Although the fat and thin of calligraphy exists, the general trend is to cycle between the two poles, and this law is undoubtedly restricted by people's aesthetic concepts. Once any kind of thing becomes popular, there must be many followers who will help it, gradually expand, and finally become a trend. And when it reaches the extreme, it will be tired for a long time, and it will inevitably transform in the opposite direction.
Repeatedly, there is no bottom.
Popular, then there are followers, followers are many, so the practice becomes a trend, the trend develops to the extreme, then it is disgusted, then it is transformed, it is popular, it follows, it becomes a trend, it reaches the extreme, and then it is transformed......
A passage recorded by Wei Tai in the Song Dynasty in the "Dongxuan Records" is worth thinking about:
At the beginning of the Tang Dynasty, the style of the Jin and Song Dynasty was obtained, so it was still strong and healthy. Zhi Chu and Xue are especially thin and hard. After Kaiyuan and Tianbao, it became hypertrophied, and to Su Lingzhi's generation, it was almost turbid. Therefore, the old Sheyun "the book is expensive, thin and hard", although his words were issued for the seal, it also seemed to be excited at that time. Zhenyuan, Yuan and his own queen, the disciples of Liu and Shen (the teacher), regained their vitality. At the end of the Tang Dynasty and the Five Dynasties, Yuxue was very bad, and there was no one to watch. During this period, Yang Ning's style to the beginning of the country, Li Jianzhong was wonderful, and the pen was also mainly in the thick. To Li Changwu (Zongge) is famous for his books, but he can't help but have heavy turbidity. Therefore, Ouyang Yongshu (Xiu) commented on the book day: "Those who are fat in books, such as thick-skinned steamed buns, will not taste good, and every life is a vulgar thing." There are also agitated and cloudy ears. Jiangnan Li Houzhu good book, taste and close to the minister's language book, there are people who say Yan Lu Gong is strong and have the law, and the day of the queen's contempt: "The book of Zhenqing, there is a law but no good, just like the forked hands and feet Tian She Han'er!"
Du Fu's famous sentence that we most often say, "Books are expensive, thin and hard, and they are all through the gods" has his context, and cannot be generalized as the highest standard, because Du Fu said this sentence, not only for seal script, but also after the Tang Dynasty Tianbao, the book world is full of fat under the situation of emotion. Ouyang Xiu's comment on the fat "thick-skinned steamed buns" cannot be regarded as the highest conclusion, because his discussion also has his context. Besides, Li Houzhu is not used to Yan Zhenqing's words, not because Yan Zhenqing's words are not good, but because Li Houzhu has his own aesthetics, and these views cannot be regarded as absolute conclusions.
As mentioned in the previous part, at the beginning of the Song Dynasty, Xu Xuan, Li Jianzhong, and Li Zongge were all fat characters. And Chen Yaozuo, who was in the same era, even commented on "piling up ink books".
(Pictured by Shao Xiaosa)
Chen Yaozuo (963-1044), known as Xiyuan, was a native of Langzhong (now Langzhong City, Nanchong City, Sichuan Province), at the age of eighty-two. Because he was the prime minister of the early Song Dynasty, therefore, his words reached "where the world's famous mountains and scenic spots, inscriptions, many public traces, the world or the effect, and can not be reached." ".
To what extent is his writing thick? There is an anecdote in the memory of the Song people, which is worth a lot of fun:
Chen Wenhui is an eight-point book, dot painting is fat, it is one, the world is known as the "pile of ink book", especially the title list of Shi. On the day of the town of Zhengzhou, the banquet of the house, the servants played with a large piece of paper, painted with thick ink, which dotted four points with chalk, and asked: "What is the word?" said: "The word 'Tian' in the ink book!"
The world imitates the word of the powerful, in all dynasties are the atmosphere, and the Song Dynasty is particularly so, about this, Mi Fu in the "book history" has a record said:
Taizong of this dynasty has stood out of the five generations of cultural relics have been exhausted, the sky is good for the ancient nature, the real creation of the eight laws, the grass into the samadhi, the line of the book is not right, flying white into the gods, for a time the secretary of the secretary of the good thing, then learned to learn Zhong, Wang. To Li Zongge's main text for a long time, the scholars began to learn his books, fat and simple, is the time to transcribe to cast its good, take the Kodi, since then only interesting time expensive books. Song Xuan offered a public ribbon to participate in politics, leaning into the dynasty to learn from it, and called it "Dynasty Body". Han Zhong dedicated Gongqi to good face books, and the people and customs all learned face books. and Cai Xianggui, Shishu and all learned. Wang Wen'an made a stone appearance, and the scholars and customs also learned its body, and since then the ancient law has not been spoken.
In Mi Fu's point of view, Song Taizong's word is good, after Taizong, starting from Li Zongge, people began to "interesting books", that is, the word of the people in power has become the object of competition among the vulgar. Li Zongge was in power, everyone learned his words, Song Shou was in power, everyone learned Song Shou, then Han Qi, Cai Xiang, and then Wang Anshi.
