「Look at the Picture and Talk about the Painting」Yu Youren: not being bound by the tradition, not following the common trends!

Does the word “ugly” contradict traditional aesthetics? However, in the Chinese and foreign calligraphy circles, he is regarded as the “contemporary master of cursive script”, and is placed alongside Wang Xizhi and Yan Zhenqing as an important milestone in the history of calligraphy. This contrast proves the uniqueness of his calligraphy achievements.

His breakthrough lies in “breaking boundaries” and “dynamic brushwork”. He broke the barriers between the stone script school and the regular script school, using the form of “introducing stone script into regular script”, allowing the boldness of the stone script school and the agility of the regular script school to blend together. The characters he wrote are “every stroke is alive”, like a dragon leaping, possessing both strength and agility. They also resemble ancient trees hanging in the air, exuding vigor and stability, without the slightest sense of stagnation.
Moreover, in terms of “establishing rules” and “benefiting the people”, in the face of the chaos where cursive script is difficult to recognize and learn, he created standard cursive script with the characteristics of “easy to recognize, easy to learn, accurate and beautiful”, enabling cursive script to break free from the limitations of “difficult to read and difficult to learn”, and more widely enter the fields of public learning and cultural exchange, becoming a cultural carrier that can be learned and used. His “Heart Sutra” is still a model for those who practice cursive script to this day.

Yu Youren’s achievements in calligraphy not only lie in the enduring legacy of his “Yu style”, but also in his response to the times through his brushstrokes. He not only adhered to the essence of traditional calligraphy but also opened up new paths for its practical application. This “not being bound by the tradition, not following the common trends” attitude enabled his calligraphy to transcend aesthetic disputes. In the history of modern calligraphy, it not only allowed traditional brushwork to take root in the times but also enabled cursive script to continue to thrive through inheritance and innovation.

The tea for today is all gone. Next time, I’ll brew a fresh pot and enjoy art with you again.