春节谈“囍” On Double Happiness

春节谈“囍”，据说这是北宋政治家王安石造的字。

中国人逢有结婚吉庆时，爱在门窗、厅堂和洞房器物上贴上红纸双喜字，它反映了人们盼望喜事成双的美好心理。而这一习俗的由来则与北宋名臣王安石双喜临门的故事有关。

相传王安石在年轻时，从老家江西赴京师汴梁赶考，途中见一大户人家的门楼上高挂着一盏走马灯，上面书写着一副上联：“走马灯，灯走马，灯熄马停步”。原来是一家员外正在为独生女招婿，上面还明明白白地书写着：“能对出下联者方可入赘佳婿。”当时，由于王安石要匆匆进京赶考，没有来得及应对就离开人群往京城而去了。

王安石到了京城，走进了考场里，主考官指着厅前飘动的飞虎旗出了一副下联：“飞虎旗，旗飞虎，旗卷虎藏身”，命考生应对。王安石甚为惊诧，此联恰与“走马灯”一联成对，于是还没等众考生开口，王安石便马上脱口而出：“走马灯，灯走马，灯熄马停步”，一下子惊动四座，主考官见王安石文思敏捷，对答如流，十分的满意。

王安石考完后即自京城回家，途中再经过那个悬榜招婿的地方，见围观应赘者络绎不绝，但仍旧无人对出下联。他喜滋滋地走上前去，不假思索地挥笔写道：“飞虎旗，旗飞虎，旗卷虎藏身。”众人看了赞不绝口，员外和他的独生女看了更是欢喜。于是，联句成对，姻缘成双，王安石又被招为了女婿。

正当王安石与新娘子结婚宴客之时，忽听大门外人欢马叫，两个报子高声前来报道：“王大人官星高照，金榜题名，头名状元。明日一早，皇上亲自召见，请赴琼林宴。”王安石闻之喜上加喜，与新娘子拜过天地，而后进入洞房。

新娘子笑着对王安石说：“王郎科试金榜题名，今晚又逢洞房花烛，真是大登科与小登科，双喜临门呀！”王安石听后，喜不自禁地说：“全仗娘子出得好联啊！”说罢，提笔在一张红纸上写了个斗大的“囍”字贴在门上。接着又赋诗一首：“巧对连成双喜歌，马灯飞虎结丝罗。洞房花烛题金榜，小登科遇大登科。”

从此，双“囍”字便成为结婚喜庆、吉祥如意的标志，并逐渐在民间流传开来，越传越广，直到今天仍在我国广为人们所用。

“喜”字，及其与“禧”和“囍”之间的关系，它们的含义是什么？都有什么不同？经查阅《辞海》和有关资料，首先三字的读音相同，都是读xǐ（第三声）；同时它们是近义字，只是使用的场合与所适用的事物有所不同罢了。

（一）“喜”：（1）快乐，如喜形于色；（2）爱好，如喜爱、喜欢；（3）可庆贺的事情，如贺喜、道喜；（4）谓妇女怀孕，如有喜；（5）姓，回族姓氏之一，主要分布在西北地区，元代有喜同。

（二）“禧”：（1）基本字义为幸福、吉祥，如年禧、恭贺新禧；《说文》：禧，礼吉也；《尔雅》：禧，福也；《明史》：五福降兮民获禧；（2）有时与“喜”通用，“福禄寿喜”也有写“福禄寿禧”的。

（三）“囍”：基本字义为双喜，多用于婚嫁等喜庆场合，表示喜庆与祝福。

怀素：一个吃鱼的和尚 Huai Su: A Monk Who Ate Fish

怀素既是狂僧，又是醉鬼，更是杰出的书法家。僧界狂人，耳熟能详的当然算是济公和尚，而怀素仅为文人雅士所传颂。怀素做和尚确实出了格，因为他坏了佛家许多的清规戒律，食鱼又吃肉，还喜欢饮酒作乐，不分场所，到处涂写，遇到墙壁写墙壁，遇到衣物写衣物……人人见而避之，却又心怀崇敬。他真实、可爱，不受世俗羁绊，不受佛家所囿，自然少了非议而被认同。

怀素传世墨迹，共有四帖：《自叙帖》现藏台北“故宫博物院”，《苦笋帖》现藏上海博物馆，《论书帖》现藏辽宁博物馆，《食鱼帖》曾藏山东青岛博物馆，现藏山东青岛图书馆。这里要提一下《食鱼帖》，因为怀素在《食鱼帖》中提到“食鱼食肉”的现象。

《食鱼帖》，亦称《食鱼肉帖》八行，古摹本。五十六字。29×51.5cm。钤有“希字半印、“军司马印”、“赵氏子昂”“项元汴印”等鉴藏印。他在《食鱼帖》中这么写：

老僧在长沙食鱼，及来长安城中，多食肉，又为常流①所笑，深为不便，故久病，不能多书，实疏②。还报诸君，欲兴善之会，当得扶羸也。九③日怀素藏真白。

注：① 常流：凡庸之辈。②此字左半已破损。③此字残损。

从这幅狂草手札，鱼成龙，腾云驾雾，旋风聚雨，一个旷达襟怀和极具个性的“狂僧”跃然纸上，栩栩如生，高迈之情，豪爽之意破墨而出，超群拔俗又在尘俗里。食鱼又吃肉，虽然犯了佛家戒律，却也似乎在情理之中。

杨秀发在《怀素的时代及其身世》一文中认为，南宗禅在惠能的弟子怀让（677～744）时期，于戒律的修持上出现了松动。当有僧徒问是否可以吃酒肉时，怀让答道：“要吃，是你的禄；不吃，是你的福”。由于此时的南宗禅并未达到晚唐的狂禅阶段，禅僧的思想处于发展演变期，人们对禅僧不守戒律的行为还不太能接受。因此怀素一方面饮酒食肉，一方面又常常感到不便：“老僧在长沙食鱼，及来长安城中多食肉，又为常流所笑，深为不便……”

