Chinese Calligraphy and Painting Exhibition 2011 中华书画展2011

The Senior Citizen Calligraphy & Painting Society in Singapore held its biennial art exhibition ‘Chinese Calligraphy & Painting Exhibition 2011’ at Sengkang Community Club from 18 to 20 March. The exhibition was declared open by Charles Chong, Member of Parliament of Pasir-Punggol GRC on 18 March 2011 at 7.30 pm.

The works exhibited included landscape paintings, paintings of birds and flowers, and various Chinese calligraphic works. During the exhibition, Chairman Tan Ching Yam, Vice-Chairman Sim Kwang Hun and other famous demonstrated the skills by painting and writing on the spot.

The Senior Citizen Calligraphy & Painting Society was formed in 1986 by a group of alumni of Chung Cheng High School. Currently it has more than 200 members. The Society organize two gatherings every month (on the first and third Sunday afternoon from 2 pm to 5 pm) at the Sengkang Community Club. The seniors who share the love of Chinese arts are welcome to join in the gatherings.

開幕儀式後，樂齡書畫會會員、俱樂部管委、嘉賓、工作人員大合照。
後排左起：巫振松、馬雙祿、余保榮、翁嘉毅、林永壯、陳德成、
鄧庭根、薛振傳、王麗娟、許惜芬、莊如琴、工作人員。
前排左起：吳雅妹、蔡錦添（晉恬）、蔡卓南、樂齡書畫會主席
陳清業傅士、張有福議員、樂齡書畫會副主席沈觀漢、
Dr. Janil Puthucheary、吳女仕、李婉兒、工作人員

新加坡乐龄书画会，于3月18日至20日在盛港民众俱乐部为会员举行的两年一度的常年美展《中华书画展览2011》。展览于3月18日傍晚7时半由榜鹅集选区国会议员张有福先生主持开幕仪式。

展出作品包括山水画，花鸟画和各体书法，作品110幅。画展期间，乐龄书画会理事以及会长陈清业博士和副会长沈观汉先生将即席挥毫作画，此外多位资深书画家也会到场挥毫助兴。

新加坡乐龄书画会于1986年由多名中正中学的校友发起成立，至今已有两百多名会员。每月的第一与第三个星期天下午2时至5时在盛港民众俱乐部举行雅集，欢迎乐龄同好者来参与。

沈观汉作品

陈德成作品

苏德茂作品

马双禄作品

The Celebrity New Calligraphy Style 名人新书风

Chinese calligraphy is one of the highest forms of Chinese art perfectly embodied the rhythm, lines and structure, serving the purpose of conveying the thoughts of the writer and displaying the abstract beauty of lines. It is not only a form of art, but also a Chinese way of life. It’s no exaggeration to say cultivated writing attracts attention and admiration, while poor writing form invites suspicion and scorn. Therefore, in the Chinese communities, it is a sort of tradition for the leaders to cultivate their calligraphic skills so that they can show off these skills whenever the opportunity arises.

Many of these leaders also do not shy away from taking the lead in introducing new and innovative style of writing. Here are some examples of new calligraphy style written by some contemporary famous people.

1. Mao Zedong (1893 – 1976): He was a Chinese revolutionary, guerrilla warfare strategist, calligrapher, political theorist, and leader of the Chinese Revolution. He was the architect of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) from its establishment in 1949, and was the leader of the nation until his death in 1976.
2. Li Xiannian (1909 – 1992): He was President of the People’s Republic of China between 1983 and 1988 and then president of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference until his death.
3. Guo Moruo (1892 - 1978): He was a Chinese author, poet, historian, archaeologist, and government official from Sichuan, China.
4. Qi Gong (1912 – 2005): He was a renowned Manchu Chinese calligrapher, artist, painter, connoisseur and sinologist.
5. Tan Siak Kwee (Chen Sheng Gui): Currently the President of the Chinese Calligraphy Society of Singapore.

