Chinese calligraphy : an introduction to its aesthetic and technique : with 6 plates and 155 text illustratons

CHINESE CALLIGRAPHY

the characters are ‘fleshy’. Writing that has a great deal of bone and very little meat is called ‘sinewy’; and writing that is full of flesh and has weak bones is called ‘ piggy’. Powerful and sinewy writing is divine; writing that has neither power nor sinews is like an invalid.t

Thus every type of stroke should have a bone within it, formed by the strength of the writer. We criticize calligraphy according to whether it has strength—‘ bone ’—or not. That is why the handling of the brush is of such importance and

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* Ox-head’” dot Mouse-tail Wasp-waist

= week ee

Bamboo-section Water-caltrop Broken-branch Stork-leg

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A pole for carrying fuel FIG. I102.—THE ‘EIGHT DEFECTS’

the suspended wrist position the best. The flesh of the stroke depends upon the thickness of the brush-hair and the pressure or lightness of the writer’s touch. It also depends upon the amount of water in the ink. The flesh will be loose if there is much water, and arid if there is too little; it will be fat if 1 Translated by Lin Yii-Tang in My Country and My People. [ 164 ]