Wen Jiabao’s Handwriting: Distress Rejuvenates a Nation 温家宝的字：多难兴邦

Chinese Calligraphy is both a means of communication and a revered form of art, and the dividing line is often vague. It is also said to reveal the inner character of a person - one can detect the virtue of a writer by the beauty of his brushstrokes.

The Chinese people therefore always treasure the handwriting of calligraphy of their leaders. It is therefore not surprising that rulers, officials, politicians in the China have long used their graceful handwriting to cement their power and display their ‘inner character.’

In 2008, the Beichuan Middle School lost a thousand students in May’s devastating Sichuan earthquake. When Premier Wen Jiabao visited the school’s temporary quarters, he wrote four characters on a blackboard to inspire the students: "distress rejuvenates a nation", pointing out that despite all of the hardship that the Wenchuan earthquake had brought to the students, their families, and the people of Sichuan, it wasn't the end of the world.

After his departure, teachers and students could not bear to erase his chalk inscription, which was covered in plastic until the Sichuan Cultural Relics Bureau could devise a method for permanently preserving Wen’s handwriting.

"Those characters brought us strength. We keep them in our hearts," one freshman student told the reporter. "It'd be great if we could preserve that piece of blackboard forever." Lots of students and teachers at Beichuan Middle School supported this idea.

Wen is among many of the Chinese leaders who are good in calligraphy. Here are two pieces of his calligraphic works.

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中国书法是传意的工具，也是一种受人敬畏的艺术，工具与艺术之间的界限经常模糊。据说它可以显现一个人的内心个性，从一个人所写的美丽的线条中可以看得出一个人的品德。

中国人一向珍惜他们领导的手迹。所以，长久以来，中国的统治者、官员、政治家利用他们优雅的字来加强他们的权力与表露他们的‘内心’，那就不令人惊奇了。

2008年5月，在灾难性的四川地震中，北川中学丧失了上千名学生性命的。当温家宝总理来到他们的临时校园时，他在黑板写了四个字来激励学生：多难兴邦。他指出虽然四川地震给他们、他们的家人、四川人民带来了所有这些苦难，但是这并不是世界末日。

温总理离开之后，学生们舍不得把这些粉笔字擦掉，以塑胶布把他们盖住，直到四川文物局想到永远保存温总理的手迹的方法为止。

一个新生告诉记者说：‘这些字给予我们力量。我们会永远记在心中。能把这片黑板永远保留着，那真是太好了。’北川中学的很多老师与学生都支持这个想法。

温家宝是中国领袖中书法写的不错中的一个。这里展示的是他的两幅作品。

Chew Nyee King 周仪卿

Chew Nyee King (Zhou Yiqing) has just completed a calligraphy course conducted by the Singapore Senior Citizen Calligraphy University Centre (SSCCUC) and was conferred the title of ‘Calligrapher of SSCCUC’ on 14 Nov.

Chew recalls her stay in Beijing eleven years ago and during the morning exercises in gardens, she used to see people practice Chinese calligraphy on the cement ground, using water-filled sponge attached to a wooden stick. The words written by them were beautiful. She told herself that one day she must also start learning Chinese calligraphy.

In 2007, while enjoying her happy old age by playing with grandchildren, she decided that she would turn her admiration for beautiful calligraphic works into zeal of learning the art. She therefore enrolled into a calligraphy course conducted by the Senior Citizen Calligraphy University Centre and started learning calligraphy from Professor Tan Siak Kwee.

In the process of learning, she realises that Chinese calligraphy is a difficult subject and there are no short cuts to success. At times, she felt like quitting the course. However, with the encouragement of her classmates, she learned a lot by discussing with them and this has confirmed her love for the art. She now also has a good understanding of the art. After three years of study, she finally completed the calligraphy course.

In order to improve her calligraphy, Chew hopes to continue practice calligraphy, attend calligraphy exhibitions, attend writing-on-the-spot sessions by famous calligraphers, and spend more times reading books on calligraphy.

The calligraphic work shown here as is one of her works that is accepted for display at the Graduates’ Calligraphy Exhibition held from 14 to 19 Nov at the Singapore Calligraphy Centre. The text of the calligraphy says:

‘The common interest of enjoying the sounds of the mountains has brought us closer together.’

