李洪峰谈对书法的认识和理解

发布时间：2011-06-09 23:33:49

编者按：主要是为了研究李洪峰和唐方裕的关系。

2011年4月11日中国纪检监察报刊登了中央纪委驻文化部纪检组组长李洪峰的文章——《我对书法的认识和理解》，文中对中国书法艺术的阐述和理解很值得回味。

   中国书法是世界上最美的艺术之一。中国书法之美，源于中国汉字之美。  

   汉字，是中国文化的最小单元，又是中国文化的最高代表。卫恒《四体书势》说：“昔在黄帝，创制造物。有沮诵、仓颉者，始作书契，以代结绳，盖睹鸟迹以兴思也。因而遂滋，则谓之字。”汉字有六义：曰指事，曰象形，曰形声，曰会意，曰转注，曰假借。汉字的创造、使用、演变、发展和无穷组合，造就了中国文化的辉煌灿烂和流光溢彩，造就了五千年一以贯之的中华文明。一部中国书法史，是一部汉字的演化发展史，也是一部形象的中国文化史。博大精深的中国书法，是博大精深的中国文化的基础和缩影。  

   汉字和书法，互为表里，相辅相成，相得益彰。汉字因书法而有无限生动的形式之美，书法因汉字而有无比丰富的内涵之美。而书法和汉字之美，又都根源于自然之美。且看孙过庭之滔滔宏论：“观夫悬针垂露之异，奔雷坠石之奇，鸿飞兽骇之姿，鸾舞蛇惊之态，绝岸颓峰之势，临危据槁之形。或重若崩云，或轻如蝉翼。导之则泉注，顿之则山安。纤纤乎似初月之出天涯，落落乎犹众星之列河汉。同自然之妙，有非力运之能成。”再以真、草、隶、篆为例。  

   真书之美。古人《字势》有云：“日处君而盈其度，月执臣而亏其旁；云委蛇而上布，星离离以舒光；禾卉苯　以垂颖，山岳峨嵯而连冈；虫跂跂其若动，鸟似飞而未扬。观其错笔缀墨，用心精专；势和体均，发止无间。或守正循检，矩折规旋；或方员靡则，因事制权。其曲如弓，其直如弦。矫然特出，若龙腾于川；森尔下颓，若雨坠于天。或引笔奋力，若鸿雁高飞，邈邈翩翩；或纵肆阿那，若流苏悬羽，靡靡绵绵。是故远而望之，若翔风厉水，清波漪涟；就而察之，有若自然。”真书之美，是正大光明、仪态万方的包容之美。  

   草书之美。崔瑗《草书势》有云：“观其法象，俯仰有仪，方不中矩，员不副规。抑左扬右，望之若崎。竦企鸟跱，志在飞移；狡兽暴骇，将奔未驰。状似连珠，绝而不离。畜怒怫郁，放逸生奇。或凌邃惴栗，若据槁临危。旁点邪附，似蜩螗挶枝。绝笔收势，馀綖纠结。若杜伯揵毒缘巇；螣蛇赴穴，头没尾垂。是故远而望之，漼焉若沮岑崩崖；就而察之，一画不可移。”草书之美，是灵动流畅、千姿百态的变化之美。  

   隶书之美。古人《隶势》有云：“或穹隆恢廓，或栉比针列，或砥平绳直，或蜿蜒胶戾，或长邪角趣，或规旋矩折。修短相副，异体同势。奋笔轻举，离而不绝。纤波浓点，错落其间。若钟簴设张，庭燎飞烟。崭嵓巀嵯，高下属连。似崇台重宇，增云冠山。远而望之，若飞龙在天；近而察之，心乱目眩。奇姿谲诡，不可胜原。”隶书之美，是厚重凝聚、庄严典雅的宁静之美。  