Click here to learn more about the new calligraphy style.
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书法是华人艺术的最高形式之一，其艺术完全体现于书法的节奏、线条与结构，以传达书写者的思想感情与表现线条的抽象美为目的。书法不单是一种艺术，还是华人的生活方式。可以毫不夸张地说，优雅的书写令人倾目与赞叹；而难看的字体受人质疑与鄙视。所以在华人社团里，领袖们传统上都会苦练书法，以便在适当的场合展示一下他们的技巧。

不少名人还很乐意为新书风起带头作用。这里介绍的是当代的一些名人所书写的新书风。

1. 毛泽东（1893 - 1976）：中国革命、游击战略家、书法家、中国革命领袖。1949年建立新中国的总设计师，国家的领导人，直到1976年逝世为止。
2. 李先念（1909 - 1992）：1983年至1988年担任中华人民共和国的国家主席，然后担任全国政协主席，直到逝世为止。
3. 郭沫若（1892 – 1978）：来自四川的中国作家、诗人、历史学家、考古学家与政府官员。
4. 启功（1912 – 2005）：中国著名的满洲籍书法家、艺术家、画家、鉴赏家与汉学家。
5. 陈声桂：新加坡书协会长。

请点击这里阅读有关新书风的阐述。

Me Zedong 毛泽东

Mao Zedong 毛泽东

Li Xiannian 李先念

Guo Moruo 郭沫若

Qigong 启功

Tan Siak Kwee 陈声桂

Xue Ji: Stele of the Chan Master Xinxing 薛稷：信行禅师碑

‘Four Masters of Early Tang’ refers to Ouyang Xun, Yu Shinan, Chu Suiliang and Xue Ji.

Stele of the Chan Master Xinxing 信行禅师碑

Ouyang Xun is famous for his square, energetic and ‘steep’ writing, whereas Yu Shinan for his robust, rounded, and smooth brush strokes. Chu Suiliang and Xue Ji are known for the spare beauty and boniness of their style.

The four calligraphers’ works were models of the Tang calligraphy in brush using techniques and stroke writing rules. Among the four, Ouyang Xun and Yu Shinan created their new styles and developed the art of Chinese calligraphy into a new level; hence they had profound effect on later calligraphers.

Xue Ji was not only famous in calligraphy, but also skilful in painting, specialized in crane, the most popular bird in Chinese history and is a symbol of longevity and auspiciousness.

Xue Ji learned calligraphy from Chu Suiliang. Their calligraphic works are equally good and they both shared a similar style of writing. The saying was spread among the people at that time that “you can either buy Chu’s or Xue’s calligraphic works, it does not matter as their value will not depreciate.”

Unfortunately none of Xue Ji’s calligraphic works have been preserved until today, although the calligraphic work the ‘Stele of the Chan Master Xinxing’ is said to be written by him. The slender brushwork and the ‘open and airy’ character structure in this inscription had a direct influence on Liu Gongquan (778 – 865), master calligraphy of the Late Tang and foreshadowed the ‘slender gold’ style initiated by Zhao Ji (1082 – 1135), Emperor Huizong of the Song Dynasty. For this reason, Xue Ji found himself a position in the history of Chinese calligraphy.

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初唐四大家是：欧阳询、虞世南、褚遂良与薛稷。

欧阳询以其方折笔法，活泼险绝的书写而出名，而虞世南以刚健、圆滑的笔法取胜。褚遂良与薛稷则以绮丽与多骨而闻名。

这四名书法家的书法成为唐代书法用笔、线条书写法则的模范。四人中，欧阳询与虞世南发展了新风格，把书法推上一个新的水平；所以他们对后代书家有深远的影响。

薛稷不但以书法闻名，亦精于画，专长画鹤。在中国历史里，鹤是最这名的鸟类，也是长寿与好运的象征。

薛稷跟褚遂良学书法，所以他们两人的风格相同。两人的书法同样好。当时就流传这样的话：‘买褚得薛，不失其节’。（不管是卖褚遂良或者是薛稷的书法，价格都不会掉。）

很可惜的是，薛稷并没有传世书法保留至今，虽然现存的《信行禅师碑》被认为是他写的。这个碑里细瘦线条笔法与疏松的文字结构对后唐大书法家柳公权（778-865）有很大的影响，还成为宋皇帝徽宗赵佶的《瘦金体》的前身。因为这个理由，薛稷就在中国书法历史中找到了他的地位。

