New Chinese Calligraphy Style 发展新书风

Chinese calligraphy is a unique form of arts that writes Chinese characters. For Chinese calligraphy to remain a vibrant art, it must follow closely the evolution of Chinese writing system and the calligraphers’ ability to do so will ensure its practical functionality. In the last century, the Chinese writing system has gone through some major changes unseen in the last two thousand years of its history and these changes provide a rare opportunity for calligraphers to develop a new Chinese calligraphy style (NCCS). However, we have not seen any major effort in China in the development of NCCS; perhaps calligraphers there are too overwhelmed by the popular use of pens and computing systems as writing tools, which they think would drive Chinese calligraphy to become a pure art form. But, this may not be the case, as it is the writing and reading habits of people that give life to its functionality. It is exactly with this in mind that we should focus on evolving a NCCS.

So far, we have seen at least the following changes that have happened to the Chinese writing system:

1. A new Simplified writing system has been introduced and is now the official writing system in mainland China and ASEAN countries which include Singapore and Malaysia. This provides the most challenging and rare opportunity for calligraphers to create a new style of writing the Simplified characters.

2. A new writing and reading habit has been evolved today that the text is to be written and read from left to right instead of from right to left. The NCCS should reflect this new writing and reading habit.

3. The use of Gregorian calendar is the common and well understood among the ordinary people. NCCS should use it in writing the inscriptions (supplementary notes). (I wish to acknowledge that this point was brought up by my calligraphy classmate Low Chee Keong (Lu Zhiqiang)).

It is our wish that the NCCS would sustain the practical functionality of Chinese calligraphy, so that it can continue to be part of our life and living, appear in our hawker centres, offices, buildings. Our school also can use it as a teaching tool for the Chinese language subject.

NCCS can be written in the following Chinese scripts:

1. The standard scripts which include official, clerical, regular or simplified script.

2. The running scripts which include running-regular, running-cursive or running-simplified script.

3. The Cursive scripts which include zhang-cursive, cursive or wild-cursive.

Shown here are some examples that conform to the NCCS format written by famous contemporary calligraphers.
这里所展示的是符合‘新书风’的一些当代书法作品范例。
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中华书法是书写中文的一种特有形式艺术。如果中国书法要继续保存旺盛生命力，它就应该紧密的跟随中文书写系统的演变。书法家在这方面的能力可以确保书法的实用性。上个（20）世纪，中文书写系统经历了两千年历史以来未见过的几个重大改革；这些改革为书家发展‘新书风’提供了一个绝对少有的契机。但是，在中国，我们却看不到他们对发展‘新书风’的努力。这可能是他们对钢笔与电脑书写的普遍应用感到不知所措，认为这会导致书法走向纯艺术的道路。可是，事实可能并非如此，因为书法的实用性其实来自文字的书写与应用习惯。就是基于这个理由，我们应该集中精力来发展‘新书风’。

中文书写系统至今至少有着以下的变化：

1． 简体字的引进。简体字已经是中国大陆及包括新加坡与马来西亚在内的亚细安的正式书写系统。这给予书法家提供了一个最具挑战性与绝对少有的良机来创造简体字的新书写风格。

2． 一个新的书写习惯正在演变。这个新的习惯是由左到右的书写与阅读习惯，而不是由右到左。新书风应该反映这个习惯。

3． 阳历的年与月以为一般民众所普遍使用与了解。新书风中的题款应加以应用。（这一点是书法同门师兄卢志强提出的，特此致谢。）

我们希望‘新书风’可以使书法的实用性得以持续，继续成为我们生活的一部分，在我们的小贩中心、办公室、建筑物出现。我们的学校也可以用它来作为华文语文的教科工具。

‘新书风’可以用以下字体来书写：

1． 真书：包括篆、隶、楷、简。

2． 行书：包括行楷、行草、行简。

3． 草书：包括章草、今草、狂草。

I have re-formatted some famous calligraphic works into NCCS as shown below.

我也将一些著名书法作品更改为‘新书风’格式，见以下图片。

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Below are the corresponding original works.

以下是原作。

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Wong Joon Tai on Lishu 运开临隶书

It is inevitable that a new learner of Chinese calligraphy will ask these questions: Where do I start if I want to learn Chinese Calligraphy? What model calligraphic books should I use as a beginner?

