印象墨象 造化大化
尹同君书法气质辨析
The modeling performance of seal and calligraphy, the pursuit of reality and an ideal realm
An analysis of Yin Tongjun's calligraphy manners
作者：吴志友
中译英：斧子的二当家
审校：Michael
湘君，尹氏，名同君，诞于湘南名郡衡州(阳）西乡。此地不乏大儒，船山夫之为最(与黄宗羲、顾炎武同列明末清初三大思想家，与西哲黑格尔媲美，为世界辩证思想家双子星座之一）。
Xiang Jun 湘君, whose family name is Yin 尹 and first name is Tongjun 同君, comes from Xi Xiang 西乡, Heng Zhou (Yang) 衡州(阳) a great county in the southern part of Hunan Province. There is no lack of Great Confucians here and the most famous one is Chuanshan Fuzhi 船山夫之 (listed as one of the three, great thinkers of late Ming and early Qing Dynasty together with Huang Zongxi 黄宗羲 and Gu Yanwu 顾炎武; compared to western philosopher Hegel, as one of the dialectical thinkers of the world).
过往前溯，郡域汉时即有造纸术发明家蔡伦，与船山一道跻身西人所著《推动人类历史进程百位名人排行榜》，此榜华人仅有七席，衡阳即得两席，可见人杰地灵之极也。湘君胞泽之地不出十里，便诞有衡阳籍书画名家子琴符翕、瓢庵符铸(父子）；不出五十里诞有守愚蒋卓如；不出百里诞有（宋)书僧释梦英，奇男子、画梅圣手彭玉麟将军 ，“海上四妖”之一麓髯曾熙，当年不输白石齐璜之臼庵冯臼(与白石一道民初列北平“西城三怪”），壶庵姚尊，少梅陈云彰，开宗立派箫派山水的厔泉箫韵俊贤，钝父朱大河 ，钟(增）亚等等；不出百公里诞有：信本欧阳询、草圣藏真怀素、名儒涤生曾国藩、巨匠白石齐璜、伟人润之毛泽东，还有天下三大碑林之一的祁阳浯溪(碑林）。
Back in the Han Dynasty, there was an inventor of papermaking named Cai Lun 蔡伦. Together with Chuanshan 船山 he was included on the Westerners' "List of hundred famous people who have promoted the progress of human history". There are only seven Chinese on this list and two of them came from Hengyang. It can be seen that Hengyang is really a numinous place and the people here are eminent. Around 5 kilometers from the place where Xiang Jun 湘君 has lived, two famous calligraphers Ziqin Fu Xi 子琴符翕 and Piaoan Fu Zhu 瓢庵符铸 (the two people are Father and Son) was born. Within 25 kilometers, Shouyu Jiang Zhuoru 守愚蒋卓如 was born. And within 50 kilometres, lived a monk calligrapher Shi Mengying 释梦英 of Song Dynasty, a remarkable General Peng Yulin 彭玉麟 known as the Holy Hand for Painting Plum Blossoms, Luran Zeng Xi 麓髯曾熙 known as one of the "Four Demons of the Sea", Jiuan Fen Jiu 臼庵冯臼 whose talent was no smaller than that one of Baishi Qi Huang 白石齐璜（in the early years of the Republic of China, Feng Jiu 冯臼 was listed as the "Three Monsters of the West City" together with Baishi 白石), Huan Yao Zun 壶庵姚尊, Shaomei Chen Yunzhang 少梅陈云彰, Zhiquan Xiao Junxian 厔泉箫俊贤 known as the creator of Xiao Style Landscape Painting, Dunfu Zhu Dahe 钝父朱大河, Zhong (Zeng) Ya 钟(增)亚 etc. Within 100 kilometers, there was Xinben Ouyang Xun 信本欧阳询, Zangzhen Huai Su 藏真怀素 known as the Sage of the Cursive Script, a famous Confucian Scholar Disheng Zeng Guofan 涤生曾国藩, a great man Baishi Qi Huang 白石齐璜, a great man Runzhi Mao Zedong 润之毛泽东 and one of the three Forest of Steles in the world---Qiyang Wu Xi 祁阳浯溪.