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Su Demao: How to Perfect your Calligraphic Work 苏德茂：如何完善创作

Your have written your calligraphic piece, the next step is to continuously perfect and improve it.

1. Check the text to ensure that there are no wrongly written words

This is very important. The check is to find out whether the words are written wrongly by you or they are contained in the original source of the text.

It is not unusual to find wrong words in printed text. It is always better to use reliable text. Generally speaking, the books published by the Shanghai Ancient Books Publishing House and Cultural Relics Publishing House in China are more reliable.

2. Mixing the Simplified script with the Traditional Scripts

The Simplified Chinese writing system has its role in popularizing the Chinese culture. However, it does not follow the scientific way of creating Chinese words and characters, and this has made it difficult for people to inherit traditional Chinese culture. Currently, the computing system of conversion between Simplified and traditional Chinese scripts is not working well, and it has caused unnecessary errors.

After thousand years of filtering, the writing scripts of Chinese calligraphy, namely the Official, Clerical, Regular, Zhang and Cursive scripts, have been meeting and fulfilling the aesthetic requirements. In principle, there is a need to accept tradition, as it is where the creativity originated. To be sure, we are not against new ideas and innovation, such as particular way of writing the cursive script.

In creating calligraphic work, the traditional scripts should be used as the first choice.

3. Continuously improve and make adjustments by taking the following points into consideration:

• The size of characters (mixture of big and small characters)
• The structure of words (upright or leaning structure)
• Brush techniques (centered-tip or slanted-tip)
• Harmony of ink effects: dark, light, moist, dried, penetrated, dull and bitter, flying white (threads of blank inline of ink)
• Exaggeration and reservation, stretching and contracting
• Brush techniques that produced flat or round effect on calligraphic lines
• Thick or thin lines: the use of pressing or lifting brush techniques
• The occupied and unoccupied spaces in cursive script writing: the solid or hollow (lingering) lines
• Varied arrangement of words and rows
• Joins and disjoins of lines
• Scatted or dense spacing
• Black (occupied) or white (unoccupied)
• Levelled or unlevelled footing
• Continuation of lines from end of one column to the beginning of another column
• Main characters (words) and strokes
• Adjustment of variations in word structure and shape
• The need for varied ways of writing the same character
• Natural and flawless composition: the spacing between strokes and words, the inscriptions and seal should be logically executed; the whole piece of calligraphic work should present the best visual effect.

苏德茂老师（中）与曾锦凯夫妇合影 Su Demao (Middle)

书法创作作品第一稿已经产生，接着如何去不断完善、改进？

 一：所写的内容是否有错字。

 此点很重要。查对是1。个人写错，2。原资料印错。

所依据原资料将字印错，是常有的事。查对中去查可信的版本。一般地说中国上海古籍出版社和文物出版社的版本可信程度高。

 二：繁简体的混淆。

 汉字简化为普及文化有意义，但简化却破坏了汉字造字的科学体系，而造成了混乱，为继承中华文化传统带来了不少麻烦。如今电脑的繁简互化功能的不完善，又产生不必要的错误。

书法中汉字的写法，篆、隶、真、章、草的书写，可以说经已过千、百年的筛选，符合审美的需要。为适合艺术创造的载体，原则上要继承。当然也不反对创造，如个别的草法，等等。

