Prose: The Past of Calligraphy

one

Some lives are often a process of constant migration. From one place to another, killing time in space. Once you can't walk, time ends in a certain space. For example, I have been wandering in the north and south since middle age, falling with the wind like fallen leaves. Returning to my hometown in my later years has been unfamiliar for a long time. I had to move to another coastal city recently.

Since you want to spend your old age somewhere else, you should take some old things with you. That day, I used my spare time to sort out some sundries in my hometown and prepare to take them away. Looking around, I don't have many possessions, but there are quite a few old books, and there are probably hundreds of them piled up. I bought these books when I was concentrating on my studies twenty or thirty years ago, and most of the pages were yellow. Looking at a pile of old books that have been dusty for decades, I can't help feeling a little. It is a strange fate to be an official if you learn to be excellent, and you can't help but sigh the vagaries of life. Later, after going abroad for many years, these books were moved several times at home, and it is estimated that many books were lost. But after a rough count, some precious complete works of famous artists and large reference books are still there.

Looking around, I stopped at the top of the cabinet on something wrapped in an old newspaper. I studied it for a long time, but I couldn't remember what it was, so I wrote it down. It took some effort to tear down the old newspaper, and it suddenly brightened up. This is a framed calligraphy work, and the expression in calligraphy is a two-foot main hall. The writing of the two Chinese characters "tiger tiger gives birth to power" is concise and vigorous, and it shows the calligrapher's profound calligraphy skill.

Surprised by this precious calligraphy frame, it also evoked some memories about calligraphy in the past.

two

I regard words as totem worship.

So I have been devoted to the study and research of ancient Chinese characters for many years. So by the way, I like things related to words, such as calligraphy. This complex seems to have some genetic factors. My father loves calligraphy and especially worships Mao Zedong's brush and ink. He told me more than once that it is a broad and unrestrained style. Although he is not a famous artist, he often spends his own money. As for me, I like calligraphy by nature. And inherited his father's aesthetics, especially like cursive script.

Strictly speaking, I am a layman in calligraphy. Even if you appreciate it, you are ignorant, let alone write it. However, this does not affect my persistent interest in calligraphy. I always feel that a good calligraphy has a magical soul jumping between the lines, and an aura beyond human imagination reverberates in it, which makes people imagine and come to a beautiful realm. Perhaps, this is what people often say about artistic realm and artistic charm.

Because of this, I am more addicted to the latter between calligraphy creation and appreciation. That is a supreme spiritual enjoyment. Thoughts can meander along the path of pen and ink. At the end of the pen, they either disappear into the forest or fly to the sky, with deep and vast thoughts, lingering for a long time and no end. In this sense, an excellent calligraphy work should have no end. Expressed in a literary sentence, it is memorable. Sometimes, after enjoying a work, I will still worry about a suspense or a magical sum for a long time, and it is difficult to let go of it by thinking about its ins and outs. Even inadvertently, it will be brought into a dream.

I remember a time when I used to study in a vegetable field under a broken stone. Sometimes, the weather will suddenly get cold, and a gust of wind will blow with humid air. When you look up, there will be black swallows flying up and down, indicating the arrival of a rain. I forgot to hide from the rain and stared at the swallows hovering in the sky.

The vast sky is like a huge rice paper, and the swallow's figure is like a pen dipped in ink, swaying freely on the rice paper. A series of black Yan Ying criss-cross, floating in the wind, a wisp of a wisp, showing elegance and comfort, if there is a pen of inspiration, it will be pleasant. I think this should be a swallow's calligraphy. Seemingly disorganized, there is no clue, but in fact, whether it is sky diving or wing diving, it is quite organized and has its own charm. I guess along the flight path of the swallow that this one is like Xizhi and that one is like Huai Su. Sometimes, a swallow falls from the sky like lightning and whizzes past me. As a result, one or two raindrops hit my cheek, which made me feel a little painful, a little cold and more interesting. I can't help but touch my cheek, and then look at my palm to see if it is the ink bead splashed from the pen tip. Finally, I always get wet by the heavy rain.

Perhaps this is the charm of calligraphy.

three

Confucius said, "Words without deeds." He put more energy into sorting out ancient books, which is a very high level. It not only has profound cultural significance in the historical background at that time, but also has practical significance even now. However, for me, this wise saying is an almost grandiose reason why I don't write calligraphy.

Actually, I did. Calligraphy, to be exact. Because it can't be called "Dharma" or calligraphy, it just uses pen and ink to write Chinese characters.

Or in a house under a broken stone, I once put pen and ink on it with dignity and wrote for two hours every day. I like Zhu Zhishan, an ancient scholar, so I also like his calligraphy. I always feel that his lines reveal an elegant and natural aura, and I like them more and more. He has a cursive frame of Nineteen Ancient Poems, which I have always liked. Of course, it's like a gourd painting. A few years later, something similar, someone gave a thumbs up. At the same time, I am depressed, knowing that I should have no chance with calligraphy. Because in my words, I can't find that kind of free and easy running water, and I can't find the charm of the original paper.

"If you have a heart, you can't bloom." So, I got discouraged and stopped writing.

