Ni Zan (1301-1374), a native of Wuxi, Jiangsu, was a calligrapher and painter in the Yuan Dynasty. The original name is Ting, the word Yuan Town, and the word Xuanying. No. Yunlin, Yunlinzi, Huanxiazi, Jing Manmin, Fengyue Master, Laiyang Pavilion Master, etc., there are many other signatures, and the descendants are mostly called Ni Yunlin. Together with Huang Gongwang, Wang Meng, and Wu Zhen, he is known as the "Four Yuan Schools" in the history of Chinese painting. They are not only typical representatives of the literati of the Yuan Dynasty, but also have exemplary significance in the history of Chinese landscape painting. In particular, Ni Zhan's paintings have innovative qualities, which have been praised by later generations and are called the peak of "Yige". After the Song and Yuan dynasties, literati painting emphasized the unity of poetry, calligraphy, painting, and sealing, so it promoted the multi-dimensional development of calligraphy. In this regard, Ni Zan is the most representative of the "Four Yuan Families", and his books are unique and self-contained, which has a profound impact on the Ming and Qing dynasties. It's just that his calligraphy is hidden by his poems and paintings, and it doesn't seem very prominent.
Ni Zan Xiaokai "Autumn Ji Picture of Fishing Village"
Zhang Chou of the Ming Dynasty commented on Ni Zhan: "Yuanzhen's calligraphy is self-sufficient, and it is clear and graceful. ”
Wen Zhengming commented on Ni Zhan: "Mr. Ni has a high character, and his Han Za Yiyi has the atmosphere of the Jin and Song dynasties. ”
Xu Wei commented on Ni Zhan's calligraphy: "From subordination, he was reincarnated in Zhong Xuan's "Recommended Season Straight Table", which is ancient and charming, dense and sparse. ”
Qing Di commented on the light: "Yunlin calligraphy has to be written in the subordination, and the book "Interior Huangting Sutra" is like Yang and Xu's will, which can imagine the demeanor of the Six Dynasties, which is not what the princes of the Song and Yuan dynasties can like. The first person in Yuanzhen Zhenhanmo, who does not eat fireworks and ascends to immortals. ”
There are also those who put forward criticisms of Ni Zhan's book, such as Kang Youwei said in "Guangyi Zhou Shuangji": "Jie Manshuo, Ke Jingzhong, and Ni Yuanzhen, although they are charming, they are all Wu Xingmenting." In the author's opinion, Kang Nanhai's argument seems to be paranoid. Although Zhao Mengfu had few rivals at that time in terms of comprehensive artistic cultivation, calligraphy and painting skills, or official positions, and there were Yuan generations who had calligraphy and painting alliances, but as a master who was "detached" and did not enter the times, it was decided that Ni Zhan's calligraphy and painting art would not be easy to "take it". His calligraphy and painting art has long reached the state of detachment of "according to Confucianism, relying on the old, and escaping from Zen". If Ni Zan was influenced by Zhao Mengfu in painting, there is also a trace of it, and it is quite far-fetched to say that calligraphy came from the court of Wu Xing.
Qingxu Lin Ni Zan Xiaokai "Autumn Ji Picture of Fishing Village"
Ni Zhan's artistic ideas are reflected in his "Yunlin Painting Spectrum" and "Qing Pavilion Collection". Although "Yunlin Painting" starts from the principle of tree and stone painting, its origin is the same as that of calligraphy, and many concepts and categories are also applied in calligraphy. Choose one or two views, such as "morale", "work spirit", "lawlessness", "law", "naivety", etc., and more "use the pen", "use ink", "save the pen", etc., as well as "just in line with the fashion", "but seek to be reasonable and interesting", "clean and easy", etc. In particular, his theories of "Yi Qi" and "Yi Bi" are important theories of his painting ideas and literati aesthetics.
Ni Zhan's calligraphy is mainly found in inscriptions, poems, and a small number of solo works. Most of its hand-me-down handwriting is small block and small line book. The flourishing of literati painting in the Yuan Dynasty made calligraphy inscriptions a fashion, and Ni Zan was a rare leader in this trend.
His pen is capable and clear, and he is very particular about his ink. This is closely related to his special personality of "cleanliness" and "sexual elegance". It is only this personality that can create masterpieces that are relaxed, fast-paced, and unworldly. Xu Wei's "ancient and charming, dense and sparse" breaks through Ni Zhan's entry from brushwork to aesthetics. Gu Mei and Mi Shu are actually the opposite sides of the contradiction, and the key must be unified and not contradictory. If from the point of view of form, Ni Zhan's calligraphy directly takes Zhong Xiang is not much (mainly the early method), and he takes Zhong Shu mainly in the way of writing - left and right horizontal exhibition, there is a tendency of the first arrangement, so it seems ancient. Ni Zhan's regular script also draws on Ouyang's inquiring in terms of posture, and deviates to the left, showing a loose beauty. As for the charm of Ni Zhan's calligraphy, it is still somewhat influenced by a certain style of calligraphy of the times, and the expectation and frustration between the dot paintings have a distinct atmosphere of the times.
Qingxu's work is created with Ni Zhan's small letters
Ni Zan Xiaokai's vertical stance in the structure also adds a bit of noble charm, which is not easy to grasp. The reason why its small Kai can achieve this state should be that the vertical tone contains changeable factors, mainly in the ability to give shape with the word and the use of the apostrophe-the long apostrophe (including the flat pinch at the bottom), which is one of the external manifestations of Ni Zhan's small Kai ancient and charming.
In terms of ink, Ni Zan Xiaokai can generally be said with the words "cherish ink like gold". The combination of exquisite and pure brushwork and this kind of ink method presents a vast and indifferent artistic conception.
There are four points that must be reminded to pay attention to beginners Ni Zan Xiaokai, of course, these four points are also sorted out through examples, there is obvious pen inertia in Ni Zan Xiaokai: first, the short vertical pen is easy to turn the pen to the front, and there is often a danger of weightlessness; Second, the long horizontal pen squatting pen or frustration should be moderate to avoid falling tail; the third is to be careful that there is too much laying for the long end and it looks bloated; Fourth, it is easy to be light and sharp when painting vertically and skimming, and it looks weak and casual.
Source: Calligraphy Daily, Issue 2, 12th Edition, January 11, 2023