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周仪卿今年刚修完由新加坡老年书法大学所开办的三年书法课程，并于十一月十四日获得该中心授予‘书学研士’衔。

周仪卿回溯十一年前，寓居北京时，清晨到公园晨运时，常见许多人用棍子扎了海绵沾上水，就在地练习字法，而且写得很好。就对自己说：有朝一日，我也会好好地去学习书法。

2007年，仪卿在含饴弄孙之余，把她对别人的一手好字的羡慕，化作自己学习书法的热忱，毅然报名老年书法大学，师从陈声桂教授。

在学习过程里，仪卿认知书法是一门没有捷径可走的深奥的学问，也曾经有打退堂鼓的念头，但是在同窗好友互相切磋，相互鼓舞下，终于建立起对书法的热爱，领悟了书法的奥妙，经过三年的努力，现在已经从老年书法大学学成毕业了。

仪卿期盼继续学习书法，有更多机会可以参观书法展览，名家挥毫，并博览书法群帖，以使自己的书法能不断进步。

这里所显示的是仪卿的毕业展作品之一，内容的是：写其山水之清音，与余同好相善也。

Singapore Senior Citizen Calligraphy University Centre 新加坡老年书法大学

The Singapore Senior Citizen University Centre was registered and set up by the Singapore Calligraphy Association on 7 September 2004. It received its first batch of 13 students in 2005. These students graduated in 2007. The second batch of 14 students graduated in 2008. This year, the third batch of 17 students will have their graduation ceremony held on 14 Nov 09.
It is claimed to be the first of its kind of educational institutions in the South East Asian region. The main aim of the three-year programmes is to help mature students who are successful individuals from all walks of life, to reach a higher level of self-actualization and personal fulfilment. Students who successfully complete the course will be conferred the title of Calligrapher by the centre.

Besides attending normal lessons and practice calligraphy, students are also strongly encouraged to attend overseas cultural programmes conducted by Tongji University in Shanghai and organise overseas trips to widen their knowledge beyond calligraphy.

The study year is divided into two teaching semesters. The first and second semester start in February and July respectively. There are 13 weekly-lessons in each semester and each lesson lasts 3 hours. The course fee is S$1,200 per semester or S$2,400 per year.

The students must fulfil the following course requirements:

1. 80% class attendance,

2. Submit three calligraphic works that must be passed by the centre’s Examination Board, and

3. Submit 10 essays on topics decided by the centre.

The calligraphic works of this year’s students can be viewed at the Singapore Calligraphic Centre from 14 to 19 November everyday from 12 pm to 5 pm.

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新加坡老年书法大学由新加坡书法家协会于2004年九月七日注册成立。它于2005年录取第一批13名学员。这一批学员于2007年毕业。第二批14名学员于2008年毕业。今年，第三批17名学员的毕业典礼将在11月14日举行。

据说这是东南亚第一所老年大学。它主要目的是要协助来自各行各业的成功人士实现更高一层的自我实现。成功完成课程的学员将获得该中心授‘书学研士’衔。

除了上课与练习书法之外，书大鼓励学员参加由上海同济大学主办的海外文化课程，与组团去海外旅行以增广书法外的知识。

每学年分为两个学期。第一学期于二月，第二学期于七月开学。每个学期上课十三次，每课三小时。每学期的学费为新元$1,200 或每学年新元$2,400。

每个学员要符合以下的课程条件：

1． 上满80%的课，

2． 提交三件书法作品通过“毕业生作品审查委员会”，与

3． 呈交十篇由校方指定题目的论文。

第三届学员的书法作品可于11月14日至19日期间，每天下午12时至5时到新加坡书法中心观赏。

The Three Rare Treasures of Calligraphy 三希堂法帖

Wang Xianzhi’s Zhongqiu Tie (Mid Autumn Manuscript) is one of the Three Rare Treasures of Calligraphy. The other two rare treasures are Wang Xizhi's Kuaixue Shiqing Tie (Fast Snowing and Sunning) and Wang Xun's Boyuan Tie (Letter to Boyuan). Dating from the fourth century, they all are regarded as the greatest masterpieces of calligraphic art and have been revered by generations of calligraphy enthusiasts as the most precious treasures.

