句子通顺就可以了。我对中国古典文学与历史所知不多，虽然我愿多学些成语，写作文时就可以多得些分数了。那时完全没用过毛笔。而书法对我来说是属于一部分华人高级知识分子的东西。我经历过了这样的教育系统。现在，这些都成为历史了。

对我而言，以华语交谈与阅读繁体字一般没有问题，而日子就这样一天天过去。在我的工作环境里，华文并不常用。一年过一年，过去所学的，都已经还给华文老师了。随着日子的过去， 需要与中国做生意，因为无人能忽视这个大而快速增长的经济体。这就给我麻烦了。如果我能说流利的华语，再加上能够阅读华文，在华人生意环境里，就能处于有利的位置。可是以前所学根本就不足够。中国丰富而长远的历史，远远多过我以前所学；而中国文学、古典经文、诗词、文字以及其他的东西，对我而言，形同外星人。

不去埋怨过去，我尝试寻找机会来读与写华文。每个周末，我会将本地主要的中文报 -- 联合早报和每天都读的英文海峡时报一齐读。为了加强华文学习，也观看华语古典电影，如‘三国演义’、‘水浒传’、‘康熙王朝’、‘大宅门’。我也很轻松地从这些连续剧得到中国一些历史与其他方面的知识。

智者言‘移公移山’是指‘信念可以移动山丘，没有信念，不存的山丘就也存在’。亦言：‘千里之行，始于足下。’这些含有积极与鼓舞意义的成语都是我想与大家分享的 ，有利于我们应用于日常生活之中。我鼓起勇气参加了书协的三年书法与文学课程。在这三年间，我庆幸能从我的师长、学长 、同学中学习。以后，我将继续与各位分享我的学习过程中的甘与苦。

最后，我要说的是‘我能，你当然也能！’每一位受英文教育者，只要他有意志力，学习华文与书法是没有障碍的。

Su Demao on Pre-requisites for Learning Running-Cursive Script 苏德茂：具备怎么的条件可以学行草

李白诗：月下独酌

Generally speaking, a basic pre-requisite is that one must have learned the regular script (kaishu). The regular script here refers to more than the model calligraphic works by Ouyang Xun, Yan Zhenqing and Liu Gongquan. It is used in a broader sense to refer to the rubbings made from the Northern Stone Inscriptions, such as Zhang Menglong Tablet, Zheng Wengong Tablet, Wei Lingcang Tablet and that from the Southern Stone Inscriptions such as Cuan Longyan Tablet, as well as rubbings of clerical script (lishu) of Han dynasty, such as Ritual Vessels, Mount Fenglong Tablet, Cao Quan Tablet and Stone Gate, etc. It will be better if one has learned the basics of writing the running-regular script and has practiced on Chu Suiliang’s Classic of Secret Revelation (Yinfu Jing) in large words and Ni Kuan Zan, or Preface to Buddha’s Teaching Made by Pasting Together Words from Wang Xizhi’s calligraphy.

When we talk about pre-requisite or basics, we do not refer to the highest level of skills in the writing of regular script. (There are many people in Singapore practice Cao Quan for more than 20 years with no desire to go into running-cursive script; I have also come across people who spend their life time in writing stately the styles of Ouyang Xun and Yan Zhengqing.) What is required is that one must have mastered the basic brush techniques. It should be sufficient to select two or three of the above mentioned model works and practice on them for about two years. (It is better to practice under guidance of a teacher. However, there are many calligraphy teachers in Singapore prefer to let their students copy their own calligraphic work rather than guide the learners to practice on suitable model calligraphic works.)

I have also seen many people go straight into learning the running-cursive script without first acquiring the basic calligraphic techniques. These people just follow their teachers: they just write the way their teachers write, just copy their teachers’ work. Without first going through systematic training on basic brush techniques, and master the basic skills in writing the running-cursive script, one not only takes longer time to learn, but one also will not be able to achieve the result effectively.