Perhaps the easy way out is to find a good teacher. However, it is all too easy to talk about finding a good teacher.

Su Dongpo once said, ‘Running script is evolved from Standard script, and Cursive script from Running script. Standard script is like standing, Running script is like walking, and Cursive script is like running. It is not possible to learn walking before standing and to learn running before walking.’ In other words, you must master the basic skills by learning a Standard script before you are able to learn more complex skills.

Standard script refers to Official, Clerical and Regular scripts. As it is often said that all roads lead to Rome, so you can start the learning journey with either Official, Clerical or Regular script. But, our ancient masters also advised that, if you follow the very best, you probably can achieve fairly good result; and if you follow the fairly good, you can achieve only mediocre result. So, it is better that you choose the best method to start with. According to some calligraphy educationists in China, it is best to start with the Official script as it is the origin of the Chinese calligraphy. As Clerical script is the link between Official script and Regular script, it is the second best to start with. Regular script is the newest form of the three scripts, and when learning it, one must always refer back to the other two older scripts, and therefore it is the worst to start with.

From past experience, it is not effective to start with Regular script. This is because the structure of Regular script is too complicated and difficult to master. If the application of brush techniques is over emphasized, it will lead to a loss of interest in learning and therefore makes it difficult to achieve required result. On the other hand, Official script is an ancient script that is not recognizable by most people today, and as a result, there is a lack of interest in learning it.

It seems that taking the middle ground of starting with Clerical script is the most suitable way to go in our current social environment.

My own learning journey seems to confirm the above learning theory. I started with various Official scripts, and the feeling was that ‘not knowing what I was writing’. I then switched to practice Clerical script. At the Calligraphy Society, I was told to start with Regular script and then followed by Running script. This year, while learning the Running and Cursive scripts, I decided to practice the Clerical script again. I have discovered through this new experience that by taking the middle ground of starting with Clerical script, one can accomplish twice as much with half the effort.

‘The best method’ also refers to selecting the most suitable model calligraphic work to start with. The general rule is to select the most accepted calligraphic works and avoid those written by recent or contemporary calligraphers. Among the Han dynasty tablet inscriptions in clerical script, Cao Quan Stele and Ritual Vessels Stele are two shinning gems of the ‘delicate beauty’ category. New learners can therefore start with any one of them.

Shown here is my copy work of Caoquan Stele.

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运开临曹全碑 Copy Work of Caoquan Stele

学习书法，最常问的问题是：学习书法，应怎样入门？如何选字帖？或者，最好的办法就是找个好老师。可是，真师难寻啊！

苏东坡曾说过：‘真生行，行生草，真如立，行如行，草如走，未有未能立而能行，未能行而能走者也。’就是说，要先学真书以练好基本功，接下来才学复杂的。

真书指篆、隶与楷书。所谓条条大路通罗马，所以篆隶楷皆可以入门。但是，古人又认为，取法乎上，僅得乎中；取法乎中，僅得乎下。所以在这三种真书中，还须取法乎上。按目前中国一些书法教育者的看法，篆书是中华书法的源头，由篆书入门，就是取法乎上。隶书承上启下，是中间介入，由隶书入门，算是取法乎中。楷书由近及远，由楷书入门，可说取法乎下。

经验显示，由楷书入门，往往效果不佳。这是因为楷书结构复杂，难以掌握。过度强调技法训练，又会导致学习兴趣减退，难以达到学习效果。而篆书又远离时代，现代人已经不能变认阅读，所以学习的兴趣不大。

看来取法乎中，由隶书入门最适合现代社会的情况。

我本人学习书法的过程，完全体验了上述观点。开始学各种篆书，感觉不知在学什么。后来改写隶书；来到书协，又由楷而行。今年学行与草间，又花时间临隶书，才发现取法乎中，由隶书入门，的确能取得事半功倍之效。

取法乎上亦指最好法帖。一般原则是取公认好法帖，避免最近或当代书法家作品。在汉朝隶书碑帖中，《曹全碑》与《礼器碑》可以说是属于秀丽书法中的两颗闪亮钻石。任何一帖都不失为一个良好的入门法帖。

Calligraphers from Nan-an District of Chongqing City Visited Singapore 重庆市南岸区书法家访问新加坡

A delegation comprising 19 calligraphers from the Nan-an District of Chongqing City, China arrived in Singapore on the evening of 17 Nov 2010. The delegation is led by the Chairman of the Calligraphers Association of Nan-an District, Chongqing City. Tan Bee Kiang (Chen Meijuan), the Secretary-cum-Vice President of the Shicheng Calligraphy and Seal-Carving Society (SCSCS), represented the Singapore host to welcome them at the Changi International Airport.

