On the Nine Potentials of Calligraphy
In this paper, there are still great differences in the understanding of "nature" and "yin and yang" in academic circles: one thinks that "nature" refers to nature and natural things, and is an object. It is believed that the beginning of calligraphy is to imitate hieroglyphics in nature, such as "day" and "moon". Another view is that Cai Yong's "sex" here is actually another expression of "one" (the "one" of "Tao gives birth to one"). Then, if you want to understand "one", you must first understand what "Tao" is. Generally speaking, it has three meanings: first, it refers to the immortal matter that exists objectively. Also known as "infinite", "mixed pole" and "easy". It is the foundation of the universe, which has no beginning and end in time and no end in space. It spreads all over the universe, and can evolve into the material level of "one", thus transforming everything in the universe. As the Tao Te Ching said, "Tao gives birth to one, two, three and everything"; The second refers to the invisible material level in the universe. For example, the Book of Changes says: "The metaphysical refers to the Tao, and the metaphysical refers to the device"; The third is the opposite of "technique", which is also called "avenue". The ancients referred to high-level and high-goal training methods. There is generally a systematic theory. It advocates spiritual cultivation, moral cultivation, unity of body and mind or emptiness cultivation, and its ultimate goal is to know, master and apply the laws of nature, get rid of life and death, and integrate man with nature.
Let's explain the "one" of "Dao Sheng Yi". In the pre-Qin period, it also had three main connotations: one was a concept of China's ancient philosophy. Refers to a material level in the universe, transformed from Tao, also known as Taiji, Taiyi and Yuan Qi. Second, it refers to the overall state formed by the mixing of different levels of matter in the universe; Third, it refers to the inner spiritual activities, that is, "self", such as: "Don't be reluctant to part."
From the above analysis, we can see that if Cai Yong's words are put in the background of the prevalence of Yin and Yang in the Eastern Han Dynasty to explain the changes of everything in the world, we think that what Cai Yong said about "nature" should refer to "a material aspect in the universe", which is transformed from Tao to birth, that is, the appearance of Yin and Yang.
There is not much difference in the understanding of "Yin and Yang" in theoretical circles, and there are two main explanations: First, it refers to Yin and Yang. The ancients called it "two" and "two instruments". It is a special state of invisible qi. When qi belongs to Yang, it is dynamic and popular; Yin Qi is static and concentrated. They are interdependent and mutually transformed; Second, it refers to two relative attributes of tangible things. Yin generally refers to darkness, cold, stillness, decline, even number, etc. Things; Yang generally refers to the brightness, movement, rise and strength of things. Such as heaven and earth, day and night, cold and heat, etc. Both reflect the yin and yang attributes.
So Cai Yong's Yin and Yang should refer to Yin and Yang. Wang Chong said in Lun Heng: "Heaven and earth are in harmony, and everything comes into being." Therefore, the yin and yang of calligraphy are further embodied in "opening and closing", "rigidity" and "movement", and the "realm" of calligraphy is also shown. Of course, the understanding of "nature" and "Tao" must be based on "body" rather than general speculation, so that we can truly understand the reality of "Tao" and "Yin and Yang".
) "Hiding the head and protecting the tail, the strength is between the lines." "Hiding the head and exposing the tail" generally refers to positive writing, which is a process of gaining momentum and is easier to understand. "Tail protection" includes two meanings: first, it means that the pen tip does not leave the paper when it is closed, and it is retracted at the end of a painting, echoing the pen, forming a potential loop; Second, when the pen is closed, the nib leaves the paper and restores the potential in the air, just like the pen line. Therefore, we must not think that "the power lies in the words" means that the pen tip can never leave the paper, but we must see that the forms of force and force are various and cannot be rigidly adhered to the literal meaning of "hiding" and "protecting".
For the understanding of "writing hard to make the skin beautiful", please refer to the third issue of this newspaper 13 edition of Mr. Zheng Xiaohua's answer to readers' questions.
"The potential comes deep, the potential is unstoppable, and the softness is strange", which mainly emphasizes the continuity of the potential. Potential is inseparable from "force" and "rhythm". What is important is that the expression of potential must be based on nature, a natural trend, not a man-made trend. This is the key problem that we should consider when studying books. "Everything written is covered from the top, followed by the bottom, so that the situation reflects each other and there is no potential to return" is a further explanation of the momentum. What can't be ignored is that we should look at the "situation" from two aspects: one is the reflection of form; The second is the connectivity of potential. In some works, the form is superficially connected, but the potential is disconnected. Therefore, we must understand that on the situation, as a word, although the shape is ahead, the potential is behind, the potential is the first and the shape is the second. That is to say, only when you have a good state of "potential" when you are creating, can the form appear naturally, which is what the ancients said, "Form is born with potential". This problem is mainly due to the existence of the present book world.
"When you turn the pen, you should review it left and right so that the program will not be exposed." In order to fully understand the style of calligraphy, we must start with ancient Chinese characters. In this regard, Mr. Qiu Zhenzhong has detailed explanations in Several Issues of Calligraphy Evolution and Sun Xiaoyun's Calligraphy with Laws. As a reference for understanding, readers can get some enlightenment from it and then draw their own correct conclusions. Under the writing condition of contemporary high table and high chair, we must have a new understanding of the pen rotation of the ancients and make appropriate adjustments. For example, when we write the cursive script of Gao Tang axis, where do we need to turn the pen and where do we not need to turn the pen? This involves the question of how to write. Some writing methods are convenient for turning pens, while others are not suitable. Generally speaking, what kind of writing style you choose and what kind of brushwork you use are completely subject to the requirements of the realm and style you want to express, which varies from person to person and is an interdependent problem in all links of a system. If you only choose one, you can't really understand the causal relationship of each link, and you can't find a way to get started. Sun called it "the theory of hand-obsessed luck"
"Left and right review" mainly refers to the reflection on potential. It's just that we should make it clear that we should turn back when we turn the pen, and we should also have the idea of turning back when we don't turn the pen. Otherwise, it will lead to "potential isolation". As for the "lonely show", we should fully understand whether it is a metaphysical "show" or a potential "show". In many ancient classics, the "show" of metaphysics exists in large numbers, but it is not a potential "show". First of all, "not revealing" is a state of adduction. According to this, although the shape is scattered, it can also become a family.