湘君就是成长于这般环境：幼承庭训，童稚学书，强悍尚武、 勤勇精进的祖袭家风，铸就了他坚毅刻苦、一以惯之的心性和定力。湘君3岁随父兄学书，5至9岁时， 受父好友马宗霍 (曾熙入室高徒，以《书林藻鉴》《书林纪事》等著作影响书坛近百载）耳提面命，指教点拨，习书以髯公曾熙为宗师，循熙之路径，篆籀筑基固本，隶分立格得体，楷魏正态出神，行草郁气通灵。于《散氏盘》《四山摩崖》《曹全碑》《瘗鹤铭》《颜勤礼》等用功尤深。数十载寒暑坚持， 终承曾熙衣钵，得其真传。
Xiang Jun 湘君 grew up with a good environment. He was taught at home by his parents when he was a child and received formal schooling later when at a juvenile age. He inherited a family tradition of being tough, brave and diligent which shaped his character and trained as a person with perseverance and determination. At the age of 3, Xiang Jun 湘君 began to study calligraphy with his father and brother. Between the age of 5 and 9 he was trained by his father's friend, Ma Zonghuo 马宗霍 (a senior scholar of Zeng Xi 曾熙, Mr. Ma has influenced the calligraphy circles for nearly 100 years with his calligraphy works, such as "Shu Lin Zao Jian" 《书林藻鉴》（Book Forest Appreciation） and "Shu Lin Ji Shi" 《书林纪事》（Book Forest Chronicle）). During the Calligraphy Learning process, Xiang Jun 湘君 has taken Zeng Xi 曾熙 as his Master and adopted Zeng Xi's 曾熙 calligraphy practice method. First, he practiced the seal script to lay the foundation. Then, he practiced the clerical script to master the font structure and line changes. Finally, he practiced the standard script and tablet inscriptions of the Northern Dynasties (386-581) to form his own, unique style and manner and practiced running-cursive scripts to channel the Qi 气 (the cosmic energy force) and get the Way to the heaven. An extremely hard work can be seen in the "Sanshi pan" 《散氏盘》 (The pan of the San clan), "Sishan moya" 《四山摩崖》 (Sishan Cliff Stele), "Cao Quan Bei" 《曹全碑》 (Cao Quan Stele), "Yihe Ming" 《瘗鹤铭》 (An Inscription on Burying the Crane) and "Yan Qinli" 《颜勤礼》 (Memorial Stele for Yan Qinli). After decades of persistence and hard work, Xiang Jun 湘君 has finally learned Zeng Xi's 曾熙 elemental spirits and skills.
其书以篆隶圆笔为本，下穷魏晋， 沟通南帖北碑，融合方圆，成就宽博纵逸之风貌；仙风道骨，真力弥漫；且以动掣静；既(以静态书体深）入曾书，又(以动态书体化）出曾书。 赢得京城三老激赏：沈鹏先生 为其书王闿运联“石出蒸湘攻错玉，鼓响衡岳震南天”，期许其书不懈攻错，必将名传三湘，声动南国，流播海内；李铎将军为其书题斋号“湘君垆”，书毛诗“年少峥嵘屈（原 ） 贾(谊）才”句励之；美术大师(国徽、团徽和第二、三、四套人民币的总体设计，天安门城楼上的毛主席像绘制者）周令钊先生于九九仙翁之龄亲书“惟楚有才”以勉。
His calligraphy is based on the round and vigorous strokes of seal script and clerical script. In his techniques, he established a link between all the calligraphy origins and their developments, combined with a skilled Round and Square brushwork. The calligraphy work as a whole form a wide, extensive style. There is the elegance of the Immortals and the vigor of the Daoists in the works. What a powerful and romantic stroke it is! It is also a developmental aesthetics which has combined both the still and dynamic calligraphy（the still calligraphy refers to seal script, clerical script and standard script；the dynamic calligraphy refers to the running-cursive script）. As the dynamic prevails over the solemn and quiet, Zeng's 曾 calligraphy can be inherited with the still skills and can also be transcended and developed with the dynamic changes. Three Elder Masters in Beijing gave high appreciations to him. Mr. Shen Peng 沈鹏 wrote the Wang Kaiyun's 王闿运 couplets to him, "Shi Chu Zheng Xiang Gong Cuo Yu, Gu Xiang Heng Yue Zhen Nan Tian 石出蒸湘攻错玉，鼓响衡岳震南天"（The giant stone, which is comparable to jade, came from the Zhengshui River and Xiangjiang River. Just as a giant drum, once it is beaten, it would shock the Nanyue Mount Heng and reverberate in southern China) with hope that he could constantly strive for self-perfection in calligraphy, make outstanding achievements and then carve himself a place in the history of Hunan, get a fame in southern China and be known in the world. General Li Duo 李铎 inscribed for him the Zhai Hao 斋号（name of the house and its owner）Xiang Jun Lu 湘君垆 and wrote Mao Zedong's 毛泽东 poetry "Nian Shao Zheng Rong Qu(Yuan) Jia(Yi) Cai 年少峥嵘屈（原）贾(谊）才" （While young like Qu and Jia in talent you excelled; Qu and Jia refer to Qu Yuan and Jia Yi, both are brilliant talents）for him as encouragement. At an advanced age of 99 the master of Fine Arts (The overall designer of the national emblem, league badge and the second, third and fourth sets of RMB, the painter of the Chairman Mao portrait on Tian An Men)——Mr. Zhou Lingzhao 周令钊 encouraged him with the personally written calligraphy——"Wei Chu You Cai 惟楚有才" (Hunan is full of talented people).