通用繁体字为书法创作中的首选。

 三：不断地完善、改进与调整。

大小

结字正、倚

正侧（中锋与侧锋的使用）

墨色和谐：浓淡枯润，涨墨与枯涩、飞白

夸张与含蓄，伸与缩

用笔的方、圆

笔画的粗细：用笔的重按与轻提

草书中的虚实：实连与虚连（牵丝）

字间、行间的错落

断连

疏密

黑白

字脚齐平与错落

隔行不断

主字与主笔

结体调整、字形的变化

重复字写法的变异

章法的完美自然：字、行、行间布白、款、印的合理、整幅作品黑、白块面的视觉效应等等。

苏德茂

2011.2.19

Xue Ji 薛稷

Xue Ji (649 - 713), courtesy name Sitong, was born in an intellectuals’ family in Puzhou, Fenyang (now Wangrong County in Shanxi). He was considered one of the four greatest calligraphers of the early Tang, along with Ouyang Xun, Yu Shinan and Chu Suiliang.

He was a great-grandson of Xue Daoheng, a great writer and an important official of the Tang Dynasty's preceding Sui Dynasty, and his uncle Xue Yuanchao was once a Chief Councillor during Emperor Gaozong's reign. He actually had a successful official career and held a number of senior positions in the imperial court. Unfortunately, in 713, during Emperor Xuanzong’s reign, he was embroiled into the case of Dou Huaizhen, who plotted to stage a coup. Xue Ji was arrested and imprisoned and ordered to commit suicide at the age of 63.

His maternal grandfather Wei Zheng had a large collection of books and reading materials, among them were authentic calligraphic works of Yu Shinan and Chu Suiliang. He had seen many calligraphic works of Yu Shinnan and Chu Suiliang in his grandfather’s house and was inspired to practice calligraphy. Later, when he served in the inner court, he had the opportunity to learn from works of many famous calligraphers from Wei and Jin periods like Zhong Yao, Zhang Xu, Wang Xizhi and Wang Xianzhi.

However, Xue Ji left few calligraphic works. From his work left in small regular script, one can see the characteristics of the early Tang regular script: thin and rigid. His learning journey can be classified into three phases. During the first phase, he learned from calligraphy of Ouyang Xun and Yu Shinan. In the second phase, he favoured the work of Chu Suiliang and was very much inspired by Chu. During his later years, he was able to break away from the influences of Ouyang, Yu and Chu, and created his own style. He thus became a most famous calligrapher during the later period of the early Tang dynasty and exerted great influence on the later generations.

On the whole, Chu Suiliang had the most influential impact on Xue Ji’s calligraphy as Xue faithfully learned and retained Chu’s style of writing.

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薛稷（649-713）字嗣通，出生于蒲州汾阴（今山西万荣）的一个书香世家。他是初唐四大书法家之一，其他三名是欧阳询、虞世南与褚遂良。

他是大文学家与唐前朝隋朝名臣薛道衡的曾孙。从父薛元超在唐高宗时期做过中书令。他的仕途其实不错，在朝廷中作过不少高职官位。不幸的是，他被卷入了窦怀贞密谋政变的案件。薛稷被捕关进监牢，并被令服毒自杀，时年63岁。

他的外祖魏征，家富图籍，多有虞世南、褚遂良墨迹。薛稷因此在他外祖家中看到虞世南与褚遂良的书法而受到启发，锐精模写。后来，他在内廷做事时，有机会学到魏晋多名著名书法家的书法，例如：钟繇、张旭、王羲之与王献之等。

但是，薛稷传世作品不多。从所流传的小楷，我们到可以见到初唐书法的特征：瘦硬。薛稷的书法可以分前、中、后三个时期，前期书艺，宗欧阳询、虞世南；中期宗褚遂良，并给予较大的启发。到晚年时期则摆脱欧、虞、褚三家的影响，而独创一格，成为初唐晚期最有影响的一位著名书家。

但总的来看，褚遂良对他的影响最大，他忠实地承袭了褚书的面貌。

Practical Functionality: The Chinese Traditional Huichun Activities 书法的实用性：传统的挥春活动

The traditional Huichun is alive and well in Singapore with many activities and competitions organised by various associations and organisations during the Chinese New Year period. Huichun are strips of red papers with phrases or words of good omen. Traditionally, Chinese likes to paste these Hui Chun in prominent places in their homes and workplace to bring luck and positive energy. This is really the practical functionality of Chinese calligraphy in action.