《食鱼帖》书法高华圆润，放逸而不狂怪，笔墨精彩动人，使转灵活，提按得当，风格在真迹《苦笋帖》、宋拓本《律公帖》等之间，结字亦近宋临本《自叙帖》。亦有评者以为笔划稍嫌滞涩，枯笔中见有徐徐补描之迹，应是半临半摹之本，但勾摹技巧高超，所见只有唐摹《万岁通天帖》，能与比拟，结体笔划保持怀素书法的面目。就高古作品而言，早期摹本与真迹有同等重要的学术价值。鉴定家徐邦达先生1979年曾撰文论证此帖，学术界公认此为徐先生重要鉴定发现成果之一。《食鱼帖》经北宋人吴吉吉题跋，又钤有元代赵孟兆页、乔篑成、张晏、张雨，明代项元汴、项笃泰、华幼武和清代何元英等收藏、鉴赏家印88方，历四朝，传千年，流传有绪，是现存怀素四件公认传世作品中的佳作，弥足珍贵，堪称国宝。

Singapore's Chinese Garden Culture 新加坡的园林文化

以下资料由书法家邱程光先生提供：

过去新加坡钜富府宅，也有不少拥有中华传统式的私人园林，以供亲戚及友朋游玩和雅集；这些园林内设有庭台、楼阁、亭榭、园苑等，规模不一；但为了显示主人的高雅和素养，名家书画、对联、牌匾等皆不可少；这样的私人园林随着城市的之发展，家族之兴衰交替，以及后人之逐渐西化等原因，现已不多见。

由先后身兼中国、俄罗斯、日本三国领事的先贤胡璇泽（胡亚基Hoo Ah Kay，又名黄埔先生；1816-1880），在19世纪的六十年代修建的南生花园，这座新加坡第一座私人园林由多位广州园艺师所设计。

南生花园虽为私人园林，当却每逢假期或节庆之日，向市民免费面开放，成为华人逢年过节的欢庆和聚会去处。19世纪九十年代，为新加坡当年华人领袖，社会慈善与公益事业家，也是海峡殖民地华人中永久立法议员的第一人佘连城 (Seah Liang Seah；1850-1925) 购得，并易名为“明丽园”。

随着多年来物换星移，园林现在荡然无存，但根据历史的描述，园里有小型假山、人工湖、水族馆，精巧而矮小的竹子和经过精心修剪整理类似各种动物形状的花木，当然这座岭南风格花园免不了有许多书法精美的楹联、牌匾以及题字点缀其中。

另外最典型的，而且目前已成为旅游胜地，并供人参观的“虎豹别墅”，堪称为代表。

虎豹别墅也称为“虎标万金油花园”，初建于1937年，系由福建永定华侨实业家胡文虎为其弟文豹所建；胡氏兄弟早年在缅甸仰光经营“永安堂”中药铺，因创制“虎标万金油”而成巨富，后来又在南洋创“星系报业”，又被誉为“报业大王”。别墅将中华传统园林建筑及雕塑合为一体，将许多家喻户晓的华族民间信仰及故事如冥府十殿阎罗、西游记、八仙大闹海龙宫、白蛇传等汇于一处，巧妙地将中国民间传统及文化长久地保存下来，别墅后来公开供公众游览，而成为早年新加坡主要名胜之一。

别墅的另一大特色就是除了民俗文化、建筑及雕塑艺术外，还在园林内的许多牌坊、庭院、亭台、楼阁之上，请来名家撰联作书，更丰富了别墅的文化氛围与内涵

其中最令人注目的就是1938年底客居南洋的郁达夫，当时应胡文虎聘为《星洲日报》文艺副刊编辑，虎豹别墅主人就是胡文虎、豹兄弟，在主人的力邀下。郁达夫当时为虎豹墅所撰的几对对联，即传为新加坡文坛佳话。

这几对对联分别为：

题“虎豹别墅”牌坊中柱联曰：“山静白云闲，辉耀一楼花萼；澜澄苍海晓，望迷万顷烟波。” 题“虎豹别墅”牌坊偏柱联曰：“家学宗风承上蔡；山居树石拟平泉。”（见图1）

题“挹翠牌坊” 中柱联曰：“爽气自西来，放眼得十三弯烟景；中原劳北望，从头溯九万里鹏程。”题“挹翠牌坊”偏柱联曰：“天半朱霞，云中白鹤；山间明月，海上清风。”（见图2）

别墅入口“万金油花园”大牌坊主柱上之“万金”冠首联，联曰：“万水汇归，环海银涛收眼底；金樽共赏，前山翠黛展蛾眉。”意佳辞美，其书法更是融颜与北碑之长，惜联上未刻上名款，而不知何人所书。（见图3）

当然虎豹别墅尚有其他名家题的佳联甚多，兹不一一。

早年私家园林不少，郁达夫作为当年来自大陆才子，经常受邀为座上客，他就曾经为这些私人林园题了一些对联，其中可以查到的有：题新加坡敬庐联曰：“四面园林无限好；一楼风月不胜情。”题新加坡金马仓华林别墅联曰：“华夏家声承上党；林园木石拟平泉。

此外，郁达夫在新加坡期间，曾受邀到海南文昌韩槐准府中作客，品尝韩家所栽南洋名果红毛丹，也曾为韩家的愚趣园，撰写一联曰:“其愚不可及；斯趣有所为。”

“愚趣园”主人韩槐准是新加坡文化考古学家，于1962年返中国定居，此园当年为不少文人墨客、学者专家和艺坛名士经常雅集之处，这些名人中有郁达夫、徐悲鸿及许云樵等。韩槐凖也为自己庄园亲题了冠首门联：“愚到穷时方悟性，趣从幽处有真情。”郁达夫和徐悲鸿当年分别在愚趣园留了不少诗书画作品之事，一直是新加坡文化艺术界的佳话。据知郁达夫还为愚趣园题的对联还留有：“岂有文章传海内；欲将沉醉换悲凉。”这对集前人句的对联；郁达夫曾赠诗韩槐準，诗中描绘过两人相识相知的经过，“卖药庐中始识韩，转从市隐忆长安。不辞客路三千里，来啖红毛五月丹。身似苏髯羁岭表，心随谢翱哭严滩。新亭大有河山感，莫作寻常宴会看。”；另外愚趣园内还有徐悲鸿题赠的对联：“愚忱泥处尊唯我，趣味浓时兴不阑”，以及“愚趣斋”题匾；徐悲鸿也曾画过一幅红毛丹图，并赠诗韩槐準：“吾慕韩夫子，卜筑山之麓，宁静识物理，花果满其谷，甘美无比伦，饱食畅所欲，太平他年事，岁暮亦何速，暂别当再来，结聆效劳躅。”1951年暮春，身在北京的徐悲鸿在病中忽忆起韩槐準和他的愚趣园，仍强撑病体题诗并以汉隶书成屏条寄赠，诗曰：“十年长忆海南韩，愚趣园中嘉会难。篱落参差存古意，宾朋细品红毛丹。”

