Recently, the People's Literature and Art
magazine because of the problem of personal experience of practicing
calligraphy, interviewed with famous calligrapher teacher Zhou Dongfang. The
People's Literature and Art is headed by the China Writers' Association and
sponsored by the Chinese Writers' Publishing Group.
Reporter: Mr. Zhou, well, first of all, please introduce yourself and how you become
attached to calligraphy?
Zhou
Dongfang: I love to write, but the real into the
field of calligraphy, would also like to thank the teacher at my junior high
school teacher Xin Longshan, Xin also loves calligraphy, he thought that I have
some calligraphy talent, so encouraged me to learn calligraphy, then my concept
of calligraphy is still relatively vague, in his encouragement and guidance, I
started the system pro learning calligraphy, then gradually fell in love with
calligraphy, and inextricably bogged down in.
In 80s the rural, people’s life is not
well-off, my family did not take the extra money to buy brush ink paper and ink
stone, teacher Xin took used paper to me, I was seen as treasures, in order to
save space, first to write big characters, and then fill in the gap with the
small characters; the house is all mud wall, I took a bowl of water on the
ground, practiced calligraphy on the wall and land, in the course of time,
adobe plaster pieces are no long exist. Because of my hard work, I have some
small fame in the small town.
To make a living, I sold tofu, worked as a
roadman, construction worker, sent newspapers, carved chapter in county town,
mounting painting and calligraphy, although the life is very bitter, but I
insist on practice calligraphy every day, never stopped. In April 1991, I was
recruited into the County Agricultural Bank by calligraphy specialty, engaged
in full-time publicity work, bid farewell to my bumpy life more than ten years,
also created better conditions for my calligraphy by a fixed income.
Zhou Dongfang | Warring States·Mencius
"Thrive in calamity and perish in soft living" | 2015
Reporter: As the saying goes: "Sharp sword
emerged from the mill, the fragrance of plum blossoms sharpens in the bitter
cold". You have achieved such a success, it must have been through a
difficult process, please talk about your learning experience.
Zhou
Dongfang: I was still copying inscript when you
knocked at the door. The past two years I have been focused on the learning in
the regular script of Yu Youren and cursive script of Wen Zhengming, everyone
knows Mr. Yu Youren known as cursive script, handed down regular script in the
world is very rare, Mr. Yu Youren gave the famous Army General Zhang Yian’s inscription
is the rare regular script works with his uncommon calligraphy pen, with his
calligraphy clever gas between the line, very worth learning this clever gas,
practiced for a long time, my regular script has a running script or cursive
meaning, some people say that my word is "beauty", or
"live", which contributed a lot.
I think the correct entry of learning
calligraphy is seriously adhere to copy, is the only way which must be passed
everyone to learn the calligraphy. I rarely accept social intercourse, in
addition to reading, most of the time are in the copy, I copied "Qin Li
monument", is more than eight years, more than eight years as one day,
never stopped, that Chinese calligraphy, cannot tolerate any false, and pays
attention to the calligraphy pen, if you want to learn a kind of chirography,
first of all , in the premise of understanding the style of writing and
organizing of the body, and then to have to endure hardship, is the only way to
dripping water wears through a stone, from the pursuit of the shape to the
pursuit of similar to the process may enter a calligrapher of the spiritual
world, even for the classic works of unexpected realm have more understanding.
For personal experience, copying and
learning calligraphy, not to be stuck in the process of copy, after experienced
the familiar of the shape, to continue in-depth copying and learning seriously,
should pay attention to the spirit of the calligraphy style, and focus on the
feeling outside the chirography brings to you, this feeling is very important.
For example, I copied Qin Li Monument, its thick, sincere, dignified, great
momentum, and strong, and even giving a person of the upright and outspoken,
Stele of Ritual Vessels is a typical Han dynasty tombstone, with slender,
elegant and generous, there is temples of the gas, this is how I feel, Stele of
Zhang Qian, it gives people a vigorous and dignified feeling.
Reporter: In the process of creation, different calligraphers have different styles,
please talk about your own style of calligraphy?
Zhou
Dongfang: Calligraphy style is a higher level of
thing, I cannot say what kind of new calligraphy style has formed. But the
writer's personal characteristics will be reflected in his works, you look at
this picture of cursive World Justice, accomplished the composition in one
breath, a node must be coherent, law-abiding, the turning relation should be
explained clearly, the whole works give a person a kind of fine cool gas, a
sense of power, this may be very my relationship with the copying unremittingly.
"Fight in with the greatest power,
with the greatest courage to play out" this is a painting master Mr. Li
Keran's motto, painting and calligraphy homology, to say in my calligraphy
creation process, "beautiful quaint" has always been my pursuit of
the direction, so-called "handsome" is very active and strong,
"beauty" is good look and that will stand the test of time,
"quaint" is on the previous classic things to be inherited, because
this is the root of calligraphy creation, "elegance" is of course to
the elegant charm.
