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Su Shi once said: "Calligraphy starts with regular script, and then overflows into running script and cursive script." After laying a solid foundation in regular script, practicing running script and cursive script is a process that all calligraphers must go through. If you want to learn cursive script, you have to learn the authentic cursive method, so "learning from the best" and taking the ancients as teachers is the best choice.

Looking through the history of calligraphy, there are not many people who can reach the pinnacle of cursive script, but Huaisu can be called the "culmination of all". He not only absorbed the essence of brushwork of Zhang Zhi, Suo Jing, Er Wang, Zhiyong, Wu Tong and Zhang Xu, but also drew inspiration from nature: "I see many strange peaks in summer clouds, and I always learn from them. The excitement of them is like a bird flying out of the forest or a snake startled into the grass. And when I encounter a path on a cracked wall, it is all natural." This is the state of "harmony between man and nature".

Compared with the cursive scripts of Wang Xizhi and Wang Xianzhi, Huaisu's calligraphy is more mature, and compared with Zhang Xu, Huaisu's cursive script "expresses both sadness and joy", and the emotion and brushwork are more coordinated, which makes it easier for beginners to get started. There are very few authentic cursive scripts of Huaisu handed down, and "Self-narration" and "Thousand-character Essay in Small Cursive Script" are widely known.

Recently, an authentic work of his cursive script was published for the first time, titled"Ancient Cursive Script Album"，After 1,300 years, we finally have a feast for our eyes. This work is a collection of Huaisu's manuscripts imitating ancient cursive scripts, totaling 20 pieces, with all-encompassing content and a total of more than 1,000 characters, mainly in small cursive script, which is very suitable for daily practice.

The reason why Huaisu is called "the master of cursive script" is that we can see from this work that each piece is inspired by different people, and the style and brushwork are also obviously different. He imitates whoever he learns from, and gets both the form and the spirit. These masters include Cui Yuan, Du Du, Zhang Zhi, Suo Jing, and the two Wangs. It is no exaggeration to say that "Cursive Script Album of Ancient People" summarizes the exquisite brushwork of masters of all ages. As long as we practice diligently, we can enter the hall.

The brushwork in this work is rich and varied, delicate but not rigid, and every word is a show of skill. When starting to write, both concealment and exposure are used. After the pen tip enters the paper, Huaisu does not write straight back and forth, but adds contrasts of backsliding, twisting, lightness, heaviness, and thickness while ensuring the speed and continuity of the pen. If we randomly pick out a word, we can find that whether it is the start of the stroke, the end of the stroke, or the middle of the stroke, there are rich changes, and awl-drawn sand, folded hairpins, and seals are everywhere.

Bai Juyi's inscriptions

Such complex and delicate treatment has almost disappeared in cursive script after the Tang Dynasty. Even if we learn a little bit, we can become a master. What is even more rare is thatThere are inscriptions by famous calligraphers such as Bai Juyi, Ju Ran, Zhen Dexiu, Zhao Mengfu, Ke Jiusi, Zhu Zhishan, and Yu Ji on the back of this scroll. These are all priceless treasures.。

Postscript by Zhao Mengfu

The strokes, character formation, composition and ink method of "Album of Ancient People's Cursive Script" are impeccable, and the charm is natural and vivid. It contains the orthodox cursive method from the Eastern Han Dynasty to the Tang Dynasty, and is worthy of our lifelong imitation and study.

Now, after much effort, we have reproduced it in ultra-high-definition 12 colors, added explanations one by one, and launched an exclusive folding package, which is very convenient for you to copy and appreciate. If you are interested, please click the link below to take a look!