The Folding Fan Format

In painting, one desires the extraordinary Qioriginal: 竒 (qi); in Chinese aesthetics, this refers to the unconventional, the marvelous, or the strikingly original.. Yet, the essential framework must remain stable Wenoriginal: 穩 (wen); meaning balanced, steady, or compositionally sound.. Lü Taiao original: 呂泰傲 (Lv Taiao), likely referring to the scholar-official Lü Ji. wrote a record of painting, suggesting that benevolence resides in using stability to achieve the extraordinary. One cannot leap forward while riding a slow horse; this is a truth for all students to consider.

Li Beihai original: 李北海 (Li Beihai), the Tang dynasty calligrapher Li Yong (678–747). He was famous for his vigorous style and his warning against mindless imitation. once said: "Those who learn from my style will end up clumsy; those who merely try to resemble me are only afraid of falling behind others."

To learn without progress leads to resentment. Without the guidance of the past, the words of the masters are like needles and medicinal stones original: 鍼砭 (zhenbian); ancient medical tools used for acupuncture and lancing, here serving as a metaphor for sharp, healing criticism. to the ear. Here by my idle window, I let my brush follow its course. In the end, it is like the peach blossoms upon the Han River—the lineage of the style continues without end.

Most people belittle themselves or indulge in excess. Those who do not learn from my method of "cleansing the mind" original: 滌慮 (dilv); a Daoist or Buddhist concept of purifying one's thoughts before creative work. act out of fear; and even those who are told to learn it still fear the process. Why is this? If one does not learn well from me, they simply return my own style to me. But even for those who learn well, where is the limit? If they cannot move beyond the teacher, they are left with nothing but my own clumsiness.

Inscribed by Wang Sui (style name Youjie) of Xiushui, while at his inkstone. original: 繡水王穟 (Xiushui Wang Sui). Xiushui is a historical name for Jiaxing in Zhejiang province, a major cultural center during the Ming and Qing dynasties.