新加坡建国后的公家园林多为西方式，但其中有一仿照中国北方皇家园林，并由台湾设计家所设计的裕华园，建于1975年；院内的桥、塔、楼、阁、庭、苑等诸景，虽然也力仿中国北方的宫廷园林，在园里也有名家题写的一些牌匾，题字穿插其间，但终究为数不多，远不如虎豹别墅来得丰富，而缺乏传统园林的文化魅力。

图1：虎豹别墅牌坊

图2 挹翠牌坊

图3 万金油花园牌坊

愚趣园主人韩槐準(右)和学者许云樵合影于愚趣园。愚趣斋匾额为徐悲鸿所题写

愚趣斋的客厅墙上， 悬挂着徐悲鸿、康有为等文化名人的字画。

Cai Yong Created ‘Flying-White’ Calligraphy 蔡邕创飞白体

Cai Yong (132-192), also named Bojie, was a famous scholar and calligrapher in East Han dynasty. His highest post was Left Zhonglang-General, a military position which commanded imperial guard troops. So he is also called Cai Zhong Lang by people afterwards. He was also a theorist of calligraphy. Click here to learn more.

His clerical script was famous, and the comment was that ‘Cai Yong’s script is vigorous and with mysterious expressive power.

In 175, the fourth year of Xiping period under the Han Emperor Ling’s reign, Cai Yong and others made effort in revising the six Confucian classics which at that time contained too many wrongly used words and strained interpretations. They did this with the approval of the emperor so that the learners would not be misled. He also obtained the permission of the emperor to inscribe all the six classics on stone tablets and erect them in front of the imperial library. There were all together 46 tablets known as Stone Classics of Xiping Reign, also known as the Classics of the Imperial Library. They had great influence on later classic study and collation. It is said that when the tablets were elected, thousands of people instead came to study the calligraphy every day. They came in carriages that blocked the place and caused massive traffic jam. This was indeed a rare scene in the ancient China.

One day, he was summoned to see the emperor at Hongdu, the imperial library. The gate of Hongdu was in repair. While waiting for the call of the emperor outside of the gate of Hongdu, he saw the trails of the brush of workers brushing calcareousness on the wall. He was impressed by the trails and thought that was novel. He was inspired by the trails. After some research and study, he created the flying-white style of calligraphy, whereby the writing brush was used in a quick and elegant way to give the impression of being carefree and energetic.

Empress Wu Zetian (624 - 705), the only empress in Chinese history, probably was the only person in the history admired the flying-white techniques. She managed to develop her own style of flying white decorated with bird drawings. Her calligraphy was like her character, strong, expressive and bold.

Today, flying white is not an often used technique.

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蔡邕（132-192），又名伯喈，东汉著名学者与书法家。官至左中郎将，所以后人也称他蔡中郎。他也是一名书法理论家。请点击这里。

他的隶书很有名，有“蔡邕书骨气洞达，爽爽有神力”的评价。

175年，汉灵帝熹平四年，蔡邕等正定儒家经本六经文字。当时这些经籍中，含有甚多误谬文字与芽凿附会的注释。正定六经由皇帝诏允，以不贻误后学。又得皇帝批准将六经书丹于碑，命工镌刻，立于鸿都门外。碑凡46块，这些碑称《熹平石经》，亦称《鸿都石经》。对后来经书的学习与整理，影响很大。据说石经立后，每天反而又1000多人来摹写其书法。这些人所乘坐的车把整个地方阻塞了，这在古代的中国确实是少见的景象。

有一天，他被皇帝在鸿都门召见。当时鸿都门正在被修建。他在鸿都门等待皇帝召见时，看到工人把石灰粉刷上墙壁的痕迹。他被这些痕迹所迷住了，认为很有新意。他被粉刷痕迹所鼓舞。几经研究与学习后，他发明了书法飞白体，运笔矫捷飘逸，给人以潇洒不拘、精神焕发的感觉。

在历史上，中国唯一的女皇帝武则天（624-705）可能是唯一迷于飞白体的人。她总算是发展了她自己的飞白体，以飞鸟来装饰。她的书法犹如她的个性，刚强、表情十足、有胆气。

现在，飞白体已不常用。

Chu Suiliang’s Story 褚遂良逸事

Chu Suiliang (597–658) learned calligraphy from OuyangXun and Yu Shinan successively and later was influenced by Wang Xizhi and Wang Xianzhi’s calligraphy. He was therefore able to learn from different styles and took the advantage to create his own style, known as ‘Chu Style Calligraphy’.

When Chu Suiliang was young, his calligraphy was praised by Ouyang Xun. However, Yu Shinan’s calligraphy was what Chu admired most. One day, Chu asked Yu, ‘What do you think of my calligraphy as compared to that of Zhi Yong?’ Yu was one of Zhi Yong’s best students, so he replied: ‘I heard a word written by Zhi Yong is worth $50,000. Do you think your calligraphy can fetch that price?’ Chu asked again: ‘How about comparing with the calligraphy of Ouyang Xun?’ Yu replied, ‘I heard Ouyang can use any type of ink to write on any paper, and yet still can achieve result with utmost satisfaction effortlessly. Do you think you can do the same?’ Thinking that he would not be able to do better than these great calligraphers, he was discouraged and said: ‘If this is the case, what is the point of wasting my time on learning calligraphy?’ Yu then tried to inspire him: ‘If you can reach a stage where you feel your writing is smooth, your brush move naturally and ink flow smoothly, and occasionally can produce masterly pieces, then all your effort is worthwhile.’ Chu Suiliang was indeed inspired, and since then his calligraphy had improved by leaps and bounds.

After Yu Shinan’s death, Emperor Taizong had, on one occasion, commented to the chancellor Wei Zheng that there was no one that he could discuss calligraphy with. Wei recommended Chu's calligraphy, and Emperor Taizong immediately summoned Chu into his presence and was very surprised at his calligraphic skills.

