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”。

Zhi Yong Popularised the Thousand-Character Essay 智永推广《千字文》

Zhi Yong’s famous calligraphic work is ‘The Thousand-Character Essay in Regular and Cursive Scripts’ (Zhencao Qianziwen). As the title implied, it was written in both regular and cursive scripts. A copy of it is now kept in Japan. The copy is said to be an authentic copy. However, some suggested that it was actually written by someone in the Tang dynasty. Another rubbing copy is now collected by Beijing Palace Museum.

The ‘Thousand Character Essay’ was reportedly composed on the order of the Liang dynasty emperor Wudi (464-549) as a form of instruction in calligraphy for his princes. Rubbings were made from works by the master calligrapher Wang Xizhi in the imperial collection to compile a list of one thousand non-repeating characters. Zhou Xingsi (?-521) was then ordered to put them to rhyme, creating lines of four characters each. The contents of the essay touch on a variety of subjects, including nature, society, history, and ethics.

Since all the characters are unique and of appropriate length (as well as familiar and popular among readers), the Qianziwen became a primary choice of text among learners of calligraphy and this turn motivated calligraphers to create model books for study, resulted in many great transcriptions of this text.

Copied and written in various calligraphic forms innumerable times through the ages, the Qianziwen became an important part of mainstream calligraphy. Consequently, almost all renowned calligraphers through the centuries made transcriptions, turning the text into a unique cultural phenomenon in the history of Chinese calligraphy.

The Qianziwen calligraphic textbook was originally intended for the exclusive use of the imperial family. It was Zhiyong who made it available to the common people. Zhi Yong spent more than 30 years to write more than thousand copies of the essay in calligraphy and selected 800 copies for distributing to all the Buddhist temples and monasteries in eastern China. Before long, recitations of the textbook could be heard throughout China.

Some were passed to Korea and Japan and had a significant influence on the development of calligraphy in these countries. In the 19 century, copies of the essay even made their way to Europe in the hands of French and English visitors to China.

This has ensured that Zhi Yong is remembered in the Chinese calligraphy history.

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智永的书法传世作品为《真草千字文》。如帖名所示，它是以楷书与草书学的。现传世的有墨迹本为日本所藏，论者认为墨迹本为智永真迹，也有人疑为唐人临本。另有拓本为故宫博物院藏。

据说，《千字文》是梁武帝（464-549）梁武帝下令在宫中收藏的大书法家王羲之书法拓本中取出不重复的一千个字，供皇子们学书用的。周兴嗣被令为这千字编为四字韵文。它的内容取材广阔，包括了自然、社会、历史及道德等等。

由于没有一个字重复，长度适当（加上该文广为人知与流行），《千字文》成为书法爱好者用来学习书法的第一选择，并由此鼓舞了书法家书写更多法帖。

经过历代无数人的临摹与用不同书体来书写，《千字文》成为书法重要主流。历代许多大书法家都有书写，因而在书法历史上形成了一个独特的文化现象。

《千字文》原本是皇家独用的书法练习本。智永把它带到普通人民的手中。智永花了超过三十年的时间写了千多本《千字文》并从中选了八百本分赠给中国东部的寺庙与僧院。不久，咏诵该文就遍及全国。

有一些书法本还传到了朝鲜与日本，重要地影响了书法在这些国家的发展。在十九世纪，这些书法还经过来访中国的法国与英国人带到了欧洲。

这就确定了智永在书法史里为世人所知。

Zhi Yong 智永

In Chinese history, the Qin and Han dynasties witnessed the most dramatic change of Chinese writing system. However, it was during the period of Wei, Jin and Southern & Northern dynasties that the prominence was given to the development of calligraphy. This period is defined by modern calligraphers as ‘the establishing period of Chinese calligraphy’.

Fast forwarded to Sui dynasty that was founded in 581 AD. During this period, the society flourished in every aspect, including calligraphy. However, calligraphy of the Sui dynasty, represented by Zhi Yong, was really just a transition from one high point in Wei Jin dynasties to another in Tang dynasty.

Zhi Yong, also name Faji, was born in Huiji (now Shaoxing in Zhejiang). His family name was Wang, and according to the records of some ancient books, he was the seventh-generation descendent of Wang Xizhi, the sage of calligraphy. His birth year was unknown. He first became a monk in Yongxin Temple and moved to Ximing Temple in Chang-an later. Yongxin Temple was originally the residence of Wang Xizhi, was converted to a temple for unknown reason. When it was converted, it was called Yunmen Temple.