As a general principle, one can start learning to write running-cursive script after two to three years of copying skills training. (Those who have been trained in writing clerical script, i.e. lishu, will have clear advantage in learning running-cursive script, regardless which model works they choose to practice.) However, those who have learned the correct copying techniques will have great advantage over those who just practice writing aimlessly.

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通常情况下，要具备已学过楷书的条件。这里是广义的楷书，非专指如欧、颜、柳的唐楷作品，诸如北碑张猛龙、郑文公、魏灵藏及南碑爨龙颜，还包括汉隶如礼器、封龙山、曹全、石门等碑刻。若有行楷的基础，如已临过褚遂良大字阴符经、倪宽赞或集王字圣教序，则更好。

所说具有一定条件或基础，并非对楷书的书写的书写已运用精熟。（如新加坡多有临曹全愈二十年者，但没有想写行草的渴求；我也见过写端庄之欧、颜者，终身不弃。）只要求掌握其基本笔法即可。正常上述碑帖选上二、三种，总计写约二年，则足矣。（有教师指导为好。新加坡多有书法教师，为数可观者多让学员临习教师写的字，而非指导写适合学员学习的法帖。）

没有书写基础，直接步入写行草书者，在新加坡我见过。他们常常跟着教师跑，教师些什么他们写什么，教师怎么写他们也怎么写。没有对基本笔法的系统训练，让他们掌握行草书的书写技巧，不但学习的时间要拉长，也难以收到相当的效果。

原则上，已有二、三年书写实践者（不管写过那种碑帖，无疑写过隶书的人，学习行草，底气会更足），都可以写行草书。只不过有临帖实践者，学习的优势要大大超过没有临帖，只是随便涂鸦者。

苏德茂

2010年10月15日



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苏德茂写草书歌行

Chu Suiliang 褚遂良

Chu Suiliang (597–658) was one of the greatest calligraphers in early Tang Dynasty. Chu Suiliang was born in 597, during the reign of Emperor Wen of Sui. His father Chu Liang had been a mid-level official during both Chen Dynasty and Sui Dynasty, and was known for his literary abilities. Chu Liang was in charge of court protocol matters in the Sui Dynasty together with Ouyang Xun, a famous calligrapher. He provided a good condition for his son to learn calligraphy.

Chu Suiliang 褚遂良

By 636, when Li Shimin had been emperor for 10 years as Emperor Taizong, Chu Suiliang was serving as a low-level official in the imperial archival bureau, when he was put in charge of recording Emperor Taizong's acts for historical records. In 644, when Emperor Taizong, at an imperial gathering, stated to his key officials their strengths and weaknesses, he spoke, with regard to Chu:

‘Chu Suiliang is knowledgeable and firm. He often submitted faithful advice and is close to my heart, just as a delicate bird that deserves tender treatment.’

Chu Suilang became one of Taizong’s trusted officers and was promoted to be Head of the Legislative Bureau. After Taizong’s death, Zhangsun Wuji and Chu Suiliang worked well together and were effective in assisting Emperor Gaozong in governance, and that therefore, early in Emperor Gaozong's reign, the government was as effective as during the reign of Emperor Taizong. Later due to his strong objection to Gaozong’s decision to make Wu Zetian his new empress, Chu was not entrusted with heavy responsibility. He passed away shortly in 658.

In calligraphy, Chu Suiliang was able to learn from difficult styles and took the advantage to create his own style. According to the history, he had learned from Ouyang Xun, Yu Shinan successively and later was influenced by Wang Xizhi and Wang Xianzhi’s calligraphy. His calligraphy is known as ‘Chu Style Calligraphy’.

Some of the famous calligraphic works by Chu Suiliang are Notes for Yinque Buddhist Niche, Stele Inscriptions for Master Meng and Preface for Sacred Instruction in Tower of Wild Goose.