When, on another occasion, Emperor Taizong put out notices of rewards, requesting that people submit works of the great calligrapher Wang Xizhi to him, many people submitted works purported to be by Wang, and it became difficult to tell which were genuine and which were forged. Chu was put in charge of discerning these purported Wang works, and he was able to clearly distinguish them without mistakes, and it quickly became a favorite topic of conversation among the people.

Chu was a morally upright man who always offered honest advice to Emperor Taizong's reign. Once, When Emperor Taizong wanted to review the imperial historical records that Chu was responsible for keeping, Chu rebuffed Emperor Taizong, stating that it would be irregular for an emperor to look at how an imperial historian was writing about him. Emperor Taizong then made the comment, ‘Do you record the bad things I do as well?’ Chu responded, ‘It is my responsibility, and I would not dare not to record them.’ The chancellor Liu Ji then stated, ‘Even if Chu Suiliang does not record them, everyone will.’ Emperor Taizong agreed with both of them.

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褚遂良（597-658）连续跟欧阳询与虞世南学书法，后来受到二王书法的影响。因此他能够学到不同的书体而博取众长，创造自己的风格，世称‘褚体’。

年轻时，褚遂良的楷书得到欧阳询的欣赏，而他最佩服的是虞世南。有一次，他问虞世南，‘我的书法比起智永禅师怎么样？’虞世南是智永的高足，回答说：‘我听说智永写一个字能值五万，你能够像他这样吗？’褚遂良又问：‘那比起欧阳询来又怎么样？’虞世南说：‘听说欧阳询不择纸墨，都能写得称心如意，你难道能做到这样？’褚遂良听了十分灰心，看来自己的书法难以超越前人，他说：‘既然这样，我为什么要再把功夫花在书法上呢？’褚遂良便启发地说：‘如果手顺而笔墨调畅，碰上写得精彩的，也是非常值得的。’褚遂良受到启发，从此书法大进。

虞世南逝世后，唐太宗有一次对谏议大夫魏征提到从此没有人可以与他讨论书法了。魏征推荐褚遂良的书法。太宗立刻召见，并惊异于他的书法功力。

又有一次，唐太宗出通告奖赏那些呈献大书法家王羲之书法的人。很多人多呈献所谓王羲之的作品，一时真假难辨。褚遂良被任命鉴定真伪。他毫无差错地详细鉴定，一时传为佳话。

褚遂良是个正直有道德的人，时常给予太宗忠告。一次，太宗要评审褚遂良所管理的宫廷历史纪录。褚遂良拒绝太宗，说一个皇帝要观阅宫廷史官书写有关他的纪录，那时不正常的。太宗因此问道：‘那你有纪录那些有关我的不好的事件吗？’褚遂良回答：‘那是臣的责任，臣不敢不纪录。’宰相刘洎接着说：‘就算褚遂良不纪录，别人也会。’太宗对两人的说法，皆点头赞成。

Anecdotes about Ouyang Xun 欧阳询轶事

Ouyang was born in the Northern and Southern Dynasties. He was intelligent since young and was very serious in his study, with a special interest in calligraphy.

He was totally engrossed in the learning of calligraphy. One day, during an outing with his friends, Ouyang came across a stele inscribed by Suo Jing, a famous calligrapher of the Western Jin Dynasty. In order to understand the unique feature of Suo Jing’s techniques of using brush, he stood there and studied carefully the inscriptions. The more he studied the inscriptions, the more subtle it became. Shortly, the sky became dark, but Ouyang’s interest in the inscriptions remained strong. He decided to sleep near the stele for the night so that he could continue to study the stele the next day. At the end, he went on to explore the stele for another three days before leaving it reluctantly.

He was often considered the best kaishu (regular script) calligrapher of the Tang Dynasty. His fame reached overseas so the ancient Korea sent a special envoy to the Tang court to acquire his calligraphy. According to historical records, Ouyang Xun was an ugly person, but his calligraphy was well known throughout the country. People were eager to obtain authentic copies of letters written by him and they treated calligraphy in their possession as a treasure. They would use his calligraphy as model works for practice. During the reign of Tang Gaozu Li Yuan (618-624), Korea sent a special envoy to capital Chang-an to acquire Ouyang’s calligraphy. Tang Gaozu said emotionally, ‘I have never expected his fame has reached thus far, even the barbarians in faraway places know him. When they see the brush work of Ouyang, perhaps they may think that he is a strong and big man.’

It seems that the Japanese also admire the calligraphy of Ouyang Xun. The Asahi Shimbun is one of the largest newspapers in Japan; it publishes both morning and evening daily editions. The four Chinese characters of its name that appear in the newspaper’s masthead are words selected from Ouyang’s calligraphy. When the newspaper was founded, it was decided that words written by Ouyang would be used. The three words ‘chao’(朝), ‘ri’(日) and ‘wen’(闻) were chosen from ouyang’s famous calligraphic work of clerical script ‘A Panegyric of the Imperial Temple’ stele. The word ‘xin’(新) could not be found, so radicals of ‘qin’(亲) and ‘xi’(析) were extracted to form the word. As a result, the energetic structure and bony and vigorous style of Ouyang’s calligraphy becomes part of the masthead of the newspaper.

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歐陽詢生於南北朝時，從小就聰明過人，對於讀書寫字非常認真。

歐陽詢對書法學習十分投入，有一次在旅遊途中，見到了西晉書法家索靖寫的石碑，他為了瞭解索靖用筆的奇特之處，於是仔細的研究，果然越看越覺得奧妙。 不久，天色漸漸暗沈，可是歐陽詢的興致依然濃厚，便乾脆拿了鋪蓋睡在石碑旁邊，等到天亮繼續琢磨。就這樣一字一畫的考究了三天，才依依不捨的離開。（原文出自《书林纪事》：‘欧阳询尝行，见古碑，晋索靖所书。驻马观之，良久而去。数百步复反，下马伫立，及疲，乃布裘坐观，因宿其旁，三日方去。’）

