Shuxue jieyao 書學捷要

Shuxue jieyao 書學捷要 "Annotations to books on calligraphy" was written during the high Qing period 清 (1644-1911) by Zhu Lüzhen 朱履貞 (fl. 1800), courtesy name Xianquan 閑泉, style Xianyun 閑雲, from Xiushui 秀水 close to Jiaxing 嘉興, Zhejiang. He was a famous calligrapher in the region, seeing himself as a disciple of Sun Guoting 孫過庭 (646-691).

The Shuxue jieyao comprises two fascicles that include essays on brush techniques (Yongbi 用筆), holding the brush (Zhibi 執筆), the "hard work of learning calligraphy" (Xue shu gong ku 學書攻苦), and "Insights gained from studying calligraphy" (Xue shu gan hui 學書感會). These essays primarily consist of quotations from earlier calligraphy treatises, supplemented by Zhu Lüzhen's annotations and explanations to clarify complex or obscure theories. For instance, he critically examines the traditional claim that the Eight Principles of the character yong (yong zi ba fa 永字八法) were passed down from Cui Yuan 崔瑗 (78-143), Zhong Yao 鍾繇 (151-230), and Wang Xizhi 王羲之 (303-361).

The second fascicle is Zhu Lüzheng's own original work. He provides an in-depth analysis of the skills of the calligrapher, emphasising that true mastery of calligraphy requires an understanding of how ancient masters used the brush rather than merely imitating their forms. He stresses the importance of grasping the "bones, muscles, blood and flesh" (jin gu xue rou 筋骨血肉) of calligraphy—its structure, strength, and expressive quality — and exploring the underlying brush techniques that bring characters to life. Many techniques are described through the use of metaphors; for instance, bo deng fa 撥鐙法 "holding a lamp and adjusting the flame"; bo ke shu 擘窠書 writing "with the thumb and space between thumb and index finger", wulouhen 屋漏痕 "leaking roof marks", zhechaigu 折釵股 "legs of broken hairpins", biche 壁坼 "the wall cracks", zhuahuasha 錐畫沙 sand with awls or yinyinni 印印泥 "pressing seals into clay".

Concerning the effort involved in copying and imitating (linmo 臨摹) artworks, the text regards it as a fundamental principle of learning to write. One must first comprehend the intent of the ancient masters, then study their brush techniques, and only then focus on the external form. The key is to capture the spirit and structure (qi gu 氣骨), from which the proper form will naturally arise, enabling the strokes to flow with strength and balance.

The main principle of calligraphy can be summarised in one sentence: "the brush is square, and the stroke momentum is round" (bi fang shi yuan 筆方勢圓). The "square" refers to using angular techniques, such as the points where dots, strokes, and sweeping lines begin and end. The "round" refers to how the brush spins and turns in the air, creating dynamic motion. The roundness of the brushwork, through the arm and wrist, represents the "muscle" of the character.

The text highlights that calligraphy encompasses six transformations (liu bian 六變): first, temperament (qizhi 氣質); second, innate talent (tianzi 天資), third, learning methods (defa 得法); fourth, imitation (linmo); five, efforts (yonggong 用功); and finally, discernment (shijian 識鑒). Only by cultivating all six qualities can one truly become a master.

The text can be found in the series Zhibuzuzhai congshu 知不足齋叢書, Congshu jicheng chubian 叢書集成初編 und Lidai shufa lunwen xuan 歷代書法論文選.