Zhi Yong’s calligraphic works were first known by people in the Chen period (557 – 589) of the Southern Dynasties and became very famous in the Sui dynasty. So his calligraphy is considered to be part of Sui calligraphy. He was also famed by his student, Yu Shinan, a great calligrapher in Tang Dynasty.

Zhi Yong became a monk when he was very young and lived a seclude life in Yongxing Temple for 30 years. During that period, he got up early every morning and prepared a large grail of calligraphy ink to practice in Wang Xizhi’s model calligraphic works. He was good at regular script and cursive script. His work in regular script was brisk and yet precise, and his cursive style was free and firm.

His famous calligraphic work is ‘The Thousand-Character Essay in Regular and Cursive Scripts’ (Zhencao Qianziwen). It is said to be a piece from heaven, and is widely used by calligraphy learners as a model book.

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中国的历史里，中文在秦汉的改变最大。但是，书法在魏晋南北朝时的发展最为显著。现代书法家把这个时期称为‘书法的建立时期’。

隋朝于公元581年建立。这个时期，社会各方面都很发达，包括书法。但是，以智永为代表的书法在隋朝其实是由魏晋的一个高峰到唐朝的另一个高峰的过渡期。

智永又名法极，生于会稽（今浙江绍兴）。他俗性王，据古书记载，是书圣王羲之的第七代孙。他的生年不详。开始在永欣寺出家为和尚，后来到长安的西明寺。永欣寺原为王羲之旧宅，后不知为何改成寺庙，当时称云门寺。

智永的书法在南朝之陈代（557-589）就有所闻，到了隋朝就更加著名了。所以他的书法就放入隋朝来叙述。他的书法还靠他的学生虞世南而闻名。虞世南是唐代大书法家。

智永从小就出家为僧，在永欣寺过了30年出家人的生活。这期间，他每天很早就起身，磨了一大盘墨，临写王羲之的字帖。他擅长真草二体。真书活泼严谨，草书自由沉稳。

他有名的书法作品为‘真草千字文’，被誉为‘神妙之作’，为历代书法爱好者所临摹的书法范本。

Wong Joon Tai on Chinese Calligraphy 王运开的书法之路

Wong Joon Tai (Wang Yunkai), who calls himself a simple-living person, claims to have understood the meaning of life at the age of forty and started fulfilling that meaning by learning Chinese calligraphy at fifty. Confucius once said, ‘At forty, I had no doubts and at fifty, I knew the mandate of Heaven.’ That is to say meaningful life only starts at fifty when one knows the mandate of heaven and acts on it.

In 2003, Wong learned Chinese calligraphy under Lee Kim Guan (Li Jinyuan), practised lishu ‘Caoquan Bei’ (Epitaph on the tombstone of Cao Quan, Han Dynasty) for three years, also practiced briefly the ‘Maogong Ding’ (Incense Burner), scripts on bamboo of Han, and ‘Shimen Song’ (an Ode Inscribed on the Stone Gate). Happened to pass by the Singapore Calligraphy Centre one day in 2004 and enrolled into calligraphy class conducted by Professor Tan Siah Kwee (Chen Shenggui). He then practised the walking style (xingshu) ‘Shenjiao Xu’ (The Preface to the Sacred Teaching) for five years and Zhao’s walking style xingshi for one year.

In 2007, he was influenced by Han Yutao’s theory that Chinese calligraphy is philosophical in nature and is about expression of feelings. This had led him to study on his own the Western and Chinese philosophies, aesthetics. He then created three blogs to keep notes of his study: Follow the Desires of My Mind, Chinese Calligraphy and The Chinese Lifeworld.

The experts seem to advocate that the only way to realise Chinese calligraphy as an art of expression is to work on cursive style of writing (caoshu). Therefore, he probably will spend the next three years on Caoshu. By that time he will be sixty years old, and if anyone criticises that he is crazy, he should be able to accept that criticism with a calm mind.

The copying work shown here is his practice on Wang Xizhi’s ‘Shiqi Tie’ (The collections of some of Wang Xizhi's letters).

Confucius once remarked, after he had begun the study of the Yijing (Book of Changes) at fifty, ‘If I could hope to live some years more, long enough to complete my study of the Yijing, I should then hope to be without any great shortcomings in my life.’