    篆书之美。蔡邕《篆势》有云：“或龟文针列，栉比龙鳞；纾体放尾，长短复身；颓若黍稷之垂颖，蕴若虫蛇之焚缊；扬波振撇，鹰跱鸟震；延颈胁翼，势似陵云。或轻笔内投，微本浓末，若绝若连；似水露缘丝，凝垂下端；从者如悬，衡者如编；杳杪邪趣，不方不员；若行若飞，跂跂翾翾。远而望之，象鸿鹄群游，络绎迁延；迫而视之，端际不可得见，指捴不可胜原。”篆书之美，是奇正相生、逶迤盘旋的活力之美。  

   书法极美，亦极难，所谓“二十年学画，三十年学书，人书俱老”。怀素《论书帖》云：“为其山不高，地亦无灵；为其泉不深，水亦不清；为其书不精，亦无令名，后来足可深戒。”自肺腑中道出了书法之难。书法之难，难在文化积累上。文化是书法的根脉和源泉。苏东坡说：“作字之法，识浅、见狭、学不足三者，终不能尽妙。”黄庭坚说：“学书须要胸中有道义，又广圣哲之学，书乃可贵。”杜甫说：“读书破万卷，下笔如有神。”陆游说：“汝果欲学诗，功夫在诗外。”先贤们的这些经验之谈，实质讲的都是文化，是学书者的深根固本之道，不可等闲视之。故稚子学书，虽形可逼真，然不可以文化论。正如一位西哲所说：“整个艺术发展史不是技术熟练程度的发展史，而是观念和要求的变化史。”书道精微宏大，但归根结底以文化为本源，学者不可不识。  

   中国书法五千年，高峰连绵，群星灿烂。有论者认为，从书法大的发展阶段来分析，唐以前始艮终乾，南宋以后始巽终坤。这个意见值得重视。就书风而言，大体上是不错的。唐以前的书风高古苍健，南宋以后清雅秀隽，正所谓“古质而今妍”。我国古代书家，芝（张芝）动、繇（钟繇）静，羲（王羲之）神、献（王献之）韵，旭（张旭）狂、素（怀素）畅，欧（欧阳询）峻、虞（虞世南）和，颜（颜真卿）筋、柳（柳公权）骨，苏（苏东坡）厚、黄（黄庭坚）奇，褚（褚遂良）伟、米（米芾）隽，等等，其风格虽各个不同，其本质则各个相似，唯美而已。林散之先生《题画》诗有云：“有法兼无法，今人认古人。若能寻造化，笔墨自通神。”画如此，书亦然。而从书法品位来区分，又大体可以分为情趣、境界、气象三种情形。  

   情趣品位。所谓“形其哀乐，达其情性”。韩愈在《送高闲上人序》中谈到张旭的草书时说：“喜怒、窘穷、忧悲、愉佚、怨恨、思慕、酣醉、无聊不平，有动于心，必于草书焉发之。观于物，见山水、崖谷、鸟兽、虫鱼、草木之花实、日月、列星、风雨、水火、雷霆、霹雳、歌舞、战斗，天地事物之变，可喜可愕，一寓于书。”韩愈此论，不但恰当地品评了张旭，而且为书法的情趣品位作了最好的注解。孙过庭论王羲之说：“写《乐毅》则情多怫郁，书《画赞》则意涉瑰奇，《黄庭经》则怡怿虚无，《太师箴》又纵横争折。暨乎兰亭兴集，思逸神超；私门诫誓，情拘志惨。”（《书谱》）天下第一行书《兰亭集序》，是“兴来得意无真草”的情趣极品。丹纳在《艺术哲学》中说：“自然界有它的气候，气候的变化决定这种那种植物的出现；精神方面也有它的气候，它的变化决定这种那种艺术的出现。”这是很值得深思的。  

   境界品位。颜鲁公出身名门，一生正气浩然。他的《祭侄季明文》，雄浑之气、忠义之风布满尺幅，写就了伤亲哀思奔涌、忧国情怀激荡的高尚境界。林则徐是彪炳青史的民族英雄，也是有重要影响的书法家。林则徐的人生轨迹与笔墨情怀高度统一。他的字沉静端庄，刚柔相济，有正人执法、面折廷争之风，有君子藏器、忠直博学之气。林则徐所作“海纳百川，有容乃大；壁立千仞，无欲则刚”名联，直抒钢铁意志、博大胸襟，开拓千古境界，泽被后人，影响深远。  

