First, the artistic characteristics of Hongyi

The noumenon of calligraphy art is the form presented by words (including lines, structures, rules, etc. ) has nothing to do with the content expressed in the text itself. Master Guan's calligraphy works can be said to have achieved the perfect unity and integration of the essence, spirit and charm of calligraphy and writing, which is unpretentious and touching. Its realm can be described as "beyond the three realms, not in the five elements"; His last words may be the most in line with it: "Man Chun, the flower branch, the heart is full moon."

Ma Yifu believes that Master Hongyi's calligraphy is "quiet in his later years, and it should be a masterpiece of calligraphers"; Ye Shengtao summarized it as "meaning and taste" in Master Hongyi's calligraphy. Master Hongyi claimed to be "what rotten people mean: plain, quiet and easy to escape." When evaluating Greek art, Goethe said that "noble simplicity and quiet greatness" may be borrowed as "sincere calm and quiet greatness", which can convey the basic spirit of "Hongyi". Its basic characteristics, simply put, are: no sharp pen, slender and sparse font, "all-round harmony"

Master Hongyi's calligraphy can be divided into the following categories: writing scriptures, letters, and becoming attached (including Buddhist language, epigrams, epigrams, etc. ), writing and pure creation. "Hong Yi Ji" is mainly used to write classics, become attached to classics and create calligraphy works.

Second, the development stage of "flood integration"

First of all, "Hong Yi Ji" is constantly changing and developing with time, from exploration, molding, molding to Excellence, and never stops. Moreover, "Hong Yi Ji" has different faces in the same period, rich and thin, moist and dry coexist and see each other, and the progress in many aspects has not stopped. This is called "bravery and diligence". The author thinks that its basic context is: from flat to square to slender, from rich to thin to tenacious, from showing off to quiet to stateless, from input to convergence to freedom; Moistening and withering are its two main lines, which reach their respective peaks and merge with each other during 194 1- 1942. Generally speaking, its development stage can be divided into three stages:

The first stage: formation period (1923- 1932).

This stage is the experimental exploration stage of Master Hongyi's calligraphy art, so the face of calligraphy is more complicated. His masterpiece is The Commandment of Mahayana Buddhism (1924).

Since becoming a monk, Master Hongyi has never stopped his calligraphy activities. 19 18- 1923, Master Hongyi pursued development along the road of the original North Monument, but integrated into Buddhist culture; Therefore, although it is still a monument, it reduces the sharpness and fierceness of the pen. 1923, Master Hongyi was persuaded by Master Yin Guang: "Writing scriptures should be like writing strategies by scholars, and the style should be formal." Therefore, he is determined to change the style of writing according to the requirements of writing classics. He discovered the lower case of Jin and Tang Dynasties, and the calligraphy style began to change, which can be said to be the starting point of "Hongyi". That year, I achieved something. In a letter written to Shen Fu in September 1 (lunar calendar), Master Hongyi said: "My book was not learned in the Jin and Tang Dynasties." The main feature is that the knot is flat to square, fresh and harmonious, and moist as jade. By 1929, Master Hongyi had written a poem by Master Ling Feng, "How can I get the fragrance of plum blossoms if I don't catch a cold?" This is the symbol of the basic formation of "Hongyi". But there is still a sharp edge at the beginning and end of each stroke. This style is rare at this stage, and it can be regarded as an exploration work.

193 1 years ago, I was recorded in the book before the bodhisattva amulet, and I began to see the cold and see the thin. But the strokes should be put away and put back, the font is square or long, the composition is natural, and several forms exist on a piece of paper, which is not mature in general. This style is only seen at this stage, as if it were an experimental pen.

Phase II: Establishment period (1932- 1939).

The representative work of this period is the Amitabha Sutra written in 1932. This is a book written by Master Hongyi for the 20th anniversary of his late father's death (120), with rich strokes and slender fonts. 16 The 5-foot banner on the screen is empty, concise and detailed. Liu Zhiping named it "the most important Mo Bao"; 1936 was praised as "the treasure of Mohlin" by the Buddhist bimonthly when it was exhibited in Shanghai. At this stage, the most important application form of "Hong Yi Ji"-writing classics is maturing. 1936 "King Kong Prajna Paramita Sutra", written in memory of an old friend Jin Fufu, can be described as refined, strict, clean, wonderful and Buddhist.