Mid-Autumn Manuscript is said to be the authentic works of Wang Xianzhi. However, it is generally believed that it is the copy work of Mi Fu who was one of four most famous calligraphists in Song Dynasty. Since ancient time, this scroll has been praised as an excellent calligraphic model in the connecting ‘blood’ and ‘vein’. Only 22 characters are visible on this scroll, but they still demonstrate the feature of coherence. On each line, the characters or their strokes are connected in such a way to give a feeling of ‘one-stroke way of writing’, ie the whole line is written continously in one stroke. It is said to be the ‘one-stroke cursive script’ at its best.

In 1747, the three rare treasures, together with 134 selected calligraphic masterpieces from Wei, Jin, Tang, Song, Yuan and Ming dynasties (dated from late fourth century to seventeenth century), were engraved into stone tablets and collectively known as The Calligraphic Masterpieces of the Hall of Three Rarities (Sanxi Tang Fatie). Emperor Qianlong commissioned the construction of the Chamber for Reading the Classics (Yuegu Lou) in the nearby Beihai garden and these carved stones were set into the interior walls of the Chamber, while the rubbings taken from them were widely disseminated as models for practicing calligraphy. The emperor kept the original three calligraphic works in the Hall of Three Rarities next to his living quarters.

Before 1924 when the last emperor was expelled from the imperial palace, Letter to Boyuan and Mid Autumn Manuscript were moved to the Palace of Longevity and Health (Shoukang Gong), the residence of the imperial honoured consort Jingyi (literally Respect and Virtue), dowager of the Tongzhi Emperor.

After 1924, the dowager Jingyi smuggled these two works out of the palace and sold them. After that, there was no news of their whereabouts until they appeared in Hong Kong in 1951. The two treasures were mortgaged to a foreign bank in Hong Kong and would have been sold abroad if not for the intervention of Premier Zhou Enlai, who authorized their purchase. In 1951, the two rarities were finally bought by the Chinese government and returned to Beijing Palace Museum. They are still kept in Beijing Palace Museum up to today.

The third calligraphic masterpiece Fast Snowing and Sunning was brought to Taiwan in 1949 and is currently kept in Taipei National Palace Museum.

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王献之的《中秋帖》是中国书法的三希之一。其他二希是王羲之的《快雪时晴帖》与王询的《伯远帖》。这些写于公元四世纪的书法艺术中的精品，被世世代代的书法爱好者视为最珍贵的宝物。

《中秋帖》据说是王献之的正品。可是，一般相信它是宋代四大书法家之一的米芾的临作。自古以来，这幅帖就被认为是血脉相连的最好书法范本。整幅帖只有22字可辨认，但还是展示了融合的特色。每一条线的每一个字及线条都联系得给人以一笔完成的感觉。可说是‘一笔字’的最佳珍品。

1417年，这三件稀有宝物和其他134件魏晋唐宋元与清朝（公元四世纪末至十七世纪）的书法名帖被刻于石头上，合称《三希堂法帖》。乾隆王下令在北海园附近建造‘阅古楼’并把刻石装上内墙。拓本则广分给臣子，作为练习书法的范本。皇帝把三件稀品放在他的卧宫旁边的‘三希堂’。

1924年前，末代皇帝还没有被逐出皇宫之前，《伯远帖》与《中秋帖》被移到‘寿康宫’，那是贵太妃敬懿的住所。

1924年后，贵太妃敬懿把这两件作品私运出宫并把它们卖了。以后，它们的所在就无所闻了，直到1951年它们重现于香港。这两件宝物当时是被抵押给香港的一间外资银行。若不是周恩来总理的干涉，它们已经被卖到国外了。1951年，中国政府终于买下这两件宝物并归还北京故宫博物院。它们至今还由北京故宫博物院收藏。

第三件书法珍品《快雪时晴帖》在1949年被运到台湾，目前由台北故宫博物院所收管。

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 Xianzhi 王献之

Wang Xianzhi (344-388 or 386), born in Kuaiji of Shanyin, was a famed calligrapher. He was the seventh son of the famous calligrapher Wang Xizhi, son-in-law of the Emperor Wendi of the Eastern Jin Dynasty. He served, as did his father, at the Eastern Jin court, attaining the rank of Chief Councillor (zhongshuling or daling), by which title he was later frequently known.