   气象品位。王国维《人间词话》认为，太白纯以气象胜。太白不独其诗，其字亦然。被认为太白真迹的《上阳台帖》：“山高水长，物象千万，非有老笔，清壮何穷。”虽然只有十六个字，然而它所造成的奇绝气象，却足以雄冠古今。再以米芾为例。米芾自许：“善书者只得一笔，我独有四面。”米芾之书八面出锋，纵横挥泼，有时如群峰耸峙，有时似骏马奔腾。读米芾，固然可以从情趣上入，在境界上寻，但终究非气象不能解。再以毛泽东为例。毛泽东是伟大的战略家、革命家、理论家、政治家，也是伟大的诗人和书法家。毛泽东青年时期就立志改造中国与世界，他的一生波澜壮阔，气壮山河，他诗如其人、书如其人，更是创造了前无古人的宏大文化气象。  

   情趣品位、境界品位、气象品位三者之间，有区别，有联系，有贯通，并未隔着不可逾越的鸿沟。书法作品，有独擅其一的，有两者兼得的，也有三者皆备的。但不管哪一种情形，都不可缺少一个“真”字。有真性情，才有真情趣；有真修养，才有真境界；有真襟怀，才有真气象。中华民族正处在实现伟大复兴的重要时期。我们所处的时代，是一个需要真情趣、真境界、真气象的伟大时代。当代书家应当自觉意识到承先启后、继往开来的历史责任，不懈怠、不浮躁、不媚俗，坚忍不拔，勇于创新，努力开拓和培育适应时代要求、符合中国优秀文化传统、能够满足人民群众高尚精神文化追求、充分体现大国风范的一代新书风。

英文翻译

Li Hongfeng Discusses His Understanding and Comprehension of Calligraphy

Published: 2011-06-09 23:33:49

Editor's Note: This article is primarily for researching the relationship between Li Hongfeng and Tang Fangyu.

On April 11, 2011, the China Discipline Inspection and Supervision Daily published an article by Li Hongfeng, head of the Discipline Inspection Group of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection stationed at the Ministry of Culture—"My Understanding and Comprehension of Calligraphy." His exposition and understanding of Chinese calligraphy art are worth pondering.

Chinese calligraphy is one of the most beautiful arts in the world. The beauty of Chinese calligraphy originates from the beauty of Chinese characters.

Chinese characters are the smallest unit of Chinese culture, and also its highest representative. Wei Heng's *Four Styles of Calligraphy* states: "In the past, during the time of the Yellow Emperor, things were created. There were Ju Song and Cang Jie who first created writing to replace knotted ropes, inspired by observing bird tracks. Thus, it flourished, and these were called characters." Chinese characters have six meanings: ideographs, pictographs, phonetic compounds, associative compounds, derivative characters, and phonetic loan characters. The creation, use, evolution, development, and endless combinations of Chinese characters have contributed to the brilliance and splendor of Chinese culture, and to the unbroken five-thousand-year-old Chinese civilization. A history of Chinese calligraphy is a history of the evolution and development of Chinese characters, and also a vivid history of Chinese culture. The profound and extensive Chinese calligraphy is the foundation and microcosm of the profound and extensive Chinese culture.

Chinese characters and calligraphy are inseparable, complementing and enhancing each other. Chinese characters gain infinitely vivid formal beauty from calligraphy, while calligraphy gains incomparably rich inner beauty from Chinese characters. And the beauty of both calligraphy and Chinese characters originates from the beauty of nature. Consider Sun Guoting's eloquent discourse: "Observe the differences between a hanging needle and a dripping dew, the wonder of a rushing thunderbolt and a falling rock, the posture of a soaring swan and a startled beast, the state of a dancing phoenix and a frightened snake, the momentum of a collapsing cliff and a crumbling peak, and the form of clinging to a withered tree in peril. Some are as heavy as collapsing clouds, some as light as cicada wings. Guide them and they flow like a spring; stop them and they stand firm like a mountain. Delicate as the crescent moon rising from the horizon, scattered like stars arrayed in the Milky Way. They possess the wonder of nature, something that cannot be achieved by mere force." Let's take regular script, cursive script, clerical script, and seal script as examples.