In his case, since he started learning Chinese calligraphy at fifty, he would say, ‘If I could hope to live some years more, long enough to complete my study of Chinese calligraphy, I should then hope to be without any great shortcomings in my life.’

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王运开，自号‘简易居士’。自认于不惑之年肯定了人生意义，知命之年开始行动而学书法。子曰：‘四十而不惑，五十而知天命。’就是说有意义的人生是在五十岁知道天命之后，并有了行动才开始的。

2003年跟李金源老师学书法，临了三年《曹全碑》，亦临过《毛公鼎》，汉简，《石门颂》。2004年无意中来到了新加坡书法中心，报名进入陈声桂教授的书法班，从此临了五年的《圣教序》与一年赵体行书。

2007年受到了韩玉涛书论的影响，说书法是哲学的，又是写意的。于是自修中西哲学，美学，并创立三个博客来作读书笔记：随意运开，中国书法、华人的生活世界。

看来书法专家多认为书法写意唯有草书。所以他大概会在以后三年苦练草书。那时已是耳顺之年，如果别人说他狂，应能以平静之心来看待了。

这里所展示的是他临王羲之《十七帖》的习作。

子曰：‘加我数年，五十以学易，可以无大过矣。’

吾曰：‘加我数年，五十以学书，可以无大过矣。’

Stone Drum Inscription: The Origin of Calligraphic Rules 石鼓文：书法第一法则

The stone drum inscription was honoured by Kang Youwei as ‘the origin of calligraphic rules’. This is with good reasons.

The style of stone drum inscription followed quite closely the style of bronze inscription in the Western Zhou dynasty. It also influenced the small seal script in the Qin dynasty.

In terms of calligraphy, the stone drum inscription deferred bronze inscription in its full and pithy strokes, symmetric and balanced structure and almost square form as well as the ordered broad ways of writing. Compared with bronze inscription, stone drum inscription was even more regular. It adopted the complicated structure of bronze inscription, and its symmetric and plump long strokes and regular ways of writing was adopted later by small seal script. Most characters were in form of horizontal rectangle. They were ordered, solid, solemn and imposing. It primitive beauty impressed people of all generations.

Calligraphers believe that stone drum inscription set up the criterion for large seal script which is precursor of small seal script. Apparently, stone drum inscription was the transitional form between bell inscription and stone inscription, between large seal script and small seal script. With it plump, strong and pithy style, it was considered as important model for practicing seal script by calligraphers from all times. Hence it gained the honour ‘the origin of calligraphic rules’.

The Qing dynasty had witnessed the greatest influence of stone drum inscription on Chinese calligraphy. Masters of seal script, Yang Yisun and Wu Changshuo, formed their own style based on the style of stone drum inscription.

The great historical significance of stone drum inscription was in its strokes, rules of writing and artistic conception that had provided reference for later calligraphy.

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石鼓文被康有为赞为‘书法第一法则’，那是基于很好的理由的。

石鼓文的字体，相当大程度上传承了西周金文，又对秦代小篆有很大的影响。

以书法来看，与金文不同的是它的笔法饱满而含蓄，结字对称与均衡，略趋方正，章法整齐开阔，与金文相比，石鼓文更加规范。它采取了金文繁复的结构，而其均称圆润的长笔与规整的写法又为小篆所吸收。其字体多为横向长方形，整齐、凝重、严肃与堂皇。其朴素之美，给后人留下深刻印象。

书法家相信石鼓文为大篆设下了标准，又成为小篆的先导。看来石鼓文是金文与石刻文、大篆与小篆间的过渡文字。其圆润、健壮与含蓄的书体，为历代书家临摹篆书最重要范本。所以能够赢得‘书法第一法则’之美誉。

清代受石鼓文影响最大。篆书大书法家杨沂孙、吴昌硕就是基于石鼓文而形成自己的风格。

石鼓文在历史上重要的意义在于其笔法、章法与意境为后代书法提供了借鉴。

Gan Kee Leong (Yan Lu) 颜绿

Gan Kee Leong (Yan Qilong, 1907 - 1982), better known as Yan Lu, was born in September 1907 in Anhai Town, Fujian Province. In 1926, he attended the School of Arts Education at the Shanghai Academy of Fine Arts, but later moved to the Arts Faculty of the Shanghai University of Arts. He graduated from the university in 1930.