He was a child prodigy in calligraphy and enjoyed a reputation as a young calligraphy master. He was only eight years old when he participated in his father's literary gathering at the Orchid Pavilion. His father once stealthily came up from behind and tried to yank the brush from the seven-year-old Wang Xianzhi. Xianzhi was holding the brush pen so tightly that the father was unable to take it away from his hand. The father sighed that the son would become famous in the future. Wang Xianzhi himself claimed that at the age of 24, while roaming the mountains, he received instructions in the form of a piece of writing of 579 characters, which profoundly affected his writing style.

He is traditionally held to have first studied his father's style and then that of Zhang Zhi , who was renowned for his one-stroke, 'flying-white' calligraphy linking a column of characters in one charge of the brush.

Wang inherited his father's talent for the art, although his siblings were all notable calligraphers. His father and he are known in the calligraphy history as Two Wangs.

A versatile calligrapher, Wang Xianzhi was good at the cursive script and characters. His use of the brush was innovative and turned the unsophisticated ancient style into a new style known for its boldness. Amongst his innovations is the one-stroke cursive script, which blends all characters in the writing in a single stroke.

His influence on the calligraphers of the later generations was huge. Until the Tang Dynasty his influence and reputation rivalled and even surpassed that of his father.

Few of his original works have survived, and they are Yatouwan Tie, Luo Shen Fu Shisan Hang, Shieryue Tie and Zhongqiu Tie.

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王献之 (344-388或386)，生于山阴会稽，是个有名的书法家。他是著名书法家王羲之的第七子，东晋简文帝的驸马。和他的父亲一样，他官至中书令，或称大令，后人并以此称呼他。

他自小就是个书法神童，享有少年书法家的名誉。八岁就参加了父亲的兰亭会。七岁时，一次，父亲悄悄地在他的背后，突然要拔起他的毛笔。由于献之执笔太紧以致父亲没法把它抽起。父亲惊叹此儿日后必大有前途。献之自己亦言他在24岁时，在深山漫游时得到了579字的写法，由此书法大进。

一般的说法是，他先学习他父亲的书法，然后学张芝。张芝以一笔字，飞白而著名。

献之得到了他父亲艺术天分的遗传，他的哥哥们也都是名书法家。与其父并称‘二王’。

一个多才多艺的书法家，王献之以草书著称。他的用笔有新意，把简朴的古法转为果敢的新法。他的创新包括了一笔字。
他对后代的影响很大。在唐代之前，他的影响与名声无人可比，甚至还超过其父。
他所留下来的真品不多，其中包括《鴨頭丸帖》，《洛神賦十三行》，《十二月帖》与《中秋帖》。

The First Forty Words 开始写的四十个字

After knowing the brush techniques, it is time to start writing. Chinese believe that constant practice according to masterful models was the only means to leading to mastery and perfection. So the three key words are, practice, practice, and practice.

We have noted that new learner should start with writing kaishu (the standard style). It is better to write few words and correctly apply all writing techniques than to write many words without paying attention to the proven techniques.

The famous Eight Principles of Yong says that one should start with practising the eight strokes common in Chinese characters. It is also believed that the frequent practice of these principles as a beginning calligrapher could ensure beauty in one's writing.

While it is possible to start with writing the character ‘yong’ (meaning forever, lasting) which is said to have contained all the eight basic strokes, one may find such an approach rather monotonous and boring. The recommended approach is to practice four words at each practice session starting with words with simple strokes and moving to words with other strokes progressively. As we write these words, we should apply the brush techniques faithfully and learn the principles of the structure of these characters.