他被认为是唐朝最杰出的楷书书法家。据史书记载，欧阳询的形貌很丑陋，但他的书法却誉满天下，人们都争着想得到他亲笔书写的尺犊文字，一旦得到就视作圭宝，作为自己习字的范本。唐李渊武德（618－624）年间，高丽（今朝鲜）特地派使者来长安求取欧阳询的书法。唐高祖李渊感叹地说：‘没想到欧阳询的名声竟大到连远方的夷狄都知道。他们看到欧阳询的笔迹，一以为他是位形貌魁梧的人物吧。’

日本人看来也很仰慕欧阳询的书法。《朝日新闻》是日本现今最大的一家报纸之一，有早报和晚报。它的报头题字，为初唐书法家-欧阳询所书。《朝日新闻》近代在东京创办时，决定用欧书作为报头题字，于是找来欧阳询的得意之作，隶书《宗圣观记》，从中挑选完整无损的“朝”、“日”、“闻”三字，再把帖中缺少现成的“新”字，巧妙地用“亲”字和“析”字分别剔去“见”旁和“木”旁合并而成。这样，《朝日新闻》四字，就以饱满的形体，瘦劲的姿态出现在该报的首端了。

Bian Cai Sadly Lost the Authentic Lanting Xu 辩才痛失《兰亭序》

The calligraphy sage Wang Xizhi’s representative works include the ‘Inscription of Calmness’, the ‘Inscription of Crescent Moon’, the ‘Inscription of Clearing-Up After Snowing’, etc. Among them the most famous one is the Preface to the Poems Composed at the Orchid Pavilion written in walking style (xing-shu). The preface of a collection of poems written by some friends when gathering at the Orchid Pavilion (or Lanting) near Shaoxing of Zhejiang Province for the Spring Purification Festival, it comprises 28 lines and 324 characters, with each character in different shapes. The original is lost, but there are a number of fine tracing copies and rubbings.

The original copy of Lanting Xu was given to Wang Xizhi’s son Wang Xianzhi. After Wang Xianzhi, the calligraphy was lost for nearly 300 years until in the year 636, the emperor of Tang dynasty Taizong obtained it through cunning means from the monk Bian Cai, who was a disciple of Zhi Yong, an seventh-generation descendent of Wang Xizhi.

A story recorded by He Yanzhi and collected in the Taiping Guangji (Tai Ping Anthologies) tells how Emperor Taizong obtained the original copy from Bian Cai.

Half-way through his reign, Emperor Taizong of Tang decided that he would learn the calligraphy of two Wangs, i.e. Wang Xizhi and Wang Xianzhi. He had collected all their calligraphic works, except the Lanting Xu, which is known to be the best calligraphy of walking style. It was later learned that the authentic work was in the hands of Monk Bian Cai. Tang Taizong sent emissaries on three occasions to retrieve the text, but each time, Biancai responded that it had been lost during troubled times and he had no idea what it was now.

Prime Minister Fang Xuanling recommended that imperial historian Xiao Yi be despatched to retrieve it from Bian Cai by all means. Xiao Yi disguised as a wandering scholar, and he quickly became a good friend of Bian Cai, as they shared common interests in playing chess, citing poetry, talking about painting and calligraphy. One day, Bain Cai can’t help showing off the authentic Lanting Xu that was hidden behind the roof beam. Xiao Yi later stole the copy and brought it back to the capital for Emperor Taizong.

After he got it, Emperor Taizong cherished Lanting Xu as if he had found a most rare treasure. He ordered that copies to be made for giving away to members of royal families and his court officials. He said to his son on his death bed, ‘I know you are a son of filial piety. I would like to request a favour from you and I am sure you will not disappoint me. Will you?’

With that, the authentic Lanting Xu was buried with the emperor in his mausoleum.

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书圣王羲之的代表作品有《平安帖》，《初月帖》，《快雪时晴帖》，等。其中最出名的是以行书为兰亭聚会诗集而写的序文。这篇春天在浙江绍兴的兰亭修禊时，友人创作诗文集的序文共有28行，324子，字字情态不同。原本已失，但是有不少很好的摹本、拓本流传于世。

王羲之把原本传给儿子王献之。王献之以后的大约300年原本不知所终，直到公元636年唐太宗从辩才和尚那里以狡猾的方法获得。辩才是王羲之第七代后人智永的徒弟。

《太平广记》收何延之《兰亭记》记载唐太宗任何从辩才手中获得《兰亭序》：

至贞观中，太宗锐意学二王书，仿摹真迹备尽，唯被世人称为‘天下第一行书’的《兰亭序》未获。后访知在辩才和尚（王家的七世孙智永的弟子）处，三次召见，辩才诡称经乱散失不知所在。

房玄龄荐监察御史萧翼以智取之。萧翼隐匿身份，乔装潦倒书生，投其所好，弈棋吟咏，论书作画成忘年交，后辩才夸耀所藏，出示其悬于屋梁之《兰亭序》真迹，《兰亭序》遂为萧翼乘隙私取此帖长安复命。

据说，唐太宗李世民得到《兰亭序》真迹后爱不释手，太宗命令拓数本赐太子诸王近臣。

临终，语李治：“吾欲从汝求一物，汝诚孝也，岂能违吾心也？汝意如何？”

于是，《兰亭序》真迹葬入昭陵。

Zhi Yong: A News Maker? 智永：炒作大王？

Zhi Yong was a descendent of Wang Xizhi, the sage of Chinese calligraphy. He had in his possession many original works of Wang, including the ‘Preface to the Lanting Collection of Poems’ (Lan Ting Xu), which is reputed to be the best walking script in the calligraphy history. Naturally, he practiced diligently from this masterpiece, as well as from Wang Xizhi’s other works.

Zhang Huai Guan, the famous calligraphy theoretician told a number of stories about Zhi Yong in his book entitled ‘Judging Calligraphy’.

It was said that Zhi Yong lived and practiced calligraphy in Yongxin Temple for more than 30 years. He spent many hours every day at his calligraphy so that he used up many brushes. When the brushes became unusable or ‘bald’ with the hairs worn down to the holder, he just tossed them into a large bamboo basket. Over the years, Zhi Yong filled up ten of these baskets. Later he buried them together at a place which was later known as the ‘Brush Tomb’, as if the brushes were heroic soldiers who had fallen on the battlefield.

His skill as a calligrapher brought him fame and the demand for his calligraphy was great. His was best at writing the cursive style (choshu), which was known for being smooth and beautiful, moist yet vigorous. So great was his fame his house was always full of people who came to ask for his calligraphic works. The situation was so bad that his doorway or the threshold was damaged with deep hole by crush of people, so he had to cover it with iron sheets and bars. Zhi Yong’s nickname thus became ‘The Iron Threshold’.