A teacher for most of his life, Gan had taught in China for 18 years before he came to Singapore in 1948. He tried several jobs but finally settled for teaching again. He taught Chinese language and Geography in Chung Cheng High School for 23 years. He was once a lecturer of the Nanyang University, teaching its pre-university students geography.

After retired from Chung Cheng High School, he taught at Sanyu Adventist School for 5 years before total retired from working life in 1975.

He practiced calligraphy since young. He learned to use the brush with a five-kilogram weight on his forearm and an egg under his wrist when his was a small boy. This training method kept his hand steady and his wrist flexible. When he was teaching in a village school in Anhui far away from his home, he worked with his brush every night to while away the time. This solid foundation has enabled him to keep his forceful strokes through his 40-odd years in Singapore despite lack of frequent practice.

He preferred lively, natural strokes, and belonged to the stele calligraphy school, as he was much influenced by the ‘Shimen Inscription’ and ‘Zhang Menglong Tablet’. He wrote in xing style, which resembles a walking man, and developed a unique style of executing rounded corner of the strokes. His calligraphy is judged to be natural and unforced, moving leisurely with rare appearance, like floating clouds and flowing water.

A quite man by nature, Gan did not conduct any art classes except a few enthusiastic students who came to him. He taught in the Chinese Calligraphy Society of River Valley Government Chinese Middle School (the predecessor of River Valley High School). He was also appointed Advisor of the Chinese Calligraphy Society of Singapore in 1973. Two books on his calligraphic works were published in 1980 and 1983 respectively by the Society.

Tan Swee Hian (Chen Ruixian) and Khoo Seng Kong (Qiu Chengguang) are two of his students that are active and well known artists in Singapore.

He went back to China in May 1981 and passed away in September 1982.

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颜期隆，或较为人知的颜绿，1907年9月生出生于福建安海镇。1926年赴上海美术专科学校读美术教育系，后来，又转入上海艺术大学文学系。1930年毕业于上海艺术大学。

颜绿一生几乎都在教书。在中国教了十八年书后，于1948年来新加坡。在从事不少行业后，最后还是回到教书工作。任教于中正中学有23年之久。他也担任过南洋大学先修班地理讲师。

中正退休后，在三育中学服务五年，至1975年才完全从工作中退休下来。

他从小就练习书法。还是小孩时，他以五公斤重物绑在前臂与以手腕握鸡蛋来练笔。这种训练方法使到他的手稳重而腕灵活。当他在安徽的一个远僻的小乡村教书时，他每晚就以书法来打发时间。这深厚的基础令他在新加坡四十多年一直保有强劲的笔力，虽然疏于练习。

他喜爱生动自然的笔划，属于碑派，因为深受《石门铭》与《张猛龙碑》的影响。他学的是行书，犹如一人走路，并形成独特的圆转笔划。他的书法被认为自然轻松，飞逸奇姿，如行云流水。

他的本性寂静，除了几个热心书法学生向他讨教外，他并没有开班授徒，只在立化政府华文中学（立化中学前身）的书法学会教导书法。他于1973年出任中华书学研究会的顾问。著有《颜绿翰墨集》（中华书学研究会第十种出版物，1980年9月版）、《颜绿遗墨》（中华书学研究会第廿二种出版物，1983年9月版）。

当今在新加坡艺坛活跃与著名的艺术家陈瑞献与邱程光都是他的学生。

1981年5月回中国，1982年9月病逝。

The National Calligraphy Huichun Competition 全国挥春大赛

This year’s National Calligraphy Huichun Competition will be held on 21 Feb (Sunday) at the Singapore Calligraphy Centre. Since the event first organised in 1983, this year’s competition is the 27th. It is a calligraphy event with the longest history in Singapore.

With the aim to promote Chinese calligraphy and set a festive mood, the Singapore International Youth Chamber of Commerce together with the Singapore Cultural Studies Society decided to organise the first National Calligraphy Huichun Competition in 1983. The competition was divided into two categories: Open category and Students category. It attracted 70 participants. It was declared open by Ho Kah Leong (He Jialiang), then the Parliamentary Secretary of Education. Ho also wrote eight Chinese words on the spot that said ‘spring returns to the earth and everything gets rejuvenated’.

From 1985, due the financial difficulty of the organisers, the Chinese Calligraphy Society of Singapore (CCSS) took over the organisation and administration of the competition. The 3rd competition was stilled held at Toa Payoh Gardens in 1985, and it attracted more than 200 participants that year.