Here are the first forty words recommended:

01．横划：一、二、三、土 (Horizontal stroke）

02．竖划：十、士、上、正 (Vertical stroke)

03．撇划：千、川、在、生 (Slanting toward lower left)

04。横折：中、日、且、者 (Horizontal and vertically turn downward)

05。捺划：人、大、合、尺 (Slanting toward lower right)

06。钩划：水、子、而、可 (Hook to the northwest direction)

07。单点：文、不、方、太 (Single dot)

08。多点：心、六、必、为 (Multiple dots)

09。竖横钩：也、先、光、元 (Vertical and horizontally turn rightward and hook upward)

10．提划：以、孰、即、指 (Lifting off northeast direction)
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知道什么是笔法之后，是开始写字的时候了。华人相信持久地跟着范本来练习是达成熟练与完善的唯一途径。所以三个要诀就是：练习、练习、练习。

我们知道初学者应该从楷书开始。宁愿写少字来掌握正确的笔法，而不要不顾已被证明的笔法去多写字。

著名的‘永字八法’认为应该先写好八种在中文最常见的基本的笔划。一般相信初学者时常练习这原理会确保字写得好。

虽然可以从练习包含了这八种基本笔划的‘永’字开始，但是这种练法单调而令人厌烦。提议每次练习四字，有简单笔划的字开始慢慢地伸延到包含其它笔划的字。在书写时，应该忠实地应用所有笔法与了解这些字的结构原理。

以下是提议的四十个初写字：

01．横划：一、二、三、土

02．竖划：十、士、上、正

03．撇划：千、川、在、生

04。横折：中、日、且、者

05。捺划：人、大、合、尺

06。钩划：水、子、而、可

07。单点：文、不、方、太

08。多点：心、六、必、为

09。竖横钩：也、先、光、元

10．提划：以、孰、即、指

Bronze Inscription Calligraphy 金文书法

If one associates the oracle-bone inscriptions with the Shang dynasty, then the Bronze inscriptions are certainly the characters and calligraphy of the Zhou dynasty, especially the Western Zhou dynasty.

Bronze inscriptions differ from oracle-bone inscription in many ways.

Firstly, oracle-bone inscriptions are more graphic whose complicated strokes make them more like pictures, whereas bronze inscriptions are simpler and more regular.

Secondly, the way that the characters are written are not standardised for the oracle-bone inscriptions, that means the same word can be written in a number of ways.

Thirdly, the oracle-bone inscriptions were carved on bones with knife, so the strokes are normally very thin. Bronze inscriptions, on the other hand, were produced with mould, so the strokes are wide in germination and without sharp points.

In terms of type set, the characters of bronze inscriptions are always arranged from top to bottom and lines from right to left, which reveals the aesthetic culture in pursuit of order and regularity in Zhou dynasty. This is quite different from oracle-bone inscriptions which are less orderly arranged.

In terms of calligraphy, the one-thousand year history of bronze inscriptions can be divided into two periods: the ‘wave-style’ inscriptions were favoured before the mid-Western Zhou whereas the ‘jade-chopstick style’ inscriptions after the mid-Western Zhou.

The ‘wave-style’ was vigorous and rough, with the first and last stroke in shape of wave. The characters are almost in lines, but not in rows.

The ‘jade-chopstick style’ was round and flexible and the left and right parts of a character normally are of same height.

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如果我们把甲骨文与商朝联系，那么金文肯定就是周朝，尤其是西周的文字与书法。

金文与甲骨文有不少不相同之处。

首先，甲骨文更加形象，复杂的线条使它们更像图画，而金文就较简化育规则化。

其次，甲骨文的书写还没有完全标准化，就是说一个字可能有几种写法。

再次，甲骨文是以刀来刻的，所以线条比较细。另一方面，金文多数是铸造的，所以笔划间较阔，较少尖点。

以字的排列来说，金文一般字由上到下，线由右到左，表现了周朝追求次序与纪律的美的文化。这与甲骨文稍为不同，文字的安排比较没有那么有秩序。

从书法来看，千年历史的金文可以分为两个时期：西周中期前的‘波磔体’与西周中期后的‘玉箸体’。

‘波磔体’刚劲，起笔与收笔出锋显出波磔。书写大多成行，不顾横排。

‘玉箸体’圆柔，文字两端齐平。

Writing Techniques: Use both Arm and Fingers 运笔：指腕并用

We noted that when applying the writing techniques, one must observe the principles of Centred Tip (Zhong Feng).