However, there are those who believe that all these were some of his deliberate news-making shows aim to make him famous. If that is the case, Zhi Yong probably is one of the most successful new-makers in the history of Chinese calligraphy.

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智永是书圣王羲之之后人。他拥有王羲之不少书法原作，包括被称为天下第一行书的《兰亭序》。很自然的，他很用功学习这幅帖与王羲之的其他法帖。

著名书法理论家张怀瓘在他的《书断》中就讲到智永的故事。

据说智永在永欣寺住了三十多年，一直学书法。他每天花很多时间写书法，用了很多毛笔。当毛笔不能用，或笔毛脱落到笔杆时，它就顺手丢在大竹篮里。长年累积了十大篮。后来他把它们埋葬了，犹如它们是在战场上牺牲了的英勇战士。这就是后来叫的‘退笔冢’。

他的书法给他带来了名誉，对他书法的需求也就很高。他最擅长于草书。他的草书流畅而优美，润滑而强劲。向他要字的人多到每天他的家都充满了来求字的人。情况坏到他家的门槛都被挤出了洞来，需要用铁片来盖住。所以智永又被称为‘铁门槛’。

但是，也有人认为以上都是智永炒作或做秀之举，以使自己成名。如果是这样，智永可以说是中国书法史上最有成功的炒作大王了。

以下是《书断》里的原文：

永公住吴兴永欣寺， 积年学书，后有秃笔头十瓮，每瓮皆数石。人来觅书并请题额者如市。所居户限 为之穿穴，乃用铁叶裹之。人谓为“铁门限”。后取笔头瘗之，号为“退笔冢”。

Wei Heng on Lishu卫恒：隶书

It was during the Wei Jin period where that rules for calligraphy writing were established. Four families then were famous for producing many calligraphers and Wei family was one of them. The family worked hard for three generation at calligraphy and was particularly good at clerical script (lishu). They revived the old and learned the new. Three members of Wei family, namely Wei Guan, Wei Heng and Wei Shuo, are famous not only for their calligraphic works, also for their contribution to the theories of calligraphy. Wei Guan was the father of Wei Heng and uncle of Wei Shuo.

Wei Shuo’s essay ‘Battle Formation of the Brushstroke’ instructed artists about the flow and law of calligraphy. She maintained that the most important part of calligraphy was the brush, ink, and ink stone. She also recorded seven methods for holding a brush.

Wei Heng’s essay on the ‘Calligraphy Postures of Four Styles’ detailed why calligraphy should be considered a beautiful art form. Below is extracted from the essay that talks about the calligraphy of clerical script (lishu).

When time-consuming seal script could not keep up with multiplied clerical work in Qin, people in servitude were assigned to assist. Their handwriting was called clerical script, a shortcut of seal script. This script continued into the Han while seal script was confined to seals, banners and title of inscriptions.

Wang Cizhong of Shanggu standardized clerical script. The then Emperor Ling was keen on calligraphy, and his keenness yielded many skilled men. The best of the bunch was Shi Yiguan, who could write big characters three meters square or hundreds of small characters on a wood slip an inch wide, which he was proud of. Sometimes he went to a wine shop with empty pockets. He wrote on its wall while waiting his wine money from admiring crowd. When he had enough copper cash for the day, he would scrape the wall clean. He used to pare or burn his wood slips at the finish. To obtain his slips, Liang Gu pretended to be partaking of his drink, and then stole his slips when he was drunk. Benefiting from those slips, Liang Gu at last advanced to the Minister of the Ministry of Official Personnel Affairs. Shi Yiguan joined Yuan Shu's army later. The skilled inscription of Stele of Geng Qiu in Songzi County, which was erected by Yuan, is said to be his handwriting.

Liang Gu joined Liu Biao later on. When Jingzhou fell, Cao Cao recruited him. Cao appointed him the Magistrate of Luoyang, but Liang mistook it for the Constable of the Watch. In confusion, he bound himself to see Cao, thereupon Cao reappointed him to the Secretariat. Liang was a diligent secretary; this is why we can see many of his works today. Cao took delight in hanging Liang Gu's calligraphy in his camp tent and inscribing it on the boards that still hang in his palace. With his favour Cao thought Liang wrote a better hand than Shi Yiguan.

Liang was good at big characters, while his contemporary Handan Chun was good at small characters. He once said that Handan had the essential of Wang Cizhong's standard; his characters in fact exerted it to the extreme. His disciple Mao Hong taught in the Secretariat, whose clerical style is what we practice today.

By the end of Han, Zuo Bo was famous, but a little inferior to Liang Gu and Handan Chun. To the beginning of Wei, Zhong Yao and Hu Zhao defined semi-cursive (walking) script that comes into fashion today. Both of them learned it from Liu Desheng, while Zhong is just a little different from Hu. Each man has his own characteristics; however, both ways of writing are very popular among the people.

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书法书写的法则建立于魏晋时期。当时四大家族出了不少书法家，卫家就是其中的一个家族。这个家族三代勤于书法，尤精于隶书。他们振旧立新。卫家的三名成员，卫瓘、卫恒与卫铄，除了书法闻名，还在书法理论方面做出了很大贡献。卫瓘是魏恒的父亲，也是卫铄的叔叔。

卫铄的‘笔阵图’指导艺术家书法的形势与法则。她认为书法以笔、墨、砚为重。她也详述了执笔七法。

卫恒的‘四体书势’叙述书法何以应是美丽的艺术形式。下面是该文讲书法中隶书。

秦既用篆，奏事繁多，篆字难成，即令隶人佐书，曰隶字。汉因用之，独符玺、幡信、题署用篆。隶书者，篆之捷也。

上谷王次仲始作楷法，至灵帝好书，时多能者，而师宜官为最，大则一字径丈，小则方寸千言，甚矜其能。或时不持钱诣酒家饮，因书其壁，顾观者以酬洒直，计钱足而灭之。每书辄削而焚其捬，梁鹄乃益为捬，而饮之酒，候其醉而窃其□。鹄卒以书至选部尚书。宜官后为袁术将，今巨鹿宋子有《耿球碑》，是术所立，其书甚工，云是宜官书也。