During the two-day visit to Singapore, the delegation attended the opening ceremony of the 12th National Teochew Artists Calligraphy and Painting Exhibition. They also visited the National Library and the National Art Museum. The calligraphic work ‘Guangbo Nengmiao’ (meaning extensive and profound knowledge can do wonder) in Zhang style of Cursive script by the leader of the delegation Zhang Wencan, and past issues of the Weekly Calligraphy Guide and Journal of Calligraphy that contained essays written by Zhang were collected by the National Library.

On the evening of 18 Nov, the delegation arrived at the 2nd storey of the Ngee Ann Cultural Centre for an exchange gathering with the Singapore counterparts. The following from Singapore attended the gathering: the SCSCS’s Advisors Ang Hoon Seng (Hong Yunsheng), Liu Pau Kiang (Liao Baoqiang) Chen Guangyi, President Chang Kwang Wee (Zeng Guangwei), Vice Presidents Goh Yao Kee (Wu Yaoji) and Tan Bee Kiang, together with council members Heng Wei Chia (Wang Huaizheng), Goh Toh Biow (Wu Duobiao), Chua Tok Nam (Cai Zhuonan), Sim Soong kee (Shen Songji) and Amy Lim Twan Yuan (Chen Duanyuan), the Siaw-Tao Chinese Seal-Carving Calligraphy & Painting Society’s President Tan Kee Sek (Ceng Jice), and the Senior Citizen Calligraphy and Painting Society’s President Tan Ching Yam (Chen Qingye).

As one of the calligraphy exchange activites, Zhang Wencan, Gan Lin, Yang Guiming, Nie Hui, Zai Sanqi, Zai Wuqiao, Tang Weiqun, Xie Lun , Xie Feidong, Xu Baohua and the Singaporean calligraphers displayed their calligraphic skills by writing calligraphy on the spot. It was a rather pleasure experience to learn from each other. The calligraphers also exchanged souvenir gifts.

Both sides also presented other cultural items. The Singapore side presented singing, dancing and painting items that reflect a unique Singapore flavour. The delegation form China presented various cultural items. Zhang Wencan, the delegation leader interpreted various poems, Jiang Yan, the deputy leader and President of the Opera Association sang Beijing Opera, the former president of the Calligraphers Association Yang Guiming sang folk songs, etc. Finally the gathering ended with all citing ‘Chinese Calligraphy’, a poem written by Zai Sanqi.

After concluded the visit to Singapore, the delegation headed north to visit Malaysia, holding exchange gatherings with calligraphers in Malacca and Johor.

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11月17日傍晚，重庆南岸区文联书法家代表团一行19人，在重庆市南岸区书法家协会主席章文灿率领下抵达新加坡，狮城书法篆刻会秘书兼副会长陈 美娟等代表地主前往樟宜机场迎接。

在新加坡的两天期间，代表团出席了‘第12届潮人书法展’的开幕仪式，还特地访问了新加坡国立图书馆和国家美术馆。团长章文灿章草作品“广博能妙”和分别刊登在《书法导报》、《书法报》上的书法论文一起被新加坡国立图书馆永久收藏。

11月18日傍晚，重庆南岸文联访新团在义安文化中心二楼，与新加坡书法同道进行笔会交流，狮城书法篆刻会顾问洪云生、廖宝强、陈光亿，狮城书法篆刻会主席曾广纬，副主席吴耀基、陈美娟、理事王怀正、吴多标、蔡卓南、沈松基、林端媛；啸涛篆刻書畫研究會会长曾纪策、新加坡乐龄书画会会长陈清业、旅新辽宁资深书法家苏德茂等数十位活跃于新加坡书家，出席了这次交流会。

在书法交流活动中，章文灿、甘霖、杨贵明、聂晖、戴三七、戴午桥、汤为群、谢伦、谢飞东、徐宝华等书法家与新加坡书法家一起现场挥毫，相互学习，并互赠纪念品，双方交流甚欢。