Cold thin calligraphy is represented by the inscription of nursing students in 1939. "Protecting students" is intended to guide the people and advocate humanitarianism. So the style of painting is simple and the words are straightforward. Calligraphy requires clear and easy to recognize, followed by gentle and simple, clean and gentle, so that readers can be infected and edified when reading pictures and texts and reciting words. With the spread of nursing students, this cold and thin calligraphy style has become the mainstream understanding of "unity of righteousness and loyalty".

Their representative works are couplets, nave and banners written in 1938- 1939. For example, the book 1939 "Seeking enlightenment from the heart, forgetting to help others".

The third stage: maturity (1939- 1942).

The "macro-integration" of writing classics, letters, creation and other styles has matured and gradually merged together, reaching its peak at 1942. The representative work is Master Yi's epigram written by 1942 on New Year's Day. The brushwork is tough and smooth. The knot is slender and can be retracted freely; The composition is unremarkable and has no state. As Master Hong Yi said in his letter to Ma Donghan, "The words of corrupt people are plain, quiet and easy", which is the insurmountable peak of "Shu Lang, quiet" calligraphy.

The poem "Autumn Axis in Qujiang, North Korea" at the beginning of 1942 is a representative of the cold and thin style of writing. People and books are old and have reached a new level. The highest achievement is the book "Sorrow and Joy" written by Master Hongyi three days before his death. The font is bold and unrestrained, flying white and boundless, which is different from the silence of "Hongyi" and has great tension; As far as composition is concerned, the upper two words are loose, down to the left, and the lower two words are tight, up to the left. In contrast, they broke the consistent balance in Hongyi, and generate showed his true temperament and strong life, and entered the realm of selflessness, which is the strongest sound of lyric calligraphy in the history of calligraphy.

Third, the reasons for the emergence of Hong Yi Ji

Susan Langer believes that "the growth and development of an artist's spiritual vision and personality are closely related to his art". Therefore, "to understand calligraphy, the first thing is to understand the calligrapher." As far as "Hongyi" is concerned, it is precisely because of the special experience of calligrapher Master Hongyi from Confucianism to Buddhism that "Hongyi" came into being. Generally speaking, as Ye Shengtao said, "Most artistic things begin with imitation and end with originality. If you don't imitate, you can't afford to lay the foundation ... If you imitate with a sincere attitude, you will naturally encounter a day of transformation. From imitation, art has gained a new life. Not going to the portal and unconventional is the so-called originality. " The author believes that the root of "Hongyi" lies in the word "sincerity".

1. The inevitable result of years of accumulation

This accumulation includes two aspects: the cultivation of skills and knowledge. Master Hongyi practiced calligraphy hard in his early years and has a solid foundation in old learning. He is proficient in poetry, painting, calligraphy and epigraphy. Later, he was admitted to Nanyang Public College to absorb new studies, and then went to Japan to study music, western painting, drama and other arts. My horizons and thinking are wide open, and my knowledge and horizons are deepened. This is determined by the background of the times and the personal environment of Master Hongyi. As far as the times are concerned, it was an era of change in which dynasties changed and wars continued. Old learning still exists, western learning is gradual, and various ideas and cultures are constantly colliding; Judging from the environment, Master Hongyi was a rich boy at that time, a rich boy in Beijing and Tianjin in the late Qing Dynasty, and his piano, chess, calligraphy and painting were very popular. Therefore, Master Hongyi has accumulated rich and comprehensive knowledge.