In 1992, the venue of the competition was moved to the former Headquarters of the People’s Association (PA) in Kallang. In order to encourage more people to participate, two more categories of participants were added: Senior Citizen and Juniors.

The number of participants increased steadily over the years. Ho Kah Leong, then Senior Parliamentary Secretary (Communications and Information) said in 1987 when 328 participated in the competition, that he hoped that in years to come, this competition would attract not hundreds but thousands of calligraphy enthusiasts. His wish was fulfilled in 2006 when more than thousand people took part in the competition.

In 2009, due to the renovation works at the former Headquarters of PA, the venue of the competition was again moved to Waterloo Street, the ‘Cultural Street’ of Singapore. Despite of this, it attracted 1272 participants with ages ranging from 4 to 91 years old. This was the largest number of participants in the history of the competition.

We hope this year it can attract even more people to come forward and participate in the competition. This will help promote the development of Chinese calligraphy in Singapore.

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今年的‘全国挥春大赛’将于2月21日（星期天）在新加坡书法中心举行。这项比赛自1983年举办以来，今年已经是第27届了，可以说是新加坡历史最久的书法挥春比赛。

为了发扬中华书艺，增添春节气氛，新加坡国际青年商会和新加坡文化学术研究会于1983年2月20日（星期日）在大巴窑公园举行了第一届‘全国挥春比赛’。比赛分公开及学生两组进行。当时吸引了七十名公众人士与学生参加，由当时的教育部政务次长何家良先生主持开赛仪式。何家良当时也当众挥毫，写下‘大地回春，万象更新’。

由于经费的问题，从1985年开始，这项比赛有新加坡中华书学协会（新加坡书法家协会之前身）接办。第三节全国书法挥春比赛照旧在大巴窑公园举行，吸引了200多名公众人士与学生参加。

1992 年，比赛场地移到位于加冷的人民协会旧址。为了鼓励更多乐龄人士及儿童的参与，这届（第九届）比赛增设常青及稚龄两组。

参赛的人数也逐年增加。1987年原高级政务部长（交通与信息）何家良看到当时有328名人士参赛，他就希望以后吸引到的参赛者不是以百位计算，而是以千位计算。他的期望于2006年实现了。

2009年，受人民协会总部装修影响，举办了26年的全国挥春大赛移到有“新加坡文化街”之称的滑铁卢街举行。尽管如此，这项比赛仍吸引1272名介于4岁和91岁的参赛者，历来最多。

预祝今年的比赛能吸引更多的参加者，为促进新加坡书法发展尽一分力。

Cui Yuan on Cursive Script: Anxious Birds on the Verge of Flight 崔瑗的草书意象：志在飞移

Cui Yuan (77–142 or 78–143 AD), alternative name Ziyu, was a scholar and noted calligrapher of the Han Dynasty (202 BC–220 AD) in China. He is known for his many written works, although in political life he became involved in court intrigues which damaged his career. Cui Yuan was born in Anping, Hebei province. He was the son of the famous scholar Cui Yin, who died while Yuan was in his teens.

Cui Yuan’s treatise Caoshu Shi (‘The Style of the Cursive Script’) is said to be the earliest written work that touches on the subject of aesthetic imagery Chinese calligraphy.

Below is his treatise on Cursive Script as quoted by Wei Heng. Some of the observations and propositions he made in the essay have great influence on the calligraphy theories. (The English translation may not be able to capture the intended meanings of Cui Yuan. Readers who can read Chinese should the Chinese text so as appreciate better Cui Yuan's theory on aesthetic imagination as applied to cursive script of Chinese calligraphy.)

The Chinese writing system was developed by Cang Ji. He created the Chinese written characters by observing the footprints of birds and animals.

When government affairs grew complicated, the old style lagged behind. Weeding out its superfluities, clerical script came into use. Reducing clerical characters further to bare essentials, cursive script was then worked out.

Lending handwriting the virtue of speed, the new style met all urgent administrative need. Since this is meant to be an adaptation, why should we be punctilious to old fashion? Upon savouring its expression, we see a new standard in its own right. Not as square as a carpenter's square, nor as round as circle by drawn by a compass, the strokes slope backward in a lop-sided manner. Sometimes they appear as alert as anxious birds on the verge of flight, or astonished wily hares about to flee. Sometimes they appear as scattered as a chain of pearls, or a herd of cattle rushing in pent-up fury. In other cases they appear as dangerous as tottering rocks sitting on the edge of cliff, or mantises hanging on twigs. At the finish, the ending stroke flows onto the next character as if a wasp seeks an opportunity to attack, or a returning snake still shows its tail. Viewing at a distance, the whole looks like a gloomy hill or a collapsing precipice; examining closely, no single stroke can be altered.

