1. Calligraphy uses the pen, and the pen uses the sharp edge. ——Zhou Xinglian

2. The pen is bald with thousands of tubes, and the ink is polished with thousands of ingots. ——Su Shi

3. The brush strokes are like clouds of smoke. ——Du Fu

4. The Yang Qi is bright and the flowers stand on the wall, and the Yin Qi is strong and the wind is born. ——Wang Xizhi

5. If you teach by the waterside, every word may become a dragon. ——Han Wo

6. Correct calligraphy means correcting people's hearts, so it means being free and holy. ——Xiang Mu

7. The center of the pen is handsome, and the second hair is also a pawn. ——Liu Xizai

8. One point becomes one word, and one word is the final word. ——Sun Guoting

9. Use your pen with your heart in mind. If your heart is right, your pen will be right, and your pen will be right. ——Liu Gongquan

10. The beauty of calligraphy and painting must be understood by spirit, and it is difficult to find it in form. ——Shen Kuo

11. A person with integrity has an upright and bright outlook outside of his writing. ——Wang Yu

12. Those who write old books are also students of mind; those who write are also writers of aspirations. ——Liu Xizai

13. The only word for calligraphy is cleverness, while clumsiness means straightforwardness without transformation. ——Dong Qichang

14. The writing is deep and graceful, naturally charming and bookish. ——Jiang Ji

15. Qi can be clear or turbid, thick or thin, and style can be high or low. ——Liu Xizai

16. High rhyme and deep feeling, strong quality and majesty, neither one of them can make a book. ——Liu Xizai

17. The character must have bones, the flesh must wrap the tendons, the tendons must hide the meat, and the post must be beautiful and moist. ——Mi Fu

18. The truth is inside, and the spirit moves outside. This is why truth is valued. ——"Zhuangzi"

19. People have different personalities and different temperaments. The style of writing is determined by the way the evil is formed. ——Xiang Mu

20. The writing style and ink style are all based on the human temperament. This is the first task of writing with rationality and emotion. ——Liu Xizai

21. The beauty of calligraphy is first, followed by form and quality. Those who combine both can be introduced to the ancients. ——Wang Sengqian

22. If you learn half of it and spread it half, you don’t have to learn it all. ——Zheng Banqiao

23. If you don’t seek resemblance in appearance, you are just drifting away from nature. People in recent times only seek resemblance in appearance. If you want resemblance, you will become more distant. ——Yun Shouping

24. Books originate from nature. Once nature is established, yin and yang are born. When yin and yang are born, the form and qi are established. ——Cai Yong

25. Scholars have two views: observing things and observing me. Observe things to resemble emotions, observe me to understand virtue. ——Liu Xizai

26. When using a pen, the sharp edge must be hidden. If the sharp edge is not hidden, the writing will be diseased. If the disease is not gone, how can it be done? ——Xu Hao

27. The book should be thoughtful and powerful. The subtle ones are organized and within the words, while the big ones are majestic beyond the words. ——Liu Xizai

28. In calligraphy and painting, the first priority is character. With excellent moral integrity, not only does everyone value his writing, but he also admires his person. ——Songnian

29. Therefore, the mystery of calligraphy must be met by gods and cannot be pursued; skill must be understood in the heart and cannot be obtained by sight. ——Feng Wu

30. The overall picture of the book is mainly based on Qi; every word has bones, flesh, muscles and blood, and when it is filled with Qi, the spirit comes out. ——Yao Peizhong

31. Those who are good at calligraphy and painting are all good at both character and learning. When they are in the official position, they pay more attention to their political achievements and reputation, so they will be valued in future generations. ——Songnian

32. Academic classics and discussions all originate from the heart. If the heart is not right, everything will be wrong. Liu Gongquan said: If the heart is right, the pen will be right. ——Xiang Mu

33. Hands and divine luck, art comes from experience. His ambition is set in the book, his crown cannot be moved, his poverty and humbleness cannot be surrendered, he is proud and contented, and he will live his whole life.

——Zhu Wenchang