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褚遂良（597-658）为初唐大书法家之一。褚遂良出生于597年，隋文帝当政时期。他的父亲褚亮在陈、隋朝当个中级官员，以文才出名。褚亮在隋朝宫中与欧阳询公掌管礼仪制度。他为褚遂良学习书法提供了良好条件。

公元636年，李世民已经做了十年的唐太宗，褚遂良还是个起居郎的小官，负责记录皇帝日常行动与国家大事。公元644年，太宗在宫廷集会，评论各官员的优缺点时，这么说褚遂良：

‘褚遂良学问稍长，性亦坚正，既写忠诚，甚亲附于朕，譬如飞鸟依人，自加怜爱。’

褚遂良成为太宗所信任的臣子之一，官至中书郎。太宗死后，长孙无忌与褚遂良共同有效地辅助高宗皇帝治理国家，以致政府与太宗时期一样有效率。后来因为反对高宗立武则天为后而不被重用，不久,褚遂良逝世于658年。

在书法上，褚遂良能学习难度高的书体，并以此来创造自己的风格。据史书所载，他先后向欧阳询与虞世南学习书法，后来受王羲之与王献之书法的影响。他的书法被称为褚体。

褚遂良的名法帖包括：《伊阙佛龛碑》、《孟法师碑》、《雁塔圣教序》。

The Small Seal Script 小篆

Before the Qin conquest of the last remaining six of the Seven Warring States of China, local styles of characters evolved independently of one another for centuries producing what are called the scripts of the Six States. At that time, different states had simplified and decorated characters in different ways for practical use, so there were several different forms for the same character.

To strengthen his reign, the first emperor Qin Shihuang took a series of measures to intensify the centralised feudal society and standardising the writing script was one of the measures. Prime Minister Li Si created small seal script on the basis of big seal script and made it the official script for the whole country.

There are two uses of the term seal script, the Large or Great Seal script and the Lesser or Small Seal Script; the latter is also simply called seal script, or Qin seal script. The Large Seal script was originally referred to writing of the Qin system similar to but earlier than the Small Seal. Later it was used to refer to Western Zhou and Shang writing, such bronze and oracle bones inscriptions. Since the term is used loosely without clearly referring to any specific historical script and is not used with any consensus in meaning, modern scholars tend to avoid it, and when referring to seal script, generally mean the (small) seal script of the Qin system.

Prime Minister Li Si systematized the seal script through elimination of most variant structures, is said to have compiled ‘Cangjie Pian’, a non-extant work of character recognition listing some 3,300 Chinese characters in small seal script.

After the collapse of Qin dynasty, the standardized seal script was still widely used for decorative engraving and seals (name chops, or signets) in the Han dynasty. Ever since, its predominant use has been in seals, hence the English name.

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秦灭战国七雄中的其他六雄前，几个世纪以来，各地字体各自独立发展，形成所谓的六国文字。当时，各国在应用上以不同的方式来简化与修饰文字，造成一个字有几种不同写法。

为了强化政权，秦始皇采取了一系列的措施来深化中央控制的封建社会；书同文就是其中的一项措施。宰相李斯以大篆为基础创制了小篆，使它成为全国的官方文字。

篆书有两种，一种叫大篆，另一种叫小篆。小篆也称篆书，或秦篆。大篆原指小篆以前的相似的秦国文字。后来用来指西周与商朝文字，例如金文与甲骨文。由于它的含义不清，不用来指定一种特定文字，用法也不统一，现代学者倾向于避免用它；说到篆书，一般指秦朝小篆。

秦宰相李斯去掉大部分的相异结构，把小篆系统化；据说还编了一本现已不存在的‘仓颉篇’，辨认了3，300个小篆文字。

秦朝灭亡之后，标准的篆书继续在汉朝广用来当作装饰雕刻与用于印章。此后，它主要用在印章，连英文也把篆书译为‘印章’。

Su Demao on Practice Calligraphy by Copying 苏德茂：谈临帖

We have completed compiling the Chinese text of calligrapher Su Demao’s transcription of his talk on ‘Practice Calligraphy by Copying’ the model works of famous calligraphers. The talk was give at the 77th monthly Calligraphy & Painting Exchange Gathering organised by the Teochew Poit Ip Huay Kuan on 26 June 2010.