From the technical point of view, Master Hongyi studied under the famous Tang Jingyan in his early years, and he was proficient in seal, official, truth and grass, especially in the northern Wei Dynasty, and he worked hard. Xia Zun said in the postscript of Li Xiong's Ancient Books: "When the cock crows, writing a book by the pool and passing by the monument will be like a god." I saw all kinds of people involved, especially dedicated to God, the monument of Zhang Menglong and the statue of Wei Qi. It can be seen that Master Hongyi's copying is extremely serious, and he can achieve both form and spirit, so that he can be confused.

From the perspective of learning, Master Hongyi's cultural knowledge structure mainly consists of three aspects: one is old learning, that is, traditional culture; The second is new learning, also known as democratic culture; The third is western learning, that is, western culture. These cultures come together, collide with each other, penetrate and blend with each other, forming their inclusive and far-reaching cultural structure, and at the same time creating the complexity of their cultural structure. Of course, we can be sure that Master Hongyi's cultural structure pays more attention to humanistic self-improvement and self-care, which is called "self-sufficiency"; After converting to Buddhism, Master Hongyi devoted himself to promoting Buddhism and educating all beings, which is called "educating people".

This profound and comprehensive study and cultivation has improved understanding and knowledge, and further promoted the rapid development of calligraphy skills. The two helped each other, making Master Hongyi's hands and eyes high. In the letter 1938 to Ma Donghan, he said: "When writing, corrupt people try their best to arrange and coordinate the shape of the whole paper according to the principles of western painting patterns." Drawing lessons from the rules of western painting, it can be described as a model of mutual development of learning and skills.

2. The inevitable result of life experience

Rise and fall, only in one thought.

Master Hongyi's experience determines his unique life experience since childhood. When I was a child, I witnessed my father's death. Later, I was cynical because I respected the rich and despised the poor. The first poem I saw was 1894: "Life is like the day of the western hills, and wealth is like frost on the grass." 15 of the age, get this kind of understanding of life, very different from ordinary people. At the same time, he often copied the lower case of Wen Zhiming's Heart Sutra, which Liu Shi 'an visited. Copying is also an experience, therefore, the Buddha root has been planted in Li Shutong's heart at this time.

Subsequently, Li Shutong began a colorful and even "gorgeous" artistic life. As a handsome and beautiful son, a student studying in Japan and an art educator, he experienced charming scholar spirit, wandering feelings, the suffering of a weak country, and the artistic experience of being free and happy at first, and then becoming "empty" day by day. Master Hony said in his letter to Liu Zhiping 19 18: "I am not close to loneliness, I hate this world." . Life experience needs to rise and break through. Thus, from 19 18, Li Shutong became a monk, from "gorgeous" to plain. From then on, he studied Buddhism and created calligraphy, and his life experience rose from artistic experience to introverted and pious Buddhist experience.

Master Hongyi believed in good knowledge at that time. In the correspondence with Master Hongyi, Master Yin Guang once suggested: "There are many ways to enter the Tao, but people are interested in it, and there is no certain way. Those who are sure are sincere and respectful. " Master Hongyi has also been doing it for 25 years. 1942, on the morning when he wrote "the intersection of sadness and joy", he also encouraged Huang Fuhai with the book "We live day and night, sit and lie down, be sincere and respectful". In The Monk of a Quarter Century, the implication of Master Hongyi's humble practice is the key to form a restrained, calm and quiet style of writing scriptures. The so-called external factors must work through internal factors. Master Hongyi used Buddhism to introduce calligraphy, or his persistent efforts to overcome loneliness, but what he conveyed in his works was the religious experience of "turning ordinary mind into Tathagata wisdom". Therefore, the strokes of Hong Yi Ji are highly concentrated and Lian Bi, with simple strokes, minimal or even a little lateral contraction, the largest longitudinal elongation and even exaggeration, and the four words are careful and sparse; There is no adhesion between each line and each part of each word, and the sparse places in the middle of each word can be arranged in a line, so that the wind in the dense place can not penetrate, thus creating "gentleness" and "the most detailed tension resistance".