The beauty of regular script. The ancient Chinese text *Zi Shi* states: "The sun, as the ruler, fills its full measure; the moon, as the minister, wanes beside it; clouds meander upwards, stars scatter their light; grains and flowers droop their tips; mountains rise majestically, forming continuous ridges; insects flutter as if in motion, birds seem to fly but have not yet taken flight. Observe the strokes and ink, the meticulous and focused effort; the momentum and form are harmonious, the beginning and end seamless. Some adhere to strict rules and regulations, following the rules of motion; others are square or round, adapting to circumstances. Their curves are like bows, their straight lines like strings. They stand out prominently, like dragons soaring through rivers; they descend majestically, like rain falling from the sky. Some draw their brushes with vigor, like wild geese flying high, graceful and elegant; others are unrestrained and flowing, like tassels and feathers, soft and continuous. Therefore, viewed from afar, they resemble a raging wind and rippling water; observed closely, they are as natural as nature itself." The beauty of regular script is a magnanimous and all-encompassing beauty, full of grandeur and elegance.

The beauty of cursive script. Cui Yuan's *Treatise on the Power of Cursive Script* states: "Observing its form, one sees a graceful posture, neither perfectly square nor perfectly round. The left is suppressed, the right raised, appearing rugged. It resembles a bird poised to take flight; a cunning beast about to flee, yet not yet galloping. It resembles a string of pearls, seemingly separated but not yet disconnected. It can also express suppressed anger and unrestrained wonder. Sometimes it appears deep and trembling, like a withered tree facing imminent danger. Side dots and slanted strokes resemble cicadas clinging to branches. The final stroke concludes the movement, leaving lingering, intertwined lines. It is like Du Bo swallowing poison from a ravine; a serpent rushing to its hole, head submerged and tail drooping. Therefore, from afar, it appears as a chaotic, collapsing cliff; upon closer inspection, not a single stroke can be moved." The beauty of cursive script lies in its fluidity, its myriad forms, and its ever-changing beauty.

The beauty of clerical script. The ancient Chinese text *Lishi* describes it thus: "Some strokes are lofty and expansive, others are neatly arranged like needles, some are flat and straight, others are winding and twisting, others are long and angular, others are regular and angular. Their lengths complement each other, their forms differ yet share the same spirit. The brush moves lightly, seemingly separated yet connected. Delicate waves and thick dots are scattered throughout. Like bells and chimes set up, like smoke rising from torches in a courtyard. Rugged and towering, high and low connected. Like lofty terraces and layered buildings, adding clouds to crown mountains. From afar, it resembles a flying dragon in the sky; up close, it dazzles the mind and eyes. Its wondrous and unpredictable forms are beyond description." The beauty of clerical script lies in its profound, dignified, and elegant tranquility.

The beauty of seal script... Cai Yong's *The Power of Seal Script* states: "Sometimes the strokes are like tortoise shell patterns, arranged like dragon scales; the body is relaxed, the tail extended, the length varying; drooping like the drooping ears of millet, concealing like the burning cocoon of insects and snakes; surging waves and vibrating strokes, like eagles perched and birds trembling; extending the neck and flailing the wings, the momentum like soaring clouds. Sometimes the brush is lightly drawn inward, the beginning and end slightly thick, seemingly disconnected yet connected; like dew clinging to silk threads, condensing and hanging at the bottom; the strokes are like hanging, the strokes like woven fabric; the subtle and unpredictable, neither square nor round; like walking or flying, fluttering and undulating. From afar, it resembles a flock of swans swimming in an endless stream; up close, the ends are unseen, the details too numerous to describe." The beauty of seal script lies in its vibrant beauty, a harmonious interplay of the unusual and the orthodox, a winding and swirling motion.

