敢于创新的刘墉 the brave innovator liu yong

清朝的时候，还有一个和 [[ Weng Fanggang 翁方纲 ]]， [[ Liang Tongshu 梁同书 ]]齐名的书法家，叫 [[ Liu Yong 刘墉 ]]。他非常注意学习名家的长处，大胆创新，写出自己的风格来。

During the Qing Dynasty, there was another calligrapher just as famous as Weng Fanggang and Liang Tongshu. His name was Liu Yong. He absorbed what he considered to be the best of other calligraphers’ styles, but wasn’t coy about adding his own unique touch.

因为刘墉敢突破老的写法，受到了当时的一些思想保守的书法家的指责，翁方纲就是其中的一个。

Liu Yong’s refusal to be held to old modes of writing won him some vocal critics in conservative schools of thought. One of these was Wen Fangtong.

翁方纲有一个女婿是刘墉的学生。有一次这个学生去看望岳父，正碰上翁方纲在练字，写的还是他练了一辈子的字体，一笔一划都完全按照古人的要求，不改动一笔。

Weng Fangtong had a son-in-law who also happened to be one of Liu Yong’s students. One day, the student paid a visit to his father-in-law, who as chance would have it was busy writing calligraphy. He was writing the same old script that he had written his entire life, every brushstroke according to a strict set of rules laid down by his teachers, not changing a thing.

这个学生因为受到老师刘墉的影响，对老岳父墨守成规看不惯，就拐弯抹角地说：“岳父，您和我的老师都是当代的大书法家，我从来没有听您评论我的老师的书法。您今天给我谈谈吧！”

The student, having been influenced by his teacher, Liu Yong, thought very little of the dogmatic scholasticism exhibited by his father-in-law. Tongue-in-cheek he asked: “Father, both you and my teacher are famous calligraphers, but I’ve never heard you voice any opinions about his calligraphy. What do you think of it?”

翁方纲放下笔，看了看他的女婿，说：“你回去问你的老师，他写的字哪一笔是古人的？”

Weng Fanggang put down the brush, and fixed his gaze on his son-in-law: “You go and ask your teacher, which of his brushstrokes comes from the old masters?”

这个学生真的回去问老师。刘墉笑了笑，说：“你回去也问你的岳父，他写的字哪一笔是他自己的？”

and the student did. When he asked the question, Liu Yong chuckled: “You go and ask your father-in-law, which of his brushstrokes comes from him?”

这互相间的问话反映了他们对待书法艺术的不同见解：一个守旧，一个创新。后来这个故事成了书法史上的佳话。

The questions they asked represent two different points of view when it comes to the art of Chinese calligraphy: one conservative, the other innovative. When people talk about the history of calligraphy, this anecdote often tends to pop up.

据说，刘墉握笔的姿势也是很奇特的。他在客人面前写字的时候笔正腕端，采用传统的握笔方法。但是，他自己在内室书房写字的时候就不论写大字写小字，都转动笔管，飞快地书写。笔随手指前后左右旋翻飞动，象狮子滚绣球一样。他写得兴奋的时候，甚至笔管脱手飞落到地上。可惜，这种方法没有传下来。

People say that Liu Yong had a very odd way of holding the brush. When in the company of guests, Liu Yong would hold his brush formally in an orthodox way, but when he was alone in his study, no matter the format, large or small, he would twist and spin the brush handle, writing at breakneck speed. The brush would move back and forth, left and right, spinning and turning with the movements of his fingers, like a lion playing with a ball of silk. When he got too excited, the brush would fly from his grasp falling to the floor. Unfortunately, he took his technique to the grave.

#书法家故事 #清朝 #翁方纲 #梁同书 #刘墉 #创新 #守旧 #古人 #自我 #岳父 #翁方纲与刘墉 #StoriesAboutCalligraphers #QingDynasty #WengFanggang #LiangTongshu #LiuYong #Innovation #Conservatism #Ancestry #SelfExpression #Ego #FatherInLaw #NewVsOld #WengFanggangAndLiuYong

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