This article is a lecture given by Li Shutong on March 28, 1937 at the Nanputuo Buddhist Yangzheng Institute in Xiamen after his ordination, and has been abridged.
I always advise people who have the heart to learn characters to start by writing seal characters. Why? There are several reasons for this.
First, you can study the "sayings" by the way. For philology, there can be a little common sense, because every word has its source, and it is not a figment of thin air. Regarding a stroke and a painting, you can't scribble casually. If you do not study the seal book and pay attention to the "speaking text", you will not be able to understand the origin of the word science and the text; it can be said that you can simply say that you do not recognize the word. Therefore, if you start with the seal book, not only will the writing progress, but it is also very interesting.
Sanitary Golden Mirror Four Screens (c. 1897)
Second, be able to write seal characters before learning calligraphy. When you write, you will not write wrong. I used to see manuscripts copied by several students of the Sanatorium, and there were many, many wrong words. It's shameful to know that it's a mistake. This is just like people who learn English, you can't spell the letter wrong, if you misspel the word, how do people know? Writing our own Chinese characters incorrectly is even more impossibility. If we first learn the seal book and then write it in italics, then we can avoid many mistakes.
Lishu Four Screens (Linyang Dan, 1899)
In addition, writing seal characters can also be the basis for writing Lishu, Calligraphy, and Xingshu. After learning the seal characters, it is easy to write the Lishu, the Letter of Letters, and the Writing of the Line, because the Seal Book is the foundation of all kinds of writing.
If you want to write seal characters, you can first refer to the book of "Shuowen", and there is a "Shuowen" section of the Qing Dynasty Wu Da, which is indispensable; because this book is very good and easy for beginners to learn. If you want to learn to write, it is best to study this book first.
Since you want to learn words with your heart, in addition to writing seal characters, there are also large letters, middle letters, and small letters, all of which should be written. When I was a child, I wrote it all about it. As for learning a foot and a half feet of words, there is a very simple way, you can use large bricks to write. Usually, four large bricks are put together to make a tabletop, and they are put up on a shelf, which can also be used as a table; it is very convenient to learn to write large characters; and one thing can be used for two purposes. How do you get a big pen? You can use hemp to tie up and make a large pen, and you can swing it at will when you want to write. There may not be many large bricks in the south, but there is a way to replace it here, that is, to put together water gates and become tables; and to write with hemp, it is the same. In this way, you can practice writing, and paper and pencil are much more economical.
Seal books, lishu and even writing books must be written, and everything must be learned. All inscriptions must also be read, at least to browse. After learning the above methods for a period of time, it is possible to write one or one special writing, which is a method of making a contract by bo.
The Buddha and the Lotus Pond Master (1922)
As for the pen? There are many kinds of calculations, such as sheep, wolves, rabbits and so on. Generally, sheep, rabbits and wolves can also be used, and there is no limit to which one. The most important point to pay attention to is that you must use a large pen to write a large character, do not use a small pen, it is very wrong to write a large character with a small pen, it is better to write a small word with a large pen, not to write a large character with a small pen.
There is also the problem of paper, the polished paper sold on the market is very cheap, but it is too smooth to write. If you use locally produced coarse paper, there is no such problem. I mean, coarse paper can be used for students in the upper grades, and polished paper can be used for the lower grades.
The paper with the lattice used here is not very suitable, and it is different from the paper of the nine square grids in our past. As far as my habits are concerned, the method I use the nine-square grid is not like this. Now draw below and explain my usage.
If you use this kind of lattice paper, it is very convenient to write. In this way, every word has rules to keep. For example, when writing in letters, the place where the two lines intersect becomes a cross shape, so it will not go up and down, left and right, and it will not be symmetrical. We must know that writing can not be casual, the status of each word, to be very correct, not to be left, not to the right, not to go up and down, to have certain standards. Because the line has a central point, when you first learn to pay attention to this line, it will naturally be moderate and "fall".
One Instant Text With Seven Words (1931)
Usually, when writing, write this word, the eyes focus on this word, and the rest is ignored, which is also wrong. For the words above are related to the words below; that is, the whole part of the word, whether up or down or left or right, must be coherent; this is very important and must be paid great attention to. Don't just write one word and leave it alone. Because writing should make all of them cooperate, you can't just look at every word.