Calligraphy is extremely beautiful, yet extremely difficult; as the saying goes, "Twenty years to learn painting, thirty years to learn calligraphy, and both the person and the calligraphy mature." Huaisu, in his "Treatise on Calligraphy," wrote: "If the mountain is not high, the land will lack spirit; if the spring is not deep, the water will not be clear; if the calligraphy is not refined, there will be no good reputation. This should serve as a profound warning to future generations." This heartfelt statement reveals the difficulty of calligraphy. The difficulty of calligraphy lies in the accumulation of cultural knowledge. Culture is the root and source of calligraphy. Su Dongpo said: "In the art of calligraphy, those with shallow knowledge, narrow vision, and insufficient learning will ultimately fail to achieve true mastery." Huang Tingjian said: "To learn calligraphy, one must have morality in one's heart and broaden one's knowledge of sages and philosophers; only then can calligraphy be truly valuable." Du Fu said: "Read ten thousand books, and your writing will flow like a god's." Lu You said: "If you truly wish to learn poetry, the effort lies outside of poetry itself." These wise sayings of the ancients are essentially about culture, the deep-rooted foundation for calligraphy learners, and should not be taken lightly. Therefore, although a child's calligraphy may appear lifelike, it cannot be judged solely by its cultural significance. As a Western philosopher once said, "The entire history of art is not a history of the development of technical skill, but a history of changes in concepts and requirements." Calligraphy is exquisite and profound, but ultimately it originates from culture, a fact that scholars must understand.

Chinese calligraphy spans five thousand years, with continuous peaks and a galaxy of brilliant stars. Some scholars believe that, analyzing the major developmental stages of calligraphy, the period before the Tang Dynasty began with the "Gen" (艮) and ended with the "Qian" (乾), while the period after the Southern Song Dynasty began with the "Xun" (巽) and ended with the "Kun" (坤). This opinion deserves attention. In terms of style, it is generally correct. The style before the Tang Dynasty was lofty, ancient, and vigorous, while the style after the Southern Song Dynasty was refined and elegant—truly "ancient simplicity transformed into modern beauty." Ancient Chinese calligraphers, such as Zhang Zhi (dynamic), Zhong Yao (still), Wang Xizhi (divine), Wang Xianzhi (refined), Zhang Xu (wild), Huaisu (fluent), Ouyang Xun (stern), Yu Shinan (harmonious), Yan Zhenqing (vigorous), Liu Gongquan (bone-like), Su Dongpo (profound), Huang Tingjian (unique), Chu Suiliang (grand), and Mi Fu (elegant), etc., though their styles differed, their essence was similar: beauty. Lin Sanzhi's poem on a painting states: "Having rules yet not rules, modern people recognize the ancients. If one can seek the essence of nature, brush and ink will naturally reach the divine." This applies to painting, and to calligraphy. From the perspective of calligraphic quality, it can be broadly divided into three categories: sentiment, realm, and atmosphere.