Master Hongyi rarely involved in literary poetry since he became a monk, but he was close to Han I, a poet in the late Tang Dynasty, because he respected his loyalty, and the situation in the late Tang Dynasty was very close to that at that time, which was also a time of war. Master Hongyi still has passion in his blood. He has repeatedly expressed his ambition to be martyred, such as writing a banner of "martyrdom" at 1937, calling himself "martyrdom hall"; 194 1 year book "A graceful chrysanthemum with high specifications and strong sense of rhythm. What color is the cloud? Martyrdom will bleed! " At the same time, write down the motto "Remember to save the country by chanting Buddha, and you must recite Buddha to save the country". The inscription in this volume says: "Buddhists understand the truth, but they can swear to die, sacrifice everything, be brave and diligent, and save the country." It can also be seen that one of the reasons why he became a monk is to "feel the truth", for which "I can swear to give my life, sacrifice everything, be brave and diligent". Observing what he did, learning from Legalism, carrying forward Legalism and educating all sentient beings, he made great efforts to write Buddhist words, and was still a traditional Confucian in his bones, making unremitting efforts to realize the ideal of "saving the world". It can be seen that Master Hongyi still joined the WTO in his bones. As Zhu Guangqian said, he is "doing the cause of joining the WTO with the innate spirit." Although Hong Yi Ji is dull and quiet, it is vigorous and not soft, such as steelmaking, which is why.

Ma Yifu's statement that "reading a master's book is rigorous, neat and wonderful, just like the words of a lawyer ... the power of internal fumigation is naturally revealed" is the best annotation for observing life experiences in Hong Yi Ji.

The ultimate and highest external expression of Master Hongyi's life experience is his masterpiece "The Intersection of Sorrow and Joy". Relying on the determination of consciousness and the power of death, it broke through the balanced schema of "Hongyi" and reached an incredible realm that ordinary people could not reach.

3. The inevitable result of artistic development

The Bible says: He who loses his life gains his life. Phoenix nirvana, reborn from the fire. The so-called life, whether it is human life or artistic life, is a constant change and interactive rise and fall. When the vitality reaches its peak, it also symbolizes going downhill, just like the ebb and flow of the tide, the ebb and flow of the tide and then the tide begins to rise again. This proves that the development course of Master Hongyi's calligraphy art can be described as the same strain.

Let's look at the artistic inevitability of its entry into Buddhism. Hegel said, "The field closest to and higher than art is religion", and "Religion is to add piety to this (the real soul as an artistic object). Only the world of art can make a genius like Master Hongyi get spiritual comfort, and then, when art reaches its peak, it can be sublimated by the power of religion. Feng Zikai said that the highest point of art is close to religion. He believes that human life can be divided into three layers: the first layer is material life, that is, food, clothing, housing and transportation; The second layer is spiritual life, that is, literature and art; The third is soul life, that is, religion. Only when you get on the raft can you climb high and look far. This is called thoroughness. 19 18, the life of this man named "Li Shutong" in the world came to an end. With his artistic career, a monk named "Hongyi" was born, together with Master Hongyi's "Buddhist Book"-"Hongyi Integration". In the pursuit of art, the combination of internal and external factors is the inevitable result of the development of artistic law.

Master Hongyi became a monk on 19 18, and all his arts were abandoned. At the suggestion of Gu Nong, a Buddhist enthusiast, he kept his calligraphy and became attached to writing Buddhist language. 1929, Master Hongyi said in "Preface to Li Xiweng's Ancient Calligraphy": "Fu indulged in Le Shu, but he was deeply admonished by the Buddha. However, those who learn Taoism can write Buddhist scriptures as much as possible and spread them around the world, so that all living beings are happy to be supported, self-interested and altruistic, and interested in Buddhism and Taoism. " Hegel said: "Only improving human beings is the purpose of art and the highest purpose of art". 1935, Master Hongyi once said to Julia that "the remaining books are the Dharma", which shows Master Hongyi's consciousness and confidence in the art of calligraphy. The art of calligraphy is a raft that Master Hongyi is committed to "cultivating self-cultivation" and a boat that he uses to educate all beings and improve the national mind.

Master Hongyi's basic literary thoughts are: literature and art should be handed down by people, not by people; Understand literature and art first. In short, be a man first, then an artist. Master Hongyi's artistic ideas are truth, sincerity and enlightenment.