In the field of calligraphy, to form their
own appearance is extremely difficult, so have a great relationship with this
personality, life experience, cultural literacy and skill on more or less. The
formation of a personal calligraphy appearance, it is not formed under the
action of physical concept in advance, such as a plant, growth, germination,
flowering, results, at the time, these all appear in front of you, everything
is natural.
Calligraphy is the same, when you
persevere to copy and learning ancient classic works seriously, you will be
intoxicated, some of your personal information, such as your usual variety of
calligraphy and rubbings, and the sentiments, your character and information
will be in imperceptible to your brush and ink, after a long process of
copying, may gradually form their own calligraphy appearance. To learn
calligraphy, most avoid anxious, deliberate pursuit of innovation or a kind of
style, is tantamount to spoil things by excessive enthusiasm. Chinese
calligraphy is particular about people and books all old, that is the truth.
Zhou Dongfang |
Mao Zedong Qinyuanchun·Snow | 2016
Reporter: Who are the painting and calligraphy
masters you contact with? who has a greater impact on you?
Zhou
Dongfang: I live in Shaanxi, Shaanxi is a rich land
fostering more talents, the famous "Silk Road" is to Changan as the
starting point, to the west of ancient Rome, Xi'an is a world famous one of the
four famous historical city, too many predecessors contacts here that I have a
lot to learn, such as teacher Qiu Xing, Liu Zidu, Liu Wenxi, Wang Youzheng,
Xiao Yunru, Lei Zhenmin and so on. I was lucky to meet early "Changan four
old" teacher Qiu Xing coaching, Qiu Lao, Liu Zidu, Wei Junxiu, Chen
Shaomo, called "Changan four old", in several contact with Qiu Lao,
in addition to calligraphy skills, I was deeply impressed by his profound
knowledge, rigorous and modest the charm of personality, in a sense teacher Qiu
is my calligraphy mentor on the road of art.
I remembered once I asked Qiu Lao to help
me inscription for my sample reels, Qiu Lao told me to take it on the second
day. The next day to the Qiu Lao studio, I saw the wall hung three paintings
were the same content of “Zhou Dongfang's calligraphy works”, Qiu Lao
said:"Dongfang, you see which one is good?" as a younger generation,
I was touched, is really indescribable, with profound respect and humility, repeatedly
said all very well, Qiu Lao said:"I’m old, unable to keep breath in the
chest, can’t keep gas hands also trembling, write not well". Qiu Lao was
so serious and so humble that I was flattered and benefited from it.
Reporter: Many people have seen you writing, you are
interested in calligraphy and unmoved either by gain or loss, quiet admiration,
in the intricacies of the information age, how can you maintain the normal
state of mind?
Zhou
Dongfang: I have two pieces of free seals, one is
“calligraphy is the painting of the heart", another is "conception
made by heart”, I love them very much, often use them, you can say is my motto.
Two years ago I copied several sets of "Diamond Sutra", each copy of
Buddhist scriptures, I will bathe hand and burning incense, actually the
process of copying is a very pleasant and enjoyable process, the broad and
profound Buddhist wisdom can inspire a person's mind, the Dharma can make
people heart to good, let the people of the universe of nature full of love,
love for country, and friendly to people. When you have love, kindness and
beauty in your heart, life is simple, and you have less trouble, and you will
have a normal mind. All this information may be reflected in the works.
So in the spare time, I love to walk along
the ancient city wall and moat, see Ming dynasty old bricks, feel the vastness
of the history and culture of Xi'an, listen to the old people who have fun,
feel the joy of living. I love Lao Tzu advocating simplicity, love the natural
of the mind, let people return to the nature of the original, return to
innocence. The state of nature, like the Sun Guoting Book Charts, he talked
about the calligraphy with brush, or heavy as clouds collapse, or light as
cicada’s wings, running as spring, stop as peaceful mountain, slender almost
like an early month out of horizon, natural and graceful as the stars of the
Milky way". A calligraphy work, can give people the feeling of a rising
crescent moon out of the sky, it is so leisurely, how wonderful.
Reporter: In the spring of 2014 at Qingdao art
auction, Tianjin Guang Ye spring art auction, your regular script works
"Qinyuanchun· snow" and “Linjiangxian” were auctioned on the same
stage with Qi Gong, Ouyang Zhongshi, Liu Zidu, Fei Xinwo and other masters’
works, concern by many collectors, how do you think of the exhibition?
Zhou
Dongfang: It's a great honor for me to be able to
show up with so many contemporary masters, but that doesn't mean how good my
work is. Now is the information age, we have access to more outstanding works
of calligraphy, see more, appreciation increases naturally, there is a basis to
identify the pros and cons of the self, so that a work is good or bad, don't need
people to explain, works will tell you naturally.
Chinese calligraphy is an important part
of Chinese traditional culture, which embodies the spiritual pursuit of the
Chinese people. We all don't need to say much about the love of calligraphy. In
the future, I hope that there will be more works to be loved by everyone, but
also urge people from all walks of life, teachers more valuable advice,
criticism and correction. It would be the happiest thing for me to say if my
works could bring you a little aesthetic enjoyment.
Zhou Dongfang |
Vice Premier Ma Kai Chinese Literary Form published 3rd anniversary | 2017