In writing Chinese calligraphy, a number of steps must be followed so that a stroke can be written properly. For example, in writing a vertical stroke with needle ending, one begins the stroke by moving the brush to the left. Turn the brush to the right. Pause a little. Pull the zhong feng, or central part of the brush, down and move the brush vertically downward. Before ending the stroke, lift the brush slowly so as to leave a sharp point on the paper.

Two concepts are involved in the process described above, moving the brush and turning the brush. The ability to move and turn the brush correctly is critically important.

One key principle of Zhong Feng is to maintain the brush in the perpendicular position all the time when moving the brush from point A to point B. It is generally agreed that the way to do this is to use one’s arm or wrist to move the brush. All other ways of moving the brush are not acceptable.

However, there is no generally accepted agreement on how the brush should be turned.

Suo Jing (239-303), the famous calligraphy in his essay ‘The Style of Caoshu’ said that in writing Caoshu (cursive scripts) ‘Dudu turns his fingers and Boying his wrists.’ One can interpret this to mean that both fingers and wrist can be used to turn the brush.

However, about a thousand years later, Jiang Kui of Southern Song Dynasty (1127–1279) made it very clear that ‘generally speaking, the brush must be held firmly and moved with high degree of flexibility. Do not use fingers to operate the brush, use wrist instead. The function of fingers is to hold the brush, not to operate it, and the function of wrist is to operate the brush, not to hold it.’ This is the first time in calligraphy history that the function of fingers and wrist was defined in clear terms.

Jiang Kui’s theory on writing techniques was accepted without question for almost a thousand years.

However, in the 80s of last century, a number of calligraphers started to challenge this theory. Sun Xiaoyun, a famous female calligrapher in China, is one of those who argue strongly that the only correct way of turning the brush is by using the fingers.

It would appear that one need take the extreme position of advocating either ‘use-wrist’ or ‘use-fingers’ method. Perhaps the best method is the traditional method of applying both fingers and wrist, based on the needs and writing conditions.
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我们注意到运笔法时，我们应该应用中锋原理。

书写书法时，我们应该遵照几个步骤来完成笔画。比如写垂针竖划时，起笔把笔向左上移行，把笔向右下转，稍顿，把中锋调整，笔向下垂直而行，笔划完成前，慢慢提笔，止于尖点。

上面所描写的过程，包含了两个概念：行笔与转笔。能够正确地行笔与转笔，至为重要。

中锋的一个主要原理是，笔从A 点移到B 点，笔杆一定要维持垂直。要做到这一点，一般的共识是以腕或手臂来行笔。其他方法都不可接受。

但是，转笔却无定论。

索靖(239-303)在他的‘草书状’提到‘命杜度运其指，使伯英回其腕。’我们可以解释为转笔时，指腕皆可用。

可是，千年后，南宋 (1127–1279) 姜夔却明确指出：‘大抵要执之欲紧，运之欲活，不可以指运笔，当以腕运笔。执之在手，手不主运；运之在腕，腕不主执。’在书法史上，这是第一次对手指与腕肘的功能有明确的说明。

姜夔的这个学说千年来一直毫不置疑地被接受。

在上个世纪的八十年代，不少书法家开始对这学说有所置疑。中国著名书法家孙晓云就是其中一个强而有力的认为转笔的唯一正确方法只能用指。

看来，我们不必要走‘腕运’或‘指运’的极端。或者，可以回到古人之‘指腕兼用’，视需要与书写情况而定。

The Senior Calligraphy Exhibition 黄金岁月展

The 21st Senior Calligraphy Exhibition, organised by the Chinese Calligraphy Society of Singapore (CCSS), will be held at Singapore Calligraphy Centre’s Lee Kong Chian Hall from 26 Sep to 29 Sep for 4 days. Calligraphic works of 61 learners of calligraphy will be on display at the exhibition.
It has been 23 years since CCSS held the first exhibition known as the ‘Calligraphy Exhibition for the Youth’ in 1986. This series of exhibitions, held for the learners of Chinese calligraphy, is among the calligraphy exhibitions with the longest history in Singapore. It was a platform created by CCSS to provide opportunity for students of its calligraphy classes to learn from each other and to share experiences. CCSS started the first calligraphy classes in 1974 at the Macpherson Education Centre.