Lu, an old friend of Nanshe, said that Master Hongyi "is a real speaker, a real speaker, such as a speaker, a slanderer and a non-native speaker". He is also a sincere, earnest and thorough person. Therefore, Master Hongyi's calligraphy art is bound to move towards "the unity of macro and art".

Said it was true. Hegel believes that "(art) lies in the fact that the mind feels a need and needs to regard its inner life as a true form reflecting the truth, and only in this form can satisfaction be found", "... works of art create truth-that is, the mind becomes an object in a perceptual way". Master Hongyi wrote a poem for Ewing in Zhangzhou: Stone is ancient and modern, and artistic things are always new. If printed according to the facts, the law shows its truth; Poem of Zheng Sleeping in the Clouds: In a word, is it true? Throughout the legal world, the light is boundless; Wang Mengxing Ju Laiyuan Manuscript: It contains the real situation and is an outstanding master. Only truth, still correct, is a work, which is the basis of "Hongyi". Ma Yifu said in "Introduction to Nursing Students" that "Hua Yan said that if the mind works, the painter can show everything", that is to say, if the mind works, it can show the truth of everything as a mirror. "Hong Yi Ji" was written because of the truth, simplified by deleting the complexity, and returned to its family from everything, so it was Vientiane.

Second, honesty. Liu Zhiping, a high-footed artist, described the master's writing style as "devoted, late in writing, doing everything", which is also pious. Master Hongyi said: "The masterpieces of artists are always made inadvertently when they are full of interest." This creation is lyrical and fluent. In addition, "both writing and seal cutting are enough to express the author's character" (this is a natural expression, not a deliberate expression). Only sincerity can make you understand, understand, taste and taste to get the truth. Because of piety, every word of "Hongyi" is permeated with the spirit of Master Hongyi. As Ye Shengtao said, it is like a modest and gentle gentleman, warm, quiet, round and clear.

Enlightenment of three words. That is, calligraphy was introduced from Buddhism.

In 1933, Master Hongyi said: "The phase of characters is unavailable. Measured by heart and cloud. If the wind is empty, there is nothing to do. If you know it, you are a smart man. " The next topic is "a layman in a bamboo garden who understands Prajna Paramita and the rest is calligraphy." 1937 gave a speech on "the method of writing" at Nanputuo Buddhist Training Center in Xiamen, saying that "as far as writing is concerned, differences should be taken into account before writing can be done well." "I think the best writing or the best art comes from learning Buddhism. To achieve the best state, we must study from Buddhism. " He also said, "If you study Buddhism deeply, your calligraphy will be improved, you can learn Buddhism well, and your writing style can be improved well"; "I've been thinking and thinking, and I think that if you want to write well, you still need to practice more and read more wordboards and posts, and you will naturally learn well." Obviously, the key to Buddhism is the word "enlightenment", whether it is Purdue or practice, whether it is tablet reading or post-reading.

Take truth as the foundation, sincerity as the way, enlightenment as the law, or reach the realm of "freedom". In the letter from Master Hongyi to Xu Huilu in 1938, he said, "If you write casually, you will never get the same picture again, and you would rather count it as clumsy." In his book to Ma Donghan, he also said that "... calligraphy and painting, brushwork, brushwork ... should be eliminated with one voice, and never try to figure it out with your heart", showing the realm of "freedom" without trying to figure it out with your heart and regardless of your work. "Life is to deny, to deny the pain. Only by eliminating opposites and contradictions can life become positive to itself, and "with freedom, all shortcomings and misfortunes are eliminated", and the inner universe is infinitely vast. Judging from the development process of "Hongyi", it is through continuous denial and continuous improvement.

194210 June 13, Master Hongyi died, and he "learned from himself" and boarded the other shore. The Hong Yi Ji he created, the lofty realm he revealed, the significance of natural harmony, and the great personality he nurtured will all become eternal "rafts" for all beings to reach the other shore, just like the moon in the sky.