"Momentum" (
shi 勢) in Chinese calligraphic theory is closely connected to "force" or "strength" (
li 力). "Force" is primarily viewed in terms of the force of the brushwork. When one surveys terms related to the force of brushwork, one notices that there are many analogies based on living things. The view of calligraphy as a living thing indicates an interest in the strokes and shape of a character rather than in the communication of the meaning and content of a piece of calligraphy. The concepts of "bony," "muscular," and "fleshy" appear frequently in analogies relating to the force of brushwork. The force of the brushwork has an influence not only on expression in the course of producing a work of calligraphy but also on the appraisal of the finished work. The concepts of "bony," "muscular," and "fleshy" forge an important link between discussion of the production of calligraphic works and discussion of their appraisal.
It becomes clear that, starting with the
Siti shushi 四体書勢, and via the views of Cai Yong 蔡邕, Lady Wei 衛夫人, Li Shimin 李世民, and others, descriptions of the force of brushwork moved from natural phenomena to "bone," "muscle," and "flesh." Depending on the way in which the brush is used, all sorts of combinations using the terms "bony," "muscular," and "fleshy" are possible, and it is only when an exquisite balance has been achieved that a vitality comparable to that of a living thing is born and becomes an expression of the force of the brushwork as a piece of calligraphy.
The terms "bony," "muscular," and "fleshy" also serve as criteria when appraising works of calligraphy and judging their relative merits. Terms of appraisal deriving from the qualities "bony," "muscular," and "fleshy" appear chiefly in treatises on calligraphy dating from the Six Dynasties and the Tang. In this article, focusing on the
Shupin 書品,
Shuduan 書断, and
Shushu fu 述書賦, I take up for consideration terms of appraisal relating to the notions of "bony," "muscular," and "fleshy" and summarize how the beauty of the force of brushwork was expressed. The emergence of terms combining the words "bony," "muscular," and "fleshy" is proof of the birth of an appreciation of the beauty of the force of brushwork. Comparing the concepts of "bony," "muscular," and "fleshy" with terms of appraisal will also be helpful for understanding the momentum of brushwork, closely allied to the force of brushwork.
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