梁鹄奔刘表，魏武帝破荆州，募求鹄。鹄之为选部也，魏武欲为洛阳令而以为北部尉，故惧而自缚诣门。署军假司马，在秘书书勤书自效，是以今者多有鹄手迹。魏武帝悬著帐中，及以钉壁玩之，以为胜宜官，今宫殿题署多是鹄书。

鹄宜为大字，邯郸淳宜为小字，鹄谓淳得次仲法，然鹄之用笔，尽其势矣。鹄弟子毛弘教于秘书，今八分皆弘之法也。

汉末有左子邑，小与淳、鹄不同，然亦有名。魏初，有钟、胡二家为行书法，俱学之于刘德升，而钟氏小异，然亦各有其巧，今盛行于世。

Sun Guoting on Wang Xianzhi 孙过庭谈王献之

In Chinese calligraphy history, the Wang family of the Jin Dynasty was famous for producing a large number of outstanding calligraphers. Accordingly to historical records, of nearly 100 famous calligraphers of the Jin Dynasty, 20 were from the Wang clan.

Of all the Wang calligraphers, Wang Xizhi and his son Wang Xianzhi are most famous and are jointly known as Two Wangs. For two centuries after Wang Xizhi’s death, his son was regarded as a better calligrapher than him. But their reputations were decisively reversed by the judgment of the second emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty (618-907). Until today, Wang Xizhi is continuously revered for more than 1600 years, while Wang Xianzhi’s popularity shifts depending on which scholars became advocates of his style.

One of the scholars who thought that the father is a better calligrapher is Sun Guoting (646-691). Below are extracted from his Treatise on Calligraphy:

Xie An (320-385) liked letter-form of calligraphy and looked down on Xianzhi’s calligraphy. Once Xianzhi gave his masterpiece to Xie An, thinking that Xie would treasure and keep the calligraphy. However, Xie just wrote his reflections behind the calligraphy and returned it to Xianzhi. Xianzhi was very unhappy about it.

One day, Xie An asked Wang Xianzhi, “In comparison with your father’s calligraphy, what do you think of your own?”

Wang answered, “Certainly, my writing is better than my father’s.”

“But the critics do not think so,” said Xie An.

“They do not understand,” said Wang Xianzhi. While Xianzhi gave such an answer in order to rebut Xie An, it was indeed too much for a son to claim that he was better than his own father. As a son, he should have set a good role model so as to bring honours to his family. In ancient time, Zeng Zi (505-435 BC) refused to enter a village called ‘Better-Than-Mother Village’ as he thought the name was inappropriate. Xianzhi learned the techniques of calligraphy from his father. He may have mastered the principles of writing calligraphy, but he probably only touched upon superficies of his father’s profundity.

Xianzhi had claimed that he obtained the brush techniques from the Devine. This attitude of refusing to associate his calligraphy with the family tradition is really no different from that of someone who faces the beautiful words on the wall but does not wish to see them.

Once Xizhi wrote some words on a wall before he left for Capitol. Wang Xianzhi secretly touched up his father’s calligraphy, thinking the touch up was really not bad. His father returned home and saw the touch up, believed it to be his own work, and sighed, ‘I must have been drunk when I wrote it.’

Now Xianzhi was shameful for what he had done.

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在中国的书法史里，晋朝王家以有最多著名书法家而闻名。据历史记载，在大约100名晋朝出名书法家中，王家就占了20名。

在王家的书法家中，以王羲之与王献之父子最出名，合称‘二王’。王羲之去世的两百年间，他的儿子王献之被认为是较好的书法家。可是唐朝 (618-907) 的第二个皇帝太宗的评论却完全颠倒了他们的名声地位。此后的千六百年，王羲之一直为世人所尊敬，而王献之的声望却视学者对他的书体的喜好而定。

孙过庭就是其中一个认为父亲的书法较好的学者。以下录自他的《书谱》：

谢安（320年－385年），素善尺牍，而轻子敬之书。子敬尝作佳书与之，谓必存录，安辄题后答之，甚以为恨。

安尝问敬：“卿书何如右军？”

答云：“故当胜。”

安云：“物论殊不尔。”

于敬又答：“时人那得知！”

敬虽权以此辞折安所鉴，自称胜父，不亦过乎！且立身扬名，事资尊显，胜母之里，曾参不入。以于敬之豪翰，绍右军之笔札，虽复粗传楷则，实恐未克箕裘。

况乃假託神仙，耻崇家范，以斯成学，孰愈面墙！

后羲之往都，临行题壁。子敬密拭除之，辄书易其处，私为不恶。羲之还，见乃叹曰：“吾去时真大醉也！”敬乃内惭。

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。

Zhong Yao Stole Calligraphy Essay from Grave 钟繇开墓盗书

Zhong Yao (151－230) was thought highly as the originator of kaishu, or the standard script. He is also famous for holding the view that brush techniques are the key to good calligraphy. It is said that in order to obtain the handwriting of the famous calligrapher Cai Yong, he even resorted to stealing it from another famous calligrapher’s grave.
Below is the story of Zhong Yao recorded in Selected Essays on Chinese Calligraphy by Chen Si of Song dynasty.
When he was young, Zhong followed Liu Sheng to study calligraphy at Mount Niudu for three years. He also discussed brush techniques with Cao Cao (Emperor of the Wei State during the Three Kingdoms Period), Han Danchun, Wei Dan, Sun Zijing and Guan Pi. Once, he found the handwriting of Cai Yong (a famous calligrapher of the Han dynasty) on Brush Techniques in Wei Dan's possession. He begged Wei to let him borrow it but was refused. Zhong became so angry that he beat his chest and stamped his feet for three days, until he finally vomited blood. Cao Cao took out his panacea and saved Zhong from death. Later, after Wei Dan died, Zhong ordered people to open his grave and he finally got the essay of Cai Yong, from which he appreciated the meaning of the theory that ‘calligraphy with much strength and rich in sinew is of sage-like quality; that with neither strength nor sinew is sick. One must discover the secret and comprehend the essence of calligraphy, and it is best to apply the principles appropriately.’
On his death bed, he took out the essay from his pocket and said to his son, ‘I have been studying calligraphy for more than 30 years. I have learnt so many methods without success, until I learned Cai’s brush techniques. Whenever I meet a friend, we will discuss calligraphy by writing on the ground. My bedclothes were lacerated due to my practice on them with my hand. I would stay in the toilet the whole day thinking of calligraphy, and forget that I am in the toilet. I also imitated the living things in nature from the calligraphic point of view.’
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钟繇（151-230）被誉为楷书之祖。他以笔法为重的观点闻名于世。据说他为了要得到著名书法家蔡邕的笔法论文还得从另一个著名书法家的坟墓中偷来。
以下是宋陈思在《书苑菁华》记录有关魏钟繇的故事。
魏钟繇少时，随刘胜入抱犊山学书三年，还与太祖、邯郸淳、韦诞、孙子荆、关枇杷等议用笔法。繇忽见蔡伯喈笔法于韦诞坐上，繇苦求不与。自捶胸三日，其胸尽青，因呕血。太祖以五灵丹救之，乃活。及诞死，繇阴令人盗开其墓，遂得之，故知?多力丰筋者圣，无力无筋者病，一一从其消息而用之，由是更妙。?
临死，乃从囊中出以授其子会，谕曰：“吾精思学书三十年，读他法未终尽，后学其用笔。若与人居，画地广数步，卧画被穿过表，如厕终日忘归。每见万类，皆画象之。”

