"The name is constant, the body must be in the truth; there is no way to change, and the number must be considered in the new voice." This is the principle of article inheritance and innovation expounded by Liu Xun of the Southern Dynasty, which means that the specifications of the article system require that the model of the predecessors must be taken, while the change of the style of the text does not have a certain formula, and the method of adaptation must take into account the contemporary spirit. For example, calligraphy, its rationality is also close, but for calligraphy, that is, copying and creation, and between the two, it is not a simple relationship between cause and effect, and its transformative mystery is far beyond the causal relationship, and the person who penetrates this transformative mystery is the one who is excellent and successful, and the scholar Fang Yujie is in the depth of traditional exploration and the machine sensitivity of the times, drawing the essence of tradition, and has achieved remarkable achievements.
Fang Yujie's article "Essay on Idle Writing" has such a feeling about the "Linchuang" of calligraphy: what is "Linti", known as "seven points of original appearance, three points of self"; what is "creation", "three points of original appearance, seven points of self". As far as the author understands, the "self" here refers to both individual character and talent, and also refers to the spirit of the times. From "three points of oneself" to "seven points of oneself", it not only shows the unique integration ability of calligraphy art, but also has its splendid historical and cultural accumulation, but also its wonderful cultural expression of the times; it also shows Fang Yujie's talent for calligraphy art, his "endless road" of Linchi's work, and his "inexhaustible source" up and down.
"Look at the post ten times, not as you wish to come five times; ten times, it is better to recite it five times; it is better to be back to it ten times than to be on it five times; it is better to be in front of it ten times than to double hook it once; once you double hook, the depth of its seal is known only to those who have done it." Fang Yujie is diligent and wise, and his words to calligraphy are overflowing with words, and his transparent words to calligraphy are admirable. Infected with the "Ancient Law of the Central Plains", absorbing the broad, majestic and simple masculinity of the "Central Plains Calligraphy Style", starting from the Nanyang where the fire of calligraphy is enthusiastic, Fang Yujie is fortunate and has extraordinary courage and broad mind. From the solo exhibition of Yihai Henan Urban Construction College, to the solo exhibition of DingHai First Normal University, and then to the "My Heart" theme exhibition of the National Art Museum of China in Jiawu, in the past 20 years, every step that Fang Yujie has deeply rooted in has shown his fearlessness and courage on the road of calligraphy.
In Fang Yujie's path to calligraphy, I noticed two important details. In a class, the tutor Mr. Ouyang Zhongshi made a more interesting analogy on the issue of teaching the law: study sun guoting's book genealogy, then Sun Guoting is your teacher, and Wang Xizhi is the master! If you directly study Wang Xizhi's calligraphy, then Wang Xizhi is your teacher, and Sun Guoting is your classmate! Taking the Fa, Fang Yujie was by no means a new truth, but it must have been at a suitable time, waking up his confusion for many years. Another detail is that when Mr. Hu Kangmei affirmed the breath and agility of his calligraphy, he suggested that he write the Seventeen Theses to further enhance the thickness and texture of the lines. From Zhang Xu, Huai Su, Huang Gu to Wang Juesi, although he slept along the two kings and one line, in the face of the great temptation of the wind and the deep water, Fang Yujie had a kind of satisfaction of "accomplishing things", which is not only the price paid by the learners for their youth, but also the unique charm of calligraphy art. Therefore, in my opinion, these two details are an important opportunity for Fang Yujie's calligraphy to achieve butterfly change, "no way to change", the realm of high and beautiful, always in the distance. It is precisely in the infinite cycle that the art of calligraphy has fulfilled the "poor change, change is general, and general is long." "This timeless truth.