The first ‘Calligraphy Exhibition for the Youth’ was held from 13 March to 16 March 1986 at the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce & Industry. It was declared open by Ong Pang Boon (Wang Bangwen), the Society’s advisor and the then MP for Telok Ayer. 13 students from the Society’s calligraphy classes with 64 pieces of their works were put on display at the exhibition.

In 1992, due to the increase in the enrolment for its calligraphy classes, CCSS decided that the exhibition should be held annually and be renamed to ‘Calligraphy Exhibition for All’. The renamed exhibition was first held at the Singapore Conference Hall on 14 and 15 Nov 1992. It was declared open by the then Chairman of Teo Ann Association and 82 pieces of calligraphic works were put on display. The exhibition was to be held biennially.

The opening of the Singapore Calligraphy Centre in 1995 means the exhibition now has a permanent home. For the first time in 1995, a week-long exhibition was held in the Lee Kong Chian Hall of the Calligraphy Centre. It was declared open by the Centre Chairman on 11 Nov. The exhibition displayed 97 pieces of works by learners of calligraphy of all ages.

In 2005, in order to allow more calligraphy lovers to participate and to display their works, the exhibition was split into two different exhibitions. The ‘Junior Calligraphy Exhibition’ is a platform for school-going calligraphy learners to show off their talent in calligraphy, while the ‘Senior Calligraphy Exhibition’ is to provide opportunity for working adults and retirees to display their works and exchange learning experiences. The Senior Calligraphy Exhibition was declared open on19 Nov 2005 with 93 pieces of calligraphic works selected for display.

During the last 23 years, there were more and better calligraphic works being selected for participating in the exhibitions. This really reflects an increasingly active Chinese calligraphy community in Singapore, a fact that all of us should feel good and proud about.

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由新加坡书法家协会所主办的第二十一届‘黄金岁月展’将在9月26日在新加坡书法中心光前堂举行，为期4天，到9月29日结束。这次共有61名书法爱好者的作品被选展出。

这个展览自1986年举办至今，已经有二十三年的历史了，可以说是为书法爱好者所举办的一个历史悠久的新加坡书法活动。这个书展的前身是‘朝花书法展’，是新加坡书法家协会为属下书法班学员提供的一个互相切磋与交流的平台。书协（当时的中文名为新加坡中华书画研究会）自1974年开始于麦波申教育中心开设书法班。

第一届朝花书法展于1986年3月13日至16日于中华总商会举行，，由新加坡书法家协会（当时中文名称为新加坡书学协会）顾问及直落亚逸区国会议员王邦文先生揭幕。该届书展共展出了该协会13个研究班学员的64幅作品。该书展每两年举办一次。

从1992年起，随着书协书法班的学员的增加，书协决定把书展改为常年展，并改名为‘春华秋实书法展’。该届春华秋实书法展于1992年11月14日至15日在新加坡大会堂举行，共展出82位老中青书法工作者的作品，由潮安联谊社主席郑展松先生主持仪式。

1995年，新加坡书法中心落成，‘春华秋实书法展’就有了一个永久的家。该届书法展第一次在书法中心的光前堂举行。为期一周的书展于11月11日起举行由书法中心董事主席郑文麟揭幕，并展出老中青书法爱好者的作品97件。

2005年开始，为了让更多书法爱好者的作品能够有机会参加展出，这个书展改为两个书展会。‘新秀风采展’为正在念书的在籍学生的书法爱好者提供展出平台来展示他们的书法才华，‘黄金岁月展’则让来自各行各业的工作人士与已经退休的书法爱好者展出与交流学习经验。2005年11月19日举行的‘黄金岁月展’共有93人的作品被选展出。

可以说，这二十三年来，参与这个书法的人数与作品的阵容，无论在质与量方面，独有显著的增加与改善。正当然亦可以说显示了新加坡书坛的日益蓬勃发展，实在是可喜可贺。