They were three major Huichun activities organized on 13 Feb 2011. Huichun activities were organized by the Braddell Height Community Club and the Singapore Teochew Poit Ip Huay Kuan, while the 28th National Huichun Calligraphy Competition was co-organised by Zaobao and the Chinese Calligraphy Society of Singapore.

Competing in primary, secondary, tertiary and open categories, they ranged in age from 6 to 83. Mr Anthony Ho, vice-president of the Chinese Calligraphy Society of Singapore and chief judge of the competition, pointed out five criteria to judge Chinese calligraphy: stroke of characters; consistency in writing; similarity of size of characters; ink tone; and overall look.

It attracted 1,300 participants to put their best strokes forward at The Float @ Marina Bay. This was the first time that the competition was held at the floating platform at the Marina Bay. Due to the constraint of the venue, the contestants had to write without the calligraphy without a table. Some contestants had therefore   decided to bring their own writing tables.

The Huichun event was one of the fringe events of the River Hongbao 2011.

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传统的挥春在新加坡热力未减，不少社团与组织在新年期间举办挥春活动与比赛。挥春是指写在红纸上面的吉祥语。按照传统，华人喜欢把这些挥春贴在家里与工作场所显目的地方，以带来好运与旺气。这就是书法实用性的体现。

在二月十三日当天，就用三项较大型的挥春活动。布莱德岭与潮州八邑会馆举办了挥春活动，而联合早报联合新加坡书协举办了第二十八届全国挥春大赛。

比赛分小学、中学、高中与公开组，参赛者的年龄由6岁到83岁不等。书协副会长兼大赛总评判何钰峰指出中国书法评判的五项准则：字的笔画、书写的一致性、字形大小相似、墨色与作品的整体。

这次的全国挥春大赛吸引了1，300位参赛者在滨海南的浮动舞台来大显身手。这是挥春大赛第一次在滨海湾浮动舞台举行。由于场地的限制，参赛者得席地而书。所以有些参赛者就决定自己把桌子带来了。
这次挥春活动也是‘春到河畔迎新春’的周边活动之一。

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全国挥春大赛：席地而书



全国挥春大赛：自备书桌

 
Below are photos of Huichun at Braddell Heights Community Club. 布莱德岭民众联络所挥春盛况。

挥春盛况

挥春作品一览

吴多标与王怀正挥毫

洪云生挥毫

沈观汉挥毫

马双禄挥毫

余保榮挥春作品

Practical Functionality: The Attractiveness of Chinese Calligraphy 实用性：中华书法的魅力所在

新加坡书法家曾广纬的书法 By Singaporean Calligrapher Chang Kwang Wee 

We believe that the attractiveness of Chinese calligraphy comes from its artistic value as well as its practical functionality. These two elements of artistic value and practical functionality are equally important and they complement each other.

The artistic value of Chinese calligraphy is derived from calligraphers’ ability to apply skilfully the brush and ink on paper. (Click here to read more.) The practical functionality of Chinese calligraphy is evidenced by the following facts:

1. Since ancient times, it has always been a tool for written communication, fulfilling the practical function of information exchange through writing Chinese characters with brushes, ink, and paper. However, as brush writing has gradually become obsolete, Chinese calligraphy has lost this most practical and basic functionality.