As for the history of calligraphy and his own experience, Fang Yujie has never been absent. After the 2014 National Art Museum of China theme exhibition, Fang Yujie made this thought: "What is my next goal?" Finally, under the guidance of his mentor, he firmly established his goal of struggle, "I think I should sort out the history of calligraphy, first, to supplement my theoretical knowledge, and also to make my own contribution to the whole cause of calligraphy." This led to the publication of "Calligraphy Masters of Past Dynasties: Zhang Xu and Huai Su" in 2017 and the monograph "Chinese Calligraphy Series" published in 2020. From this, the author can't help but lament his great courage to overcome difficulties and his extraordinary perseverance to forge ahead. Sometimes, I also think that in the cultural anxiety of the times calling for masters, we may as well calm down, as far as calligraphy is concerned, instead of shouting for the revitalization of calligraphy, it is better to retreat and take action. There are talented people in the book world, and Fang Yujie has this sense of historical mission in mind, and has made a heavy footnote for our seemingly culturally missing era.
In our time, at the time of the important transformation of the history of books, what we lack may not be the practitioners who are familiar with the various styles of expression and the number of techniques, and such practitioners may not be able to say that they truly understand calligraphy. Without understanding the past of calligraphy, it is impossible to understand the current situation of calligraphy and its uncertain future. Projected on the creation, only impulsive emotions, only astute perception, is far from enough, the creator himself, needs enough historical accumulation. Only in this way can we do a good job in connecting calligraphy with various cultures at a deeper level, which can be said to be the integration of calligraphy itself into the spirit of the times, and it can also be said that it is a deep transformation of this art from the artist; only in this way can we make a more accurate positioning of its era role from the exploration of book history and the study of book art, and make a more contemporary pulse for its future direction.
With such a sense of history, book history and aesthetic perspective, looking back at Fang Yujie's 2014 "My Heart" theme exhibition at the National Art Museum of China, we will gain a more grand panoramic understanding of the thematic creation and its formal meaning. Therefore, whether it is from epistemology to methodology, or from understanding to judgment, Fang Yujie has shown his excellence. The greatest French art historian of the 20th century, Faussiyon, in the opening of his famous book The Life of Form, writes: "A work of art is created through completely independent activity, conveying a certain free and noble dream; but in this work it is clear that the vitality of various civilizations is surging." "The critic Mr. Xue Yuanming has a new article on calligraphy and contemporary spirit: calligraphers want to have new breakthroughs, not only to pay attention to calligraphy itself, but also to the ultimate thinking that is closely related to their own lives... Contemporary calligraphy must be related to the contemporary spirit, and it is the true source of vitality of calligraphy that has placed some hope in human nature.
Mr. Ma Qianchi has a monograph on "Exploring the Hidden Suoyi", and I admire the author's writing style, and I admire his in-depth description, accurate interpretation and precise positioning of the calligraphy art of Fang Yujie in the history of books, book theory and aesthetic quadrant. This book occupies almost all the highlands where the opponent's yujie calligraphy is used to start thinking. Therefore, his artistic deeds are one of the few angles that can unfold the narrative, and his calligraphy works can also give us some new revelations and new narrative space.
Brilliant to the extreme, to the point of blandness. "For the sake of the Tao, the loss is lost, and the loss is lost, so that there is no action." ——In my opinion, the qi vein presented by Fang Yujie's calligraphy creation may be viewed as such. Although, As Foucillon said, "The work of art haughtily overrides any interpretation of it, we may think that this interpretation is appropriate for it." "The flower of interpretation does not beautify, but obscures it." Therefore, in the face of his work itself, our interpretation may be in vain.
Because Fang Yujie is not a person who focuses on calligraphy, but the artist who was born for calligraphy in our time.
Fang Yujie, Master of Fine Arts in Calligraphy, a first-class artist, a member of the Industry Construction Committee of the China Calligraphers Association, and the vice chairman of the National Public Security Book Association. He first studied under Mr. Liu Zunfa, and later studied under Mr. Ouyang Zhongshi and Zhang Tongyin.
Calligraphy works have participated in the National Calligraphy Exhibition Competition and won awards for many times, served as the jury supervisor of the National Calligraphy Competition for many times, published works such as "Chinese Calligraphy Series", held many personal calligraphy exhibitions at the National Art Museum of China and other places, and the calligraphy works were collected by the Central Archives, the National Art Museum of China and other units.
Yan Yihu/Wen