同时，主客双方还进行了相关文艺交流。新加坡曾广纬等体倾情演绎了新加坡的特色节目，有唱有跳，还有情景作画。代表团的艺术家们还将中国经典节目带到了新加坡，如团长章文灿激情演绎的诗词歌赋，副团长、戏曲家协会主席江燕演唱京剧，与前书协主席杨贵明的中国民歌对唱；谢飞东、聂晖现场演奏古琴并分别即兴赋诗；甘霖、陈幼文、戴幸秋即兴配舞现场草书等，都赢得了全场掌声，交流会过程气氛热烈融洽，最后，活动在全体团员共同朗诵的《中国书法》（戴三 七创作）一诗中圆满落幕。

代表团在结束新加坡访问后，继续北上马来西亚，并分别在马六甲与新山与各该地书法家进行书法及文艺交流。

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Writing Calligraphy on the Spot 当众挥毫：章文灿与曾广纬

Writing Calligraphy on the Spot 当众挥毫：載三七与沈观汉

Writing Calligraphy on the Spot 当众挥毫：甘霖与曾纪策

Singaporean Calligraphers Participated in the First Biennale International Arts and Calligraphy (Hainan) Exhibition 新加坡琼籍书画家参加首届（海南）国际书画双年展

Three Singaporean calligraphers were invited to participate in the First Biennale International Arts and Calligraphy (Hainan) Exhibition on Construction of ‘International Tourist Island of Hainan’, which is organized by the Hainan Provincial Tourism Bureau and the Provincial Federation of Literary and Art Circles, co-organized by the Provincial Calligraphers Association, the Provincial Artists Association and the Provincial Painting & Calligraphy Academy. The four-day exhibition, held at the Hainan Provincial Museum in Haikou City, was declared open on 4 Dec 2010.

The three Singaporean calligraphers who were invited are Goh Toh Piow (Wu Duobiao), Khoo Seng Kong (Qiu Chengguang) and Tan Kee Sek (Ceng Jice).

This biennial exhibition of calligraphy and painting is one of the important activities on developing Hainan as an international tourism destination. It is one of the biggest, most high profile and influential art and calligraphy events. It will be held once every two years with the aim to develop an attractive brand with distinctive cultural flavor. This will help to enhance the quality of life for the people of Hainan.

The exhibition received more than 150 calligraphic works from countries and regions such as Brazil, Canada, USA, France, Korea, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei, Vietnam, mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan.

(Notes: The English names of associations, organizations and events are taken from the Chinese official websites.)
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三名新加坡书法家受邀参加由海南省旅游委、省文联主办，省书法家协会、省美术家协会、省书画院协办的“建设海南国际旅游岛——首届（海南）国际书画双年展”。为期４天的展览于12月4日上午在海口市省博物馆隆重开幕。
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这三名新加坡书法家是吴多标、丘程光、曾纪策。

本次书画双年展是海南国际旅游岛文化建设的重要活动之一，是海南举办的规模最大、层次最高、影响广泛的一次书画艺术盛会。此后书画双年展将每两年举办一届，以此带动更多有吸引力和特色的文化品牌发展，促进海南全民素质建设。

这次展览共收到来自巴西、加拿大、美国、法国、韩国、日本、新加坡、马来西亚、印度尼西亚、文莱、越南、中国内地及港澳台等国家与地区的书画作品150余件。

丘程光·新加坡

吴多标·新加坡

Xiao Yawu on Chinese Calligraphy 萧雅悟谈学书法

Xiao Yawu shares with us his reflection on learning Chinese calligraphy as follows:

萧雅悟与他的书法 Xiao Yawu and His Calligraphy

In the days when I had nothing to do, I started learning Chinese calligraphy. However, I feel I lack perseverance and do not achieve much result after these few years of learning. After reading the posting by an English educated person on his learning of Chinese calligraphy (click here to read), I am full of all sorts of feelings well up in my minds. I am Chinese educated and yet I do not devote enough attention to Chinese traditional culture.

Recently I participated in the 12th National Teochew Artists Calligraphy and Painting Exhibition held at the Ngee Ann Cultural Centre. With a lot of encouragement from my teacher and classmates, I have also participated in a number of exhibitions held locally and overseas. I always think that I would have given up learning calligraphy long ago if not because of these activities. I am grateful to the organizations that give me the opportunities to exhibit my calligraphic works.