One more thing to note is that when we write large characters, we must not lean on the table, but must make the wrist hang high before we can use ruyi.
It is good to hang the wrist in the middle of the writing, and if the elbow is to lean on, it is no harm. As for Xiao Kai, you can lean on the table and don't have to hang your wrist.
The above is the preliminary method of writing.
Rulai Puxian Eight Words (1933)
Now, by the way, about the method of writing couplets, naves, drapes, banners, etc.
When we write a couplet or a nave, there should be a rule in terms of the word we write. An ordinary middle hall, when it comes to the advantages and disadvantages, there are several elements to pay attention to.
Now estimate the score it deserves as follows:
Fifty points for chapters, thirty-five points for words, five points for ink color, and ten points for seals.
The above four elements are combined, and the total score can be counted as one hundred points. There is no even distribution, and I think the difference and distribution method should be as it is distributed above.
Buddha Number (1934)
The average person thinks that every word is very important, but according to the above score, it is only thirty-five points. You may wonder why the rules are instead the majority. As far as the constitution itself is concerned, the reason why it occupies an important position is very simple. In art, there are so-called three principles, that is, one, unity, two, change, three, neatness; this is considered very important in Western painting. I borrowed it here to criticize the quality of a painting. We write a word at will, whether it is a middle hall or a couplet, the ordinary will be arranged, or horizontal, or straight, first of all, to be able to unify; between the words, each other must be in contact with each other, mutual relationship is good.
However, unification alone cannot be achieved, and rigidity is also not allowed, and changes must be made. If the change is too drastic, the mess is of course not good. Therefore, we must pay attention to mutual contact and mutual relationship.
As far as the writing rules are concerned, this is roughly the case. It's very simple to say, but it can't be achieved overnight. This requires experience, a lot of practice; more reading of the calligraphy of the ancients, as well as inscriptions, and cultivating a vision of appreciating art.
You can often recognize it, experience it from experience, and then you can slowly achieve something.
One Law and Ten Thousand Edges and Five Words (1919)
What should be the so-called ink color? That is, the material should be good and the color should be bright. There is also a seal, and if the cover is broken, it is also not allowed. Cover the place, to be in the right place, very placed. At the same time, of course, the seal must be well engraved; the words on the seal must be well written. As for the printing color, of course, it is also good. When the lid is used, you can cover one or two. Seals are round and square, large and small, and there are various differences. How to distinguish and use it? Then it is necessary to pay attention to the use of the cover after writing, because it can also remedy the lack of rules when writing.
Poem "Wing Chun Fung Temple" (1935)
The above is about the basic laws of writing, which can be said as a rule and criterion, but a dull method. What is the best way to write? Which method can be used to achieve the top of the best? I think you must be very enthusiastic to ask. I thought and thought, I think that if you want to write well, you still have to practice more, read more monuments, and read more posts, then you can naturally write well. You may say that this is the ordinary method, but what if you want to reach the highest state? I couldn't answer anymore. I remembered that there was a cloud in the Lotus Sutra: "It is the difference between the law and the non-contemplation that can be solved", so I borrowed this sentence and changed only one word, that is, "it is the word that can be solved by the difference between thinking and not thinking". For no matter what kind of art in the world, it is beyond the solution of thinking about the distinction. Even in terms of writing, it is necessary to think about the distinction in order to write well; at the same time, it is necessary to leave the thinking of the distinction in order to appreciate art, in order to achieve the highest state of art. I remember that there was a Zen master in ancient times, and once when people invited him to the church to speak, there were many people in the audience at that time; after he took the stage, he sat silently for a while, that is, he said, "The explanation is finished," and then left the church. So today, as far as writing is concerned, at this point, I can only say: "I am finished talking about writing." ”
Name of Grand Master of huayan sect (1936)
If you use a blank piece of paper, completely white, and do not write a word and show it to the mage who teaches you to write, then he must say, "Zenza, Zenza!" Well written, well written! ”
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