Ｍｙ　Ｋａｒｍａ　ｗｉｔｈ　Ｃａｌｌｉｇｒａｐｈｙ

Ｄａｉ　Ｍｅｎｇ

It has been eighty years since I first learned to write with a writing brush. I think it is karma or my passion for calligraphy would not last this long. I have been on and off for calligraphy in the eight decades. I worked hard in my younger days and laid a solid foundation. I have practiced hard since I am old.

I studied in a private school for seven years in my childhood. My teacher had a reputation as a painter and calligrapher. In those years manuscripts by ancient masters were my calligraphic model books. I practiced regular script in big characters and did all my homework in regular script in small characters. I also practiced by writing with water on ground bricks, which wasted nothing.

I got to know quite a few master calligraphers and painters in my work and attended many gatherings of these masters. The masters I met in person include Pan Tianshou, Sha Menghai, Lu Weizhao, Lu Yanshao, Lu Yifei, Guo Moruo, Zhao Puchu, Tan Jiancheng, and Fei Xinwo. I often wonder how lucky I am to have met these masters in my lifetime. It would be lucky for anyone to meet one or two of these great masters. I met all of them and even developed strong friendship with some of them.

I stand for writing and painting with a poetic heart. If my calligraphy has any worthwhile feature, it is poetry that I emphasize in my inscriptions. A calligrapher needs to be innovative and adapt to his times. For modern audiences, titles should be made eye-catching, different scripts can be used in one piece, punctuation marks can be introduced. These innovative tricks are meant to break away from calligraphers ivory tower and make it easier for ordinary people to appreciate calligraphy. After all, calligraphy is meant for people to understand and enjoy.

That is my understanding of calligraphy. I will continue to explore my road of calligraphy in the rest years of my life.□