The main points of the talk are:

1. 
   
   The new learners of calligraphy can start with practicing either Official, Clerical or Regular script. However, they must select good model works to start with.
2. 
   
   Copying model calligraphic works is the most crucial or important step in learning Chinese calligraphy. In fact, one may say that it is the only way to learn Chinese calligraphy. So it is important to select suitable model works.
3. 
   
   The model work is said to be good if its characters are clearly printed, are written in standardised way, and it is printed from the original copy.
4. 
   
   After a suitable model work is selected, the next step is to ‘read’ the work careful, starting with ‘reading’ the words. Reading here refers to analysing the way the strokes are written, the structure of the words and the composition of the work.
5. 
   
   One can start with copying a few words or a few lines first. After copying, check against the model work and compare with it to analyse carefully where goes wrong and re-write to rectify the mistakes made. The process must be repeated as many times as possible.
6. 
   
   At appropriate time, proceed to copy the whole model work as many times as possible.

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我们已经把苏德茂老师‘谈临帖’的讲稿整理好。这是苏德茂老师于6月26日在潮州八邑会馆主办的讲座会中的讲稿。

谈临帖

---- 临摹是学习古代优秀书法技巧的唯一途径

在座各位女士先生可以说都是书法爱好者，你们好。

喜欢书法恐怕是比喜欢钱稍差一等的爱好，它们都能给我们每个人带来不同的欢乐。喜欢书法能给人带来兴奋、焦躁不安和欢愉，能享受创造的快乐。喜欢金钱可给人带来物欲享受的适志及心意满足的畅快，并伴随身心的疲惫与失落。

在座有不少先生是新加坡著名书法家，如曾广纬先生，沈观汉先生，还有新加坡艺术界最高奖项 -- 陈之初书法奖得主。也有刚学习书法不久，书艺正在精进的先生们。

即便是长期浸润于书法艺术的人，或是刚学习不久，或是想投入书法艺术圈的人，都需要临帖。写得好的人或者有一定基础的人，通过临摹古代优秀法帖会使你书艺水平进一步提高；决心要学习书法的人，通过认真的临法帖就能使您会更踏实的进入书法艺术之门。

在书法领域，临摹古人的优秀作品几乎是获得技巧的唯一方法。

对初学者而言，关键是临帖。对学有所成者，即使是书法高手，有目的的临帖以补自己的不足，增长自己的才能，也是须臾不可离者。

对初学者而言，楷、篆、隶是可选的书体。要选佳本。

对有一定基础的书法爱好者，要有针对性的去选择自己的法帖。对初学者而言，将隶书作为入门，会在点画的丰实与笔法的学习上，打下坚实的基础。这对一位学书者的后来发展意义重大。

学书法老师之一就是法帖。法帖是学习书法的人的永远的老师。指导老师也是有意义的，他会适时的指导学者渡过迷津。真师难求也。

选定所习书体后，便是选帖。

对字帖的要求：1清晰，2规范，3尽可能选墨迹本作范本。坊间选字本、放大本，只能当参考。

现代印刷技术昌明，可供选择之法帖多多。

第一帖将成为学习书法的人毕生从事书法的基础。他将在这本字帖上投入大量的精力，也许是几年，也许更长的时间。

通过这本字帖掌握一种书体后，可进一步去临习同一书家或用同一体系书家的其他法书，在这种书体深入领悟把握后，可开始试着用这种书体来进行创作；并可广泛地接触其他优秀作品。

这个广泛的吸取，是为了发展自己潜在的多种素质，对多种风格的可能性进行尝试和检验，最终找到自己的道路。

临帖前，首先把该帖的前言（序）、跋都要读一读，以了解该帖的内容与风格特点，此如临帖时有烛光在前面引路。而照耀临帖时不灭的太阳，是确立于我们各自心中的牢不可破的观念。这个观念是什么呢？