The Agony of Artists 艺术家的烦恼

Yan Liben (601? – 673) was a famous painter during the Tang period. He was reported to have painted ‘Portrait of Emperor Tao Zong’, ‘Eighteen Scholars’ etc. One day, while boating in the royal garden, Emperor Tai Zong noticed a strange bird in the water and ordered Yan to paint it. While other officials were enjoying the scenery, the painter was most unhappy because he had to be busy with his brushes. Upon returning home, he told his sons that they should not, from then on, to pursue a career as painters. Nevertheless, he himself could not give up painting.
In calligraphy, Wei Dan (179 – 253), who had been a student of Zhang Zhi, had encountered a more frightening experience at the age of 50 that caused him to turn against the art.
It was reported the emperor Ming built a lookout tower called ‘Ling Yun Tai’ (Touching Clouds Tower) and it was only after the tower had been completed that the builders realized that they had forgotten to write the inscription ‘Ling Yun Tai’ on the signboard before it was hung.
Being a famous calligrapher, Wei Dan was asked to write three characters in calligraphy on a signboard that was hung at the top of the tower some 250 feet above the ground in the air. Wei Dan was put into a big bamboo cage and lifted upwards, struggling all the while to balance a big bucket of ink and a big huge and heavy brush.
Once at the top, he was struck by the terror and unable to keep his balance. Wei Dan held his breath, wrote the three characters as quickly as possible and then fainted. When he was lowered down, the people saw that his hair and beard had turned white from the effort.
After reaching home, he called his children together and told that them he would never practice this dangerous and possibly deadly art of calligraphy again, and warned them do likewise.
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阎立本（约601 - 673）是唐朝著名的画家。据说《太宗真容》、《秦府十八学士图》等画是他画的。一天，在皇家花园游船，太宗看到一只特别的鸟在水中，就命令他把它画出来。阎很不高兴，因为其他的官员都在欣赏美景，而他却忙于挥动画笔。回家后，他告诉他的儿子，此后不要以画画为职业。但是，他本身却不能放弃画画。
在书法界，张芝的学生韦诞（179 - 253）在50岁时所碰到的经验更为恐怖，导致他对这门艺术大为反感。
据说明帝建筑一个叫做‘凌云台’的看台，建好后，建筑工人才发现忘了把‘凌云台’写在牌板上就把它挂上了看台。
作为一个著名的书法家，韦诞被叫去把这三个字写在离地面约250尺的牌板上。韦诞坐在一个大竹笼里被吊起，加上一大桶的黑墨和一只又大又重的毛笔，韦诞一直挣扎求取平衡。
到了上面，他被恐怖所笼罩，不能平衡。韦诞屏住气，快快的写完三个字，然后就昏倒了。当他被吊下来，人们发现他的头发与胡须都因此而全变白了。回到家，他召集他的儿子，说从此他不会再写这个危险和致命的书法了，并告诫他们不要学书法。

PM Zhang Writes Cursive Style 张丞相写草书

It is said that the Chinese calligraphy is analogous to both music and building architecture. The brushwork takes shape in rhythmic movement that reflects the calligrapher’s mental flow. The Chinese calligraphy also reflects the harmonious balance of lines/strokes that form the Chinese words and the empty space, or the harmony of the occupied and unoccupied spaces.
The dynamic balance of the brushwork and the harmony it creates should be appreciated in a spatial-temporal context as the movement of the brush introduces a temporal dimension into calligraphy. The aspect of the Chinese calligraphy is most apparent in the cursive style of writing.
However, the emphasis on the temporal dimension should not result in making the words illegible. This was what happened to Prime Minister Zhang during the Song dynasty.
It is recorded that PM Zhang enjoyed writing in the cursive style but his handwriting was too illegible for recognition. All his friends laughed at him but he didn’t care. One day he got a sentence he liked, so he quickly noted it down with his brush. The paper was filled with lively cursive characters. He asked his nephew to copy it down. While transcribing it, his nephew came to an illegible character and stopped at a loss. He showed the paper to his uncle and asked, ‘What is the word?’ The PM stared at it for a while, also failing to figure it out. He scolded his nephew, ‘Why did you ask me earlier before I forgot it?’
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有人说，中国书法可比拟音乐与建筑。毛笔在有节奏的运行中反映了书法家的精神流动。中国书法也反映形成汉字的笔画与空间之间的谐和，或实与虚的谐和。
毛笔笔画的动力平衡，与它所造成的和谐应以时空关系来理解，因为毛笔的运行把时间面带人了书法。书法的这个状态在草书中最为明显。
可是，过于强调时间节奏，以致写成不可辨读的字是不可取的。这就发生在宋代张齐贤丞相的身上。

‘张丞相好草圣而不工，流辈皆讥笑之，丞相自若也。一日，得句，索笔绝书，满纸龙蛇飞动；使其侄录之，当波险处，侄惘然而止，执所书问曰：‘此何字？’丞相熟视久之，亦自不识，诟其侄曰：‘胡不早问，致我忘之。’