The variations depend on the context. What touched here is only a brief account.

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崔瑗（77-142或78-143）字子玉，是东汉（公元前202年 - 公元220年）学者与著名书法家。他闻名于著作，虽然涉及宫廷纠纷而影响了他的仕途。崔瑗出生于河北安平县，是著名学者崔駰的儿子。崔瑗少年时，崔駰就死了。

崔瑗的《草书势》据说是最早提到中国书法意象美学的命题。其中所提到的‘方不中矩，圆不副规’，‘志在飞移’，‘将奔未驰’，‘一画不可移’等命题，对后来书法理论的影响很大。

以下是卫恒所录崔瑗的《草书势》：

书契之兴，始自颉皇；写彼鸟迹，以定文章。

爰暨末叶，典籍弥繁。时之多僻，政之多权。官事荒芜，其墨翰；惟多佐隶，旧字是删。

草书之法，盖又简略；应时谕指，用于卒迫。兼功并用，爱日省力；纯俭之变，岂必古式。观其法象，俯仰有仪；方不中矩，圆不副规。抑左扬右，望之若欹。兽跂鸟跱，志在飞移；狡兔暴骇，将奔未驰。或点，状似连珠，绝而不离。畜怒怫郁，放逸生奇。或凌邃惴栗，若据高临危。旁点邪附，似螳螂而抱枝。绝笔收势，馀綖纠结。若山峰施毒，看隙缘巇；腾蛇赴穴，头没尾垂。是故远而望之，漼焉若注岸奔涯；就而察之，一画不可移。

几微要妙，临事从宜。略举大较，仿佛若斯。

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。

Wei Shuo 卫铄

Wei Shuo (273-349), commonly addressed just as Lady Wei, was a calligrapher of Jin Dynasty (266-420). She was unusual and outstanding in her era during which Chinese women were required to restrict themselves to the care of their homes and children and obedience to their husbands and parents-in-law.

Born in Dong-an Town, Jin He (today’s Xia County, Shanxi), Wei Shuo was the daughter of Wei Zhan and niece of Wei Guan, a famous calligraphy in Jin dynasty.

She was introduced to calligraphy at very young age when she was allowed to watch her uncle Wei Guan practice writing calligraphy. She observed carefully her uncle’s writing style and technique: how he held his brush, execute the strokes and compose the characters. After her uncle finished his practice, she would quickly go into her own room and practiced what she had learned.

She later learned calligraphy from the great calligrapher Zhong Yao. With much practice, Wei became well known for her Lishu (Official or Clerical script) and Kaishu (standard script).

Her calligraphy was described as being beautiful, fascinating and harmonious; it was like a fairy playing with her shadow or like a lovely young lady walking gracefully out onto a stage to perform.

Wei was also a great calligraphy theoretician whose theories resolved around the structural composition of an entire piece of calligraphy.

There is another reason that made her famous in calligraphy. She was the teacher of the sage of calligraphy, Wang Xizhi.

Her calligraphic works include the Famous Concubine Inscription (Ming Ji Tie) and the Inscription of Wei-shi Henan (Wei-shi Henan Tie)(see diagram).

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卫铄（273-349），一般称为卫夫人，是晋（266-420）代著名书法家。她是不寻常与特出的，因为在她那个时代，女人的活动只能限于家庭与孩子间，听命于丈夫与父母。

卫铄出生于晋何东安邑（今山西夏县），是为卫展女儿，也是晋代大书法家卫瓘侄女。

她从小由于允许观看叔叔练字而接触书法。她仔细观察叔叔的书写方式与技巧：如何执笔、运笔、安排字行。叔叔练字完毕后，她立刻回到自己的房间，练习刚刚所学到的。

后来她跟随大书法家钟繇学习书法。苦练之下，使她闻名于隶书与楷书。

她的书法被形容为优美、醉人与协调，像仙娥弄影、美女优雅地登台表演。

卫铄也是个有名的书法理论家，她的理论集中于书写安排之章法。

还有一个理由使她闻名于世。她是书圣王羲之的老师。

她的书法作品有：名姬帖与卫氏和南帖（见图）。