我认为邱振中所讲的最为简单明确：“临帖的第一阶段的目标 -- 准确。要做到准确，首先是仔细观察范本。尽可能记住每一个字的所有细节。”

临帖之前的第二个工作，就是读帖。

刚刚开始读帖，要逐步培养能仔细观察范本的能力，并养成习惯。可读一个字、三、五个字，或一小段。虽说鉴赏好的书法作品只见神采、不见字形，但看明白所临写的是什么意思、字还要认识为好。当然有些字或一时念不出，但认识字形也是应该的。个别字有残缺或到后面又重复出现或暂时放过亦无妨。

读（看）这些字：

1. 
   
   有无大小变化。
2. 
   
   结体有何特殊，与正常情况相较有何种变异：紧密还是宽松、有否侧欹错落移位。
3. 
   
   每一笔画运行中（每一笔画皆有起、行、收三个过程）是何种形、势。(a.)每一笔画的起、收是露锋（方笔）、藏锋（圆笔）？收笔有出锋否：所用形式与出锋方向。(b.)该笔画线条的轮廓是直、是曲，中间有何种变化。(c.)每一笔画（线条）的长短、粗细有否变化。
4. 
   
   有否侧锋，是如何转化为中锋的。
5. 
   
   在这一小段，每个字那一笔是主笔，那个字是主字。其特点如何？
6. 
   
   节奏如何？笔画与部件或字之间是如何呼应的。
7. 
   
   转折处、线条的运动方向与力度特点，使用力量的方向和笔画衔接时的运动方式，分清平动、环转与绞转，是圆折还是方折。
8. 
   
   点画之间、字之间是实连，还是虚连，引钩、牵丝的起讫位置与重轻，特别留心牵丝的方向。
9. 
   
   若所临帖为墨迹本，要细心揣摩用墨的变化，在临写时作参考。若所临帖为刻本，在考虑到自己在临写时在用墨上应如何变化。
10. 
    
    后一阶段临帖时，如改变字的大小与结体、变更行列的安排，如何在临帖中布白，在读帖中亦应有所考虑。 

临帖的开始阶段，只需要练习一本字帖，甚至是其中的几行。就从读过的一个字、三、五个字，或一小段着手临起。赵孟頫 说：“昔人得古刻数行，专心而习之，便得名世。”因为写汉字笔画的方式有限，如古人归纳出“永字八法”，故见真迹数行，便可悟用笔。

古人见真迹何其艰难，今人真是有福，能很容易见到下真迹一等之精印的各种字帖。

临书时或选临一部分，或按帖序顺临下去。看起来，先临其中的几行，临写精到才是根本。相当长时间后，要临全本，多见字形，没有数量就没有质量。

开始临帖，一笔写一画（如楷书，行草书万不可以一笔写一画），

一笔写一字，

一笔写一组字，或二字，三字或四、五字。

探求原书作者书写时的具体动作，用这些动作试着书写，如感到写出的点画不准确，再调整动作试着再写，反复观察调整，直到把点画书写准确为止。

逐步落实读帖时的十项认识，要投入大量的精力，把所临法书从笔法到意韵，力求做到深入把握，以适应来日之创作。

邱振中说：“一位书法家所有的技巧，感悟都源于对一本字帖的深入。”诚然。用笔千年不易，结体随时代而演变。故此临习中，一定要紧紧抓住线条质感这一关键。

为提高临帖与创作质量，必须

1. 
   
   坚决杜绝信手书写。
2. 
   
   好线条的质量：遒劲、凝重兼及飘逸与灵动。折钗股、屋漏痕、印印泥、高峰坠石、千里阵云、陆断犀象、万岁枯藤等等。书写中宜注入诸点画线条的意象观念，久而久之，即有潜移默化之效。书法的神秘与玄妙，即在乎此。
3. 
   
   一定要避免劣质线条的产生，如牛头、蜂腰、鹤膝、鼠尾、折木、担柴等等。 

苏德茂 2010.6.16