Later, I laughed at myself. Literary critics and book editors don't have to be able to write novels and poems. A connoisseur of calligraphy and painting need not be a calligrapher or a painter at the same time. In that case, I won't have to be depressed. From the literary point of view, writers are destined to be readers, and readers are not necessarily writers. Authors create beauty, readers appreciate beauty, and at the same time re-create beauty in their own way. It is a pleasure to appreciate excellent calligraphy works and get beautiful enjoyment from them. Why bother?

Since then, I have spent my time studying calligraphy with peace of mind. As for pen, ink, paper and inkstone, I also give it to those who insist on practicing calligraphy.

In fact, I know that the root cause of my poor writing is my high temperament, not my ambition. The so-called "sublime", the former refers to the realm, the latter refers to perseverance. Without persistent obsession, writing good calligraphy works is empty talk.

A monk once said, "Calligraphy is like Buddhism. It is better to start with precepts, be wise, and prove from the heart than to realize. As for the extreme, it is not word of mouth. " Legend has it that Wang Xizhi's son practiced calligraphy with his father, and his mother commented that "it took his son three jars of water to be a bit like Xizhi". It can be seen that calligraphy is a particularly elegant art, which requires not only a solid foundation, but also an atmosphere of understanding calligraphy and persistent beliefs. The ancients said that "the sword front comes from sharpening, and the plum blossom fragrance comes from bitter cold", which is also called.

four

At the beginning of this century, I was engaged in management work in a cultural unit. I don't know whether it's vanity or arty psychology, so I hung this word on the wall of my office. I remember, after the office staff hung up, I took a closer look. In the huge office, calligraphy works are condescending. Below is a big red desk and a set of mahogany bookcases. The room suddenly has an elegant and exquisite style. I nodded with satisfaction. One of the reasons why I am satisfied is that it seems to be linked to culture. The manager of a cultural department always feels a little tacky and awkward because there is no cultural atmosphere in the office. One more thing, I appreciate the word "from". But it is not the realm and connotation of calligraphy, but the linguistic significance of these two words. "From the tiger" is nothing more than the dignity of the tiger. Tiger anger, sound shock mountain. This kind of gas field is just in line with the identity of managers and has a style of "leading the world". Therefore, this work hangs on my head. In fact, its inherent beautiful cultural connotation has been replaced by vulgar official habits. Under the specific background of the office, people are more aware of its official meaning.

Later, a good friend came to my office, looked at the room and said, "This word is a good thing, but it is not suitable for hanging here."

I feel strange and a little unhappy. Very good. How could it be inappropriate?

When my friend saw me puzzled, he smiled faintly and said, "Calligraphy works are best hung on the opposite side of the desk. Now you're hanging behind yourself. This ..... "He said, and gave me a mysterious wink.

I stared at his strange rotating eyes for a long time, but I still couldn't understand them. I had to admit that I was stupid and shook my head.

"Turn your back on the word ..." He blinked again and slowed down.

Under the double prompt of his language and expression, I finally had a whim and couldn't help but blurt out: "recite words!" " "

He breathed a sigh of relief and nodded approvingly at me.

In the northern dialect, the word "going back" means unlucky. As an official, I naturally keep this word secret.

I can't help re-examining this shrewd friend in front of me. No wonder his official career is booming. It turns out that even this taboo has been studied so thoroughly that he knows the secret.

I was a little shy and blushed and said, "I really didn't know this happened." Thank you for your advice, but what is suitable for hanging here? "

He smiled cunningly and said, "Landscape painting."

I thought about it intently and laughed again: "That means you have a backer!" " "

This time he didn't laugh, but gave me a thumbs up.

Later, I really took the words down, but I didn't hang them on the opposite wall, nor did I ask the painter to hang them behind me. I am ashamed of the vulgarity of my officialdom, and I feel sorry that that word has been defiled by secular thoughts. As for that friend, I have been a little disdainful since then. I always feel that being an official depends on ability, not on Mr. Feng Shui's prediction.

five

Although calligraphy is nothing, I still appreciate it. Because I like the grotesque Chinese characters written by calligraphers, it has brought me into a new aesthetic field and artistic realm. In order to learn and master the rules of cursive calligraphy, I bought a Dictionary of China Calligraphy (Hong Kong Chinese and Foreign Publishing House, version 1983), and looked it up when I met a cursive script I didn't know. Although I can't write, I can recognize it, which is undoubtedly of great benefit to reading and appreciating cursive works.

Unfortunately, the author of "From the Tiger" has died suddenly. He was 86 years old when he wrote these two words. He is Yang, a world-famous expert in calligraphy and painting in China and a museum scientist. It was he who discovered and identified the world-famous Riverside Scene at Qingming Festival. Mr. Yang died at the age of 93, which was a long life. As the saying goes, "Those who are good at ancient books live long and have a good mind." . People can settle down and do nothing. "

Calligraphy pays attention to Gu Mo, "like a ghost enjoying a sacrifice, but sucking its breath instead of eating its quality". I think it seems the same to appreciate calligraphy works.

Make a pot of tea, light a cigarette, set your eyes on a piece of propaganda paper, and follow the footsteps of ink color to the depths of calligraphy art, just like walking on a Zen way, fascinated by Philip Burkart, fortunately.

1 people like it

essay