It's not that their words are good, but that they are "in power", and learning their words can get a better effect of "line scrolls" (about "line scrolls", which flourished in the Tang Dynasty, refers to the examination of the son, before the test will be written into a scroll, and the chief examiner of the gift department or the minister of honor will be recommended to the chief secretary to facilitate the first).
Generation after generation said:
Li Zongge
Li Zongge (965-1013) was a native of Raoyang, Shenzhou (now Hebei). Yongxi was 21 years old in the second year of Jinshi, and from this year until his death at the age of 49, he was always an official in the court, and as a close confidant who recorded words and deeds for the emperor and wrote edicts. Think about it, such a status, like a leader in the literary world, such a person who manipulates the handle, and the people in front of the door are naturally flocking to him. It's a pity that the "Trending Expensive Books" have all disappeared with Li Zongge's thanks.
(Image by Li Zong-yi)
Li Zongge's handwriting, only the existing "Sending Shilong Poems", is now in the National Palace Museum in Taipei. As shown in the figure:
(Detail of Li Zongge's "Sending Shilong Poems")
Li Zongge belongs to the "fat" category, Mi Fu degraded to "fat flat and simple", seems to depict the characteristics of his style of writing.
Song Shou
Song Shou (991-1040) was a native of Pingjian (now Zhao County, Hebei). In the first year of Dazhong Xiangfu, he was born as a Jinshi. He is a scholar and a scholar of Hanlin. Fellow initiates "Records of the True Sect", national history, and know Tianfu. In the second year of Ming Dao, he visited the governor. Recall the governor of Henan Mansion, recall the privy council, and participate in political affairs. Confession.
(Song Xiang Image)
Song Shou's calligraphy has a good reputation in the Northern Song Dynasty, except for Su Shi's "clear and cold" and expressed his incomprehension, he is almost well-known in other places.
"Xuanhe Book Pedigree" said: "At the beginning of the country, it was called the person who could write, but Li Jianzhong and the two of them, and the word of Jianzhong, or ridiculed by the times, said to have the atmosphere of decline and chaos for five generations, and the silk was endless, and the book was rich in law, although it was clear but not weak, it was difficult for the ancients to reach." ”
Huang Tingjian is quite fond of Song Shou's calligraphy, and thinks: "Song Xuanxian is rich in the law of the ancients, delicate but not weak, which is also difficult for the ancients." "The book of scholars and doctors in modern times is rich in the law of the ancients, but the Song Dynasty Xuanxian Gong'er. "Changshan (because of Pingjian in the Han Dynasty for Changshan County) official book, such as Huo to sick soldiers, the so-called 'Gu Fangluo how to hear, not to learn Sun Wu. As for its pride, it is like a beautiful woman wearing flowers, smiling at the spring, and future generations are not easy to surpass the ear. ”
Song Shou's calligraphy originated from Xiao Cheng, and Xiao Cheng learned from Chu Suiliang and Xue Ji. Xiao Cheng's calligraphy no longer exists, but Song Shou's "Qingxi" or "Qingxiu" is clearly derived from Xiao Cheng.
Because Song Shou's calligraphy no longer exists in the world, we can only draw this conclusion from these comments: Song Shou's calligraphy is beautiful all the way. Moreover, combined with the fashion trend, his words belong to the category of "strong and thin". It is a reaction against Li Jianzhong and Li Zongge's style of writing.
Or, how his calligraphy actually is, can only get some intuitive feelings from his student Cai Xiang. Fortunately, Cai Xiang's calligraphy, we will have a special discussion, and I will not say more here.
Also, because Song Shou's calligraphy was hot when he was hot, the ministers of the Manchu Dynasty were learning him, and today you can still see the ink of famous princes who are slightly later than the Song family and are close to Cai Xiang's age, such as Sun Luan's "Famous Domain",
(Sun Luan's "Famous Domain")
Lu Gongqiu's "True Teachings",
(Lu Gongqiu's "True Teachings")
Ye Qingchen's "Da Yi Post",
(Detail of Ye Qingchen's "Da Yi Post")
Lu Gongbi's "Zi'an Post",
(Lu Gongbi's "Zi'an Post")
Wang Su's "Shaanxi Right Post" and so on,
(Wang Su's "Shaanxi Right Post")
They all have relatively close to the thin body, and they have obviously been deeply influenced by Song Shou. This is the so-called "body of Mi Fu" specimen.
In fact, the reaction against Li Jianzhong and Li Zongge did not begin with Song Shou. If Lin Kui is only a special case as a hermit, then the scholars who are keen on Shijin actually have a tendency to move towards the opposite of fat. Fan Zhongyan's "Praise of Taoist Costumes", which was written in the first year of Qianxing, was already extremely refreshing.
(Fan Zhongyan's "Praise of Taoist Costumes")
Zhou Yue
Zhou Yue can be seen as a bridge for the transition from Li Zongge to Song Shou.
