Master Hongyi's "Buddha Says The Amitabha Sutra" ink on paper, seventeen open volumes, in 1932 Master Hongyi wrote for his father Jin shi gong 130 years of meditation, the work is solemn, one breath through, but also a master's master's happy pen.
Master Hongyi received education in Confucianism from an early age, he had lofty ideals and ambitions, he was young and promising, full of vigor, enthusiastically devoted to literature, art and politics, in literature and art, poetry, calligraphy, painting, music, seal engraving, drama are proficient, and can integrate various arts, fully reflecting his artistic talent.
Politically, during his study in Japan, he joined the League led by Sun Yat-sen, and later privately involved Kang Youwei and Liang Qichao, and once carved a seal: "Nanhai Kangjun is my teacher." "It can be seen that its pursuit of progress, positive thinking." In the period before his ordination, his calligraphy also embodied the characteristics of strength, erectity, indulgence, and spiritual exuberance.
But in the meantime, he lived in a harsh background, and the times could not fulfill his ambitions. In addition, from the late Qing Dynasty to the Republic of China, Buddhism was all the rage, and many progressive intellectuals and innovators often used Buddhism to inspire morale and admired Buddhism, believing that "those who study Buddhism well do not have those who are strong and strong without shaking and courageous", "The faith of Buddhism is wisdom and faith is not superstition", "it is both good and not unique", "it is to enter the world rather than to be world-weary", "it is immeasurable rather than limited", "it is equality rather than difference", "it is self-power rather than other power", under this trend of thought, he entered the Buddha's door.
This is his exploration of an ideal society of peace and tranquility in a special way, embodying his own purity and the value of existence. He hoped to educate his subjects with Buddhist thought, purify people's souls, make society as peaceful and tranquil as Buddhist temples, and make people's hearts as charitable as monks. So he entered the Hangzhou Hupao Temple in 1918 or became a monk. After his ordination, he decided to abandon all art and devote himself to the study of the Vinaya, but calligraphy was used as a copy of writing, and he left a skill.
Changes in his living environment and field of thought changed his understanding of calligraphy. At this time, calligraphy was no longer pursued as an art, but a tool for propagating Buddhism, but the copying kung fu before renunciation was also inherited for the time being. After 13 years, the calligraphy style inherited before the monk was gradually abandoned, and inadvertently gradually formed his own style of writing, which was called "Buddha's body". Although the process of the formation of this style of writing is not deliberately pursued, it has formed an otherworldly and unprecedented style of its own family, which is really a typical example of "unintentionally planting willows and willows".