2. It is a revered symbol of tradition, excellence and self cultivation. Self-cultivation means specifically those activities pursued with an eye to the eventual goals of having a healthy body, becoming a nobleman and ultimately the goal of sage hood.

3. It is closely linked to the Chinese personal and commercial lives. Calligraphic works are used to decorate sitting rooms, studies and bedrooms. Signboards with inscriptions by famous figures are often found in shops and shopping centers, adding an antique elegance to busy and noisy trading areas. Characters in special styles appear as masthead inscriptions for newspapers or magazines, or as the titles of books.

4. It condenses the Chinese culture. Usually, the calligraphic work contains a poem, a pair of couplets or a motto that will surely inspire its viewers.

5. The traditional Huichun activities during the Chinese New Year will spice things up and create an enjoyable atmosphere. Huichun refers to writing of festival couplets and short messages that express good wishes for the year. The end products are calligraphic works produced specially for the celebration of the Spring Festival, the most important traditional festival of the Chinese people. Written on red paper, such couplets and messages are posted on gateposts, door panels, rice and food containers, walls or columns of houses.

6. Chinese Calligraphic works are displayed in temples, gardens, mountains, pavilions, towers and buildings in various scenic spots. Such calligraphic inscriptions on wooden boards or rocks integrate harmoniously with the surrounding scenery, and add radiance and beauty to it.

7. It has very close relation with other traditional Chinese arts, especially the Chinese painting.

8. Calligraphy can be used as a tool for the teaching of Chinese language and culture. As Chinese calligraphy is about writing Chinese characters, it is natural that it is most suitable tool for helping out students in learning Chinese language and culture. (Click here to learn more on this topic.)

Chinese calligraphy has certainly not lost its practical functionality and much can be done by calligrapher lovers to promote this unique art form by getting more people to participate in it to realize its practical functionalities.

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我们相信中华书法的魅力来自它的艺术价值与实用性。艺术价值与实用性相同重要，它们相辅相成，缺一不可。
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不要读成吉大春新啊！书法的实用性因时相传

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中华书法的艺术价值来自书法家应用毛笔与墨汁在纸上书写的能力。（请点击这里阅读有关谈论。）中华书法的实用性有以下事实可以说明：

1. 自古以来，它一直就是书写的沟通工具，以毛笔、墨汁与纸来书写以达到信息交流的实用功能。但是，随着毛笔日常应用逐渐的消失，书法也就失去了这个最实用及基本的功能。

2. 它是最受人敬仰的代表传统、卓越与修身的符号。修身就是那些着眼于达到健康身体、成为君子及最终成为圣人的目标的活动。

3. 书法与个人生活及商业活动有密切的联系。它被用来装饰客厅、书房、卧室。商店、购物中心常常可以看到名家所写的招牌匾额，为繁忙吵杂的场所增添了古典雅致气氛。报纸、杂志的刊头及书本封面也常有特别书写的书体。

4. 它浓缩了中华文化。书法作品一般上写的是诗词、对联或名言，这肯定会对观众有启发激励作用。

5. 传统的春节挥春活动增添了节日情趣与营造了欢乐气氛。挥春是以春联与吉祥语，为庆祝华人最重要节日春节而写的书法。写在红纸上的春联及吉祥语会被贴在门柱、门板、米与食物罐缸、墙壁或屋子的柱子上。

6. 中华书法在华人庙宇、花园、山岭、庭院、高塔及建筑物，随地可见。这些刻在木板或石板上面的书法作品和谐的融入周围环境，增添光彩与亮丽。

7. 书法与其它的中华艺术关系密切，尤其是绘画。

8. 书法可以作为教导华文与中华文化的教学工具。书法本来就是书写中华文字，很自然的它适合用来帮助学生学习中文与中华文化。（请点击这里阅读有关课题。）

书法肯定还没有失去其实用性，书法爱好者还可以为推进这门独特的艺术，吸引更多人参与并实现其实用性做出更多的贡献。

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Learning Calligraphy: Chen Kuoye’s Story 陈扩业学习书法的故事

On 28 January 2011, the Chinese newspaper Zaobao reported the story of an 83 year-old Chen Kuoye and his interest in Chinese calligraphy.