In the process of learning and reading the model calligraphic works, we always spend much time to continuously reflect and think about the writing flow, brush techniques and the compositional structure. When we find the ‘correct answers’, or enlighten suddenly after pointing out by teachers or seniors, the joy is really beyond words. Perhaps this is how it makes learning calligraphy fun. In the process of creating a piece of calligraphic work, there is yet another bittersweet brought about by this process of artistic creation.

For a new learner of Chinese calligraphy, perhaps it is this type of joy that encourages me along this learning journey. What I have mentioned here is just an expression of my own mental state. My knowledge on calligraphy is so limited that I beg your understanding.

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萧雅悟今天与我们分享他学习书法的感想。以下是他的感想。

无所事事的日子里，开始学习书法，总自觉没有一股毅力，所以，数年下来，自己还是写不出什么成绩来。在阅读了有关受英文者学习书法的文章後（点击这里阅读），身为受传统华文教育者，对华人传统文化的热忱却没有那么强烈，真是感慨万千。

最近，参加了义安文化中心举办的第十二届全国潮人书画展，这几年里了也参加过一些国内外的书法展览，都是老师和同学的鼓励与协助下参加的，我私下经常在想，要不是这样，可能早已经放弃了，对给我鼓励与鞭策的人，给我机会参与展出的机构都心存感恩。

写字的过程中，读帖的时候，往往为了笔顺、笔法、结构而反复思量推敲，在找出“答案”时；或经老师或前辈指点後，恍然大悟时，那种喜悦的心情，真是难以言喻，我想学书法的乐趣也就在此吧。到创作作品时，那又是艺术创作过程的另一种苦乐了。

一个书法的初学者，或许就是这种乐趣，支持着我继续学习书法，在此只是一己心境的抒发，对书法的领略就是这般浅薄，希望方家大雅包涵。

Chu Suiliang: Preface for Sacred Instruction in Tower of Wild Goose 褚遂良：雁塔圣教序

Chu Suiliang’s calligraphic style was thin and rigid, yet with free and classic elegance. The unique characteristic was blending some traits of clerical script into regular script. He was one of the few calligraphers during his period to defy the dominant Northern School of Stele Calligraphy and to use a relaxed, detached brushwork to express the beauty and rhythm of brushstrokes and lines.

Someone commented: ‘Chu mastered the charming and attractive calligraphic style of Wang Xizhi, which is like a beautiful lady unable to bear the weight of her own garments, the attractiveness is beyond description.’

The ‘Preface for Sacred Instruction in Tower of Wild Goose’ is representative of his calligraphy. The brushwork in Preface is typical of his smooth and lively style. The regular script style is interspersed with running script, its lines graceful and full of vigour. It employs the ‘one wave three reversals’ technique to make horizontal strokes; when starting and ending a stroke, it meticulously observes the rules for lifting, pressing, pausing and reversing. The steady, forceful brushwork and contrast between lines of varying thickness result in an omate visual effect.

In character structure, Chu Suiliang made a shape departure from the elongated shape of character of early Tang and broadened the structure to make them square and squat, paving way for the future evolution of calligraphic styles. In was on this basis that Yan Zhenqing further increased the width of the strokes and abandoned the contractive for the expansive structure, thereby achieving a radical change in calligraphic style.

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Preface for Sacred Instruction in Tower of Wild Goose 雁塔圣教序

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褚遂良的书法风格细瘦而健硬，洒脱而古雅。特点是它的楷书参入了隶书笔法。初唐书法家中，他是少数不跟随当时北魏书法主流，采取从容、超尘的笔法来表现笔画与线条的美丽与节奏感。

有人评说：‘褚书学王，得其媚趣，若婵娟不胜罗衣，别有妙处。’

《雁塔圣教序》是他的代表作。《雁塔圣教序》里的就是他典型的那种流畅生动的笔画线条，以行书笔法点缀了楷书写法，线条高雅，充满活力。他采取了‘一波三折’的笔法来书写横画；起笔与收笔细致地跟随提、按、顿、回收的法则。稳健有力的笔法、线条间粗细对比，达到了奇特视觉效果。

在结字方面，褚遂良不用初唐所流行的长方形字体，而向左右延伸为方形偏扁，这就给予以后新书体的发展提供了方向。颜真卿就是据此而加长横画，放弃向内收缩而转向向外扩张的结构，因而达成了书体彻底转变。