Sentiment Quality: This refers to "expressing joy and sorrow, conveying emotions and nature." In his preface to "Sending Off the Monk Gao Xian," Han Yu, when discussing Zhang Xu's cursive script, said: "Joy, anger, distress, poverty, sorrow, pleasure, resentment, longing, drunkenness, boredom, and injustice—when these emotions stir the heart, they are expressed through cursive script. Observing things, seeing mountains and rivers, cliffs and valleys, birds and beasts, insects and fish, the flowers and fruits of plants, the sun and moon, the stars, wind and rain, water and fire, thunder and lightning, songs and dances, battles—all the changes in the world, whether delightful or astonishing, are embodied in calligraphy." Han Yu's remarks not only aptly evaluate Zhang Xu but also provide the best annotation for the aesthetic and taste of calligraphy. Sun Guoting, commenting on Wang Xizhi, said: "When writing the *Yue Yi*, his emotions are often melancholic; when writing the *Hua Zan*, his thoughts are filled with wonder; when writing the *Huang Ting Jing*, he is joyful and serene; and when writing the *Tai Shi Zhen*, his strokes are bold and forceful. And when he gathered at the Orchid Pavilion, his thoughts were unrestrained and his spirit transcendent; yet, in his private admonitions, his emotions were constrained and his will was sorrowful." (*Shu Pu*). The *Preface to the Poems Composed at the Orchid Pavilion*, considered the finest example of running script in the world, is a masterpiece of the sentiment of "when inspiration strikes, there is no need for formal cursive script." Taine, in *The Philosophy of Art*, said: "Nature has its climate, and the changes in climate determine the appearance of various plants; the spirit also has its climate, and its changes determine the appearance of various arts." This is worthy of deep reflection.

Artistic Realm and Taste. Yan Zhenqing, born into a prestigious family, was upright and righteous throughout his life. His *Eulogy for My Nephew Ji Ming*, filled with powerful spirit and loyalty, expresses a noble realm of surging grief for his parents and stirring patriotism. Lin Zexu was a national hero who shines brightly in history and also a calligrapher of great influence. Lin Zexu's life trajectory and his artistic sentiments were highly unified. His calligraphy was serene and dignified, combining strength and gentleness, embodying the spirit of a righteous official upholding the law and confronting challenges in court, as well as the virtues of a gentleman concealing his talents and possessing loyalty, integrity, and erudition. His famous couplet, "The sea embraces all rivers, its capacity is vast; a cliff stands tall, its strength lies in its lack of desire," directly expresses his iron will and broad-mindedness, opening up a new realm for all time and profoundly influencing future generations.

In terms of artistic conception and taste, Wang Guowei, in his *Renjian Cihua*, believed that Li Bai excelled purely in his artistic conception. This was true not only in his poetry but also in his calligraphy. The *Shangyangtai Tie*, considered a genuine work of Li Bai, reads: "Mountains are high and waters are long, things are myriad; without an experienced brush, how can such clarity and grandeur be exhausted?" Although only sixteen characters long, the extraordinary artistic conception it creates is enough to surpass all others throughout history. Mi Fu is another example. Mi Fu boasted, "A good calligrapher only possesses one stroke, but I alone possess four sides." Mi Fu's calligraphy is characterized by its eight-sided sharpness, bold and unrestrained strokes, sometimes resembling towering peaks, sometimes galloping horses. While one can approach Mi Fu's calligraphy through its emotional appeal and artistic conception, ultimately, understanding its spirit and grandeur is essential. Take Mao Zedong as another example. Mao Zedong was a great strategist, revolutionary, theorist, and politician, as well as a great poet and calligrapher. In his youth, Mao Zedong aspired to transform China and the world. His life was magnificent and awe-inspiring; his poetry and calligraphy reflected his personality, creating an unprecedented grand cultural atmosphere.

There are distinctions, connections, and interconnections among these three aspects—emotional appeal, artistic conception, and grandeur—and they are not separated by insurmountable barriers. Calligraphic works may excel in one aspect, possess two, or all three. But regardless of the specific approach, the element of "truth" is indispensable. Genuine feelings lead to genuine interest; true cultivation leads to true境界 (realm/state of mind); genuine breadth of mind leads to genuine magnanimity. The Chinese nation is currently in a crucial period of realizing its great rejuvenation. Our era is a great era that demands genuine interest, true境界, and genuine magnanimity. Contemporary calligraphers should consciously recognize their historical responsibility to carry on the legacy and forge ahead into the future, remaining diligent, steadfast, and unpretentious, persevering, courageous in innovation, and striving to develop and cultivate a new style of calligraphy that adapts to the demands of the times, conforms to China's excellent cultural traditions, satisfies the people's noble spiritual and cultural pursuits, and fully embodies the grandeur of a great nation.