Chen Kuoye developed an interest in Chinese calligraphy when he was 28 years old. At the beginning, learning calligraphy for him was all about hard work. He was not supposed to place his hand on the table, and the writing strength must come not only from his hand but also from his abdominal muscles. He spent two whole years practising before he could master the skills. However, after he worked as a carpenter, he had less time to practice it. He could only take some times off during the off peak periods to earn some extra cash by writing New Year couplets for his fellow villagers.

When he retired, he was more than 50 years old. In order to participate in calligraphy competitions, he started practicing very hard again. He would spend at least half an hour a day in calligraphy. Finally, he won a national calligraphy competition organised by Bishan Community Club and a national Huichun (writing on the spot) competition organised by the Chinese Calligraphy Society of Singapore. He said: ‘These two winnings have inspired me a lot.’

Chen Kuoye currently works as a cleaner in the Ngee Ann Polytechnic. After his daily routine of cleaning the floors, he would use a brush made by him to write on the floor. Every day, he is seen by many students writing on the floor with water, demonstrating his Chinese calligraphic skills. He chooses to write on the floor with water in order to save money on buying ink and paper. After writing, the water will evaporate, leaving no trace of his writing on the floor.

Many people are quite curious about his practice of writing on the floor. After having a chat with him, a lecturer engaged him to give a talk about his learning and understanding of Chinese calligraphy, hoping that the talk would inspire the students. Inspiration indeed!

Second year student Wang Xiaozheng, 20, learns from this old uncle that in learning Chinese language and culture, there is a need to have a natural environment and cultural atmosphere. She said in an interview: ‘The recent announced changes to be made to the mother tongue language curriculum place greater emphasis on real-life usage. However, this type of learning is coercive, because students learn the Chinese subject for examinations. I think the key thing is that the students must have interest in the subject, and this can be achieved only when we live in a cultural atmosphere.’

Another student Zheng Suxin, 19, also feels the same way. She feels that at a deeper layer, once we can see the beauty of our culture, we will naturally develop an interest in it. She learns from this old uncle that for things that we are interested in, we should not give up easily.

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一月28日，联合早报报道了83岁校工陈扩业与书法的故事。

陈扩业对书法的兴趣，是在28岁那年养成的。21岁从中国来到新加坡的他，原本是名小贩，后来开始学习木工。开始学习书法时，陈扩业感到非常吃力，练字时手不但不能靠着桌子，而且力度不仅来自手部，腹部也要使力。他花了整整两年才掌握技巧。可是，当上木工后，他练笔的时间也跟着减少了，只是趁工程淡季时，写一些春联卖给村里的人赚点小钱。

50多岁退休以后，陈扩业为了参加一场书法比赛，再度提笔加紧练习，每天至少练半个小时。后来，他赢得了碧山民众联络所主办的全国书法比赛，以及书法协会主办的挥春比赛。他说：“这两个冠军荣誉给了我很大的鼓励。”

陈扩业目前是义安理工学院的清洁工人。他平时除了用大扫把扫地，也用自制的大毛笔在地上写字。许多学生经常见到他在校园内以黑砖地板为纸，以清水为墨，即兴表演书法。选择在黑色砖上用清水写字，是为了节省纸和墨的钱。写完后，等清水蒸发了，地上也不留痕迹。

陈扩业在地上写大字的做法引起了很多人的好奇。一位中文系讲师和他聊过后，决定邀请他到课堂上分享书法心得，借此启发学生。它的确是有启发了学生。

二年级生王晓铮（20岁）从这位老伯伯身上领悟到华文和中华文化的学习，应该要在一个自然的环境和氛围中推广。她受访时说：“最近推出的母语教改，讲求学习实用的华文，但这样的学习仍然是强制性的，学生还是为了考试而读华文。我认为关键是学生自己要感兴趣，而这只能通过强化文化氛围达成。”

