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Sometimes when I look at the exhibition and see some calligraphers writing about Zhong Xuan's works, I always lament that the writing is better than Zhong Xuan's. Why? The Wei and Jin Dynasties where Zhong Xuan is located, the pen is definitely not exquisite in the Tang Dynasty, and modern people mostly start from Tang Kai, and the basic skills are very good, so writing the characters of the Jin people in the Tang Dynasty penmanship looks of course a lot more exquisite.
But you must not think that "writing better than Zhong Xuan" is completely praise, good looking is good,but the ancient taste of Zhong Xuan is completely gone.
So, is this because the ancient law has been lost?
On the question of whether ancient penmanship is lost, there are many theories on the Internet, even calligraphy masters and everyone is obsessed with this.
What exactly is ancient law? Why do many people often say that when commenting on other people's works, they don't use ancient methods? Is the ancient law really lost?
Some people believe that the ancient method of using the pen is directly related to the environment in which the writing takes place, the use of tables and chairs, the posture used, and the tools used.
"Ancient method" refers to the penmanship used when holding paper in your hand and writing. The "new decline of the ancient method" is due to the use of tables, and this unsupported writing method has gradually disappeared.
In the Tang Dynasty, the "absolute singing" of the "ancient law" has played a prelude. After the use of the table and chair, the arm and wrist have a support when writing, but invisibly blur and dilute the brushwork, and eventually lost.
Others believe that from the works of stele and posters left by people in ancient times, they can explore the brushwork of their ancestors, and the different lifts and setbacks, centers, flanks, turns, and strands of different book styles are obviously presented in front of us, and those who are willing to use their brains can completely reproduce the various calligraphy faces of ancient times, and the fundamental reason is that they have correctly mastered the brushwork of the ancients. The penmanship is not "lost".
More people believe that whether the "ancient pen method" is lost or not should be treated from a historical perspective.
Because today's so-called "Erwang Brushwork" and "Wei jin Penmanship" were issued from the standpoint of today's people when they studied the Erwang. But it is not the calligraphy "essence" of the Two Jin Dynasties.
In the period from oracle bones and jinwen to small seals and Han Li, it is a historical period with stone carvings as classics.
At that time, calligraphy was written first and then engraved, with engraving as the ultimate effect.
Under such material and technical conditions, it is impossible to have the production of "penmanship", first of all, the pen used for writing is not the final effect, it is not independent and must rely on chiseling, then there is no "engraving method", how can "penmanship" come from?
Therefore, when talking about whether the ancient law is lost, we should first understand the meaning of this "ancient". Is it the ancient of the three generations, the ancient of the Han and Wei Dynasties, the ancient of the two Jin Dynasties, or the ancient of the Qing Dynasty.
It should be said that the brushwork of these eras has its own characteristics. Because the penmanship is different according to the writing carrier, the table and chair, the book body, and other tools, the bookstore occasion.
The understanding of the ancient brushwork is definitely not a simple question of "lost" or "not lost", and should be deeply studied.
On the one hand, we must summarize, sort out, study and inherit the "brushwork" in history, on the other hand, we must also develop and innovate in combination with the current situation and cultural background of contemporary calligraphy culture.
It can be said that the method of using the pen has never been lost, but with the changes of the times, it is constantly evolving and changing.
Returning to the question at the beginning of the article, this is not a problem of the loss of ancient methods, but another problem involving calligraphy, that is, do not write ancient characters in the later ghostwriting method, such as learning Han li, the most taboo to use Tang Kai brushwork, otherwise you cannot write that sense of heaviness.
Just like contemporary people wearing a Han costume, speaking a contemporary popular language, and performing a costume drama, it is full of funny.