Zhou Yue, the word Zifa, the word Qingchen, Zizhou Zouping (now northeast of Zouping, Shandong) people. It is the judge of the three-door shipment. Jing Yu took Dr. Guozi as a member of the catering department for three years, and Zhiguozi supervised the study, and knew the state in the past, and finally served as the guest Langzhong. There are twenty-nine volumes of "Ancient and Modern Law Library".
(Zhou Yue image)
Zhou Yue's birth and death are unknown, and according to the data, Zhou Yue may be more than ten years older than Song Shou.
True and grass are what Zhou is good at. "Xuanhe Book Pedigree" said: "The heavenly sage and the Qingli are shown by books, and the scholars are very sectarian. The pen is strong enough to law, and the words are not presumptuous, but the real line is especially wonderful, and the cursive words can also. ”
Zhou Yue's cursive script, the only thing that can be seen today is the engraved copy of "Huai Sulu Gong Ti Ba". As shown in the figure:
(Zhou Yue's "Huai Sulu Gong Ti Ba")
Zhu Changwen commented that this is "Junshi is half-drunk, Rongyi indulgence", although there is a gaffe, but it is not harmful to Jun, this is still a mixed reputation; Mi Fu's "Zhou Yue is like a light boy dancing sword, the momentum is empty and the blade is raised" is inevitably all derogatory.
The most fervent comment was made by Wong Ting-kin, who said:
He has been learning cursive for more than 30 years, and he took Zhou Yue as his teacher at the beginning, so he has been shaking off the cheesy for 20 years.
Qian Mu's father and Su Zizhan were both ill with cursive writing and vulgar writing. Gai Yu learned the book of the weekly diet department when he was young, and he didn't realize it at first, so he didn't make grass for a long time. For several years, I still feel that the dust is not exhausted, so I don't want to be a book.
He thought that the cheesiness in his book came from Zhou Yue, so he regretted it.
Mi Fu learned Zhou Yue when he was ten years old, but he criticized Zhou Yue in his later years, but he was ruthless. All the cursive writing that he despises, the best destination is the place to go in the market, and the treatment of Zhou Yue and Tang Wudai is all like this:
Today's paintings are not enough to discuss deeply, Zhao Chang, Wang You, and Rong Huang have been able to cover the wall, all of which are few. Cheng Tan, Cui Bai, Hou Feng, Ma Ben, Zhang Zifang and others can stain the wall, and the tea house hotel can be hung with Zhou Yue and Zhongyi cursive, and it is not discussed by Wu Cao.
Zhou Yue's small Kai, now there is an engraved copy of "Luo Shen Fu Thirteen Lines" and the original copy of "Wang's Thousand Character Writings". The former was neat and flattened, and it was made in the eighth year of Dazhong Xiangfu, two years later than Li Zongge's death, and still has the legacy of the Li family. Houbai is the only authentic work of Tongyue in the world. As shown in the figure:
(Zhou Yue's "Wang's Thousand Character Essays")
Obviously, in Zhou's later years, the shape of the characters has been easily flattened into squares, and the most impressive thing is the twists and turns in the middle of the vertical brush. The former is from "Shenlong Lanting", while the latter is revealed by Mr. Li Ao to be the basis of Huang Tingjian's "war pen".
Regarding Zhou Yue's position in book history, Mr. Cao Baolin's assertion can be described as pertinent:
At the intersection of the upper Chengjin faction and the lower Tang style, Chu Suiliang is a representative figure. I think Zhou Yue's historical role is somewhat similar to Chu Suiliang's. If it is said that Chu's calligraphy style inherited the thinness of the Eastern Jin Dynasty to the early Tang Dynasty, and the structure changed the tight length of the early Tang Dynasty to a wide square, so that Yan Zhenqing got room for innovation, then Zhou Yue was also at the intersection of the transition from Chongwang in the early Song Dynasty to Shangyan in the middle period. He did a lot of useful work on calligraphy.
For example, "Ancient and Modern Law Library" is a clean-up and summary of the calligraphy tradition, and he introduced the calligraphy of the Tang Dynasty Duan Jizhan that is about to be annihilated, so that Mi Fu got the "eight-sided front" and "turning fat" borrowing, etc., all show that Zhou Yue has the potential of Chu Suiliang, but unfortunately because of his official position and qualifications hindered him from playing the role of Chu.
In the "Song Four Family", Cai Xiang, Huang Tingjian, and Mi Fu have all benefited from Zhou Yue's legacy, and Zhou Yue has become the target of Su, Huang, and Mi in the "Shangyi" movement, so is this Zhou Yue's luck or misfortune?
The book world of the early Song Dynasty can be summarized in this simple way, that is, in the reciprocation of "fat" and "thin", the "dynasty style" was pursued. It was not until the advent of Ouyang Xiu's Jigulu and the appearance of Cai Xiang that calligraphy in the Song Dynasty was "revived".
([Follow the pudding calligraphy history] No. 131, some pictures come from the Internet, the copyright belongs to the original copyright owner)