另一名同学郑素鑫（19岁）也有同感。她觉得，文化是深层的，一旦看到它的美，兴趣便会油然而生。她从老伯伯身上也学到了，自己感兴趣的事，千万不可轻言放弃。

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The Chinese Calligraphy Dilemma 书法的困扰

A picture is worth a thousand words and this picture says it all. It seems it is quite clear that the horizontal words are to be read from left to right. But, how about the vertically written couplet?

我们说一张图画胜过千言万语。这张相片就可以证明。横批的读法从左到右，没问题，因为在中国大陆总不会说‘春迎猫熊’吧。（注：大陆采用简体字，也不称猫熊。）可是竖写的春联呢？

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Click here to read more about the New Chinese Calligraphy Style.

Click here to read more on Chinese Calligraphy As a Teaching Tool.

请点击这里阅读有关新书风。

请点击这里阅读有关书法作为教学辅助工具。

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Small Seal Script Calligraphy 小篆书法

Li Si's Small Seal Script 李斯的篆书

The Small Seal script, or the Lesser Seal script, is based on Large Seal scripts and emphasizes regulation and simplification. As such, it can be considered to be the first standardized script.

The biggest characteristic of Small Seal script is its round strokes. As the round brush technique was used to write it, the strokes have the same thickness and seem soft, round, fine and glossy, but actually full of tenacity. Generally speaking, it has level horizontal strokes and plump vertical strokes to ensure an aesthetic distribution of the characters in the writing space. The characters are think and tall.

The normative and regular characteristic of Small Seal script is the product of the unified politics in the Qin dynasty. It lost its foundation for development after the collapse of Qin dynasty. Besides political reason, it had its own disadvantages. Its requirement of regularity and orderliness hindered its writing rapidity; it is not simple enough to meet the needs of the era.

The Prime Minister Li Si is said to be the originator of the Small Seal script. His Small Seal script was written by following strictly the rule of centered-tip technique, his strokes were all plump and shapely, and with the beauty of strength and flexibility. He had integrated into Small Seal script a beauty of ornament. Under his pen, curves with different radian and lines with different length were tactfully assembled into characters with the same decorating beauty as picture. The famous Stone Tablet of Mount Yi is said to be written by him.

Sun Guoting of the Tang dynasty said that the artistic character of Small Seal script was flexible, elegant and mellifluent. And the calligraphic style of Small Seal created by Li Si is very influential and considered as standard by calligraphers of later generations.

Please click here to learn more about other Chinese writing scripts.

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小篆是由各种大篆发展而成，强调规整简约。因此，它可以说是最早的真书（或正书）。

小篆最大的特色是圆转的笔划。用圆转的笔法来书写，线条粗细一致，看起来柔圆细润，实则韧劲十足。一般来说，横画平行，竖笔垂直，确保字的线条空间分布富有美感。字体瘦长。

规整与划一的小篆是秦朝一统天下的政治产品。秦朝灭亡后，它就失去了发展的依据。除了政治的理由，它也有本身的缺点。它对于规范与整齐的要求也妨碍了书写的速度。它无法符合当时时代书写的需求。

宰相李斯是小篆的鼻祖。他本身的小篆严格遵循中锋笔法，笔划圆匀劲健，有刚柔并济之美。他把装饰美带进了小篆。在他的笔下，不同弧度的曲线与不同长度的直线巧妙地组合成装饰性强的文字，宛如美丽的图案。著名的《泰山刻石》据说是他的杰作。

唐代孙过庭说过，小篆的艺术特征是曲折优雅，流畅无阻。李斯所开创的小篆书法风格为后世书法家当作规范，影响深远。

请点击这里阅读其他字体的书法。

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