湘君斋号印有六枚，恰蕴其书法气质。
Xiang Jun 湘君 has six seals, which exactly reflect the manners of his calligraphy.
印一：墨攻
Seal 1: Mo Gong 墨攻 (Not only refers to Mozi 墨子 but also refers to calligraphy practice)
湘君幼崇墨翟，仰墨家之兼爱、非攻。自铸一铜印朱文“墨攻”，初语意“攻墨”，以铭刻苦习书之志。于书法领域汲取多家营养，以坚定宁静之心态，不为惰性与逸豫所动摇、 荒废工夫；于书外人生则心志坚韧不拔，勤学深悟；致广大，尽精微；爱人利人，克勤克俭。
Xiang Jun 湘君 worshiped Mo Di 墨翟 since an early age. He especially admired Mohism' universal love and non-aggression. He carved a protruding bronze seal of Mo Gong 墨攻 which had original meaning "Gong Mo 攻墨" (which refers to a diligent and ambitious study). In calligraphy, he learns widely from others' merits, keeps a firm and quiet mind, never wastes time and gets devoured by idleness and pleasure. Outside the calligraphy world, he is also diligent in both learning and thinking, with a firm spirit and will. He not only reaches the vastness and greatness but also penetrates the refined and subtle to the end. He loves and benefits others like himself, living an industrious and thrifty life.
著名艺术评论家、书法家沙乞子曾言：“从我与湘君的交往中，觉其虽为从政之人，却鲜染官场难耐的衙斋习气，贵饶一股‘实事求是’的真气，甚至时露一股竹节贞雅的士子气 。
Shaqizi 沙乞子, a famous art critic and calligrapher once said: "From my contacts with Xiang Jun 湘君, I feel that although he is a politician, he didn't get affected by the unhealthy habits of the official circles. What’s most rare and precious is that he shows a genuine spirit of 'Seek Truth from Facts' and even has a scholar manner of integrity and elegance.
他长怀‘谦虚、正直’的竹品之操，理政处事尝自励‘大量度人，小心处事；正身率众，屈己为群’。公务余暇，湘君之至爱在书法，竟至痴迷。其勤奋亦足令人惊讶。某 周末夜，三五友人相聚品茗谈艺，至夜深十一点，湘君尊我年长，送我回家。别时，他说还得赶紧回去临写秦篆石鼓文两小时。一夜醒来，微信果见其子时所临石鼓墨迹未干。
He follows a moral principle of 'modest and upright' just like bamboo. When dealing with the administrative affairs, he follows the idea saying to 'Treat others with the massive magnanimity, handle affairs with the greatest carefulness; work as a model who serves people with a self-sacrificing spirit'. In his spare time, Xiang Jun 湘君 is so devoted to calligraphy that he is obsessed with it. What's more astounding is his industriousness. One weekend night, a group of friends met to sip tea and talk about art together. It was 11 PM at night when we finished. Xiang Jun 湘君 drove me home as a token of respect to an elder. When saying goodbye, he said he has to hurry back and have a two-hour practice of Qin Zhuan 秦篆(seal script unified by the Qin Dynasty) and Shigu wen 石鼓文 (stone-drum script). When I woke up in the morning, I really saw a still undried calligraphy work written in the Stone-drum script posted on his WeChat and the time of when it was posted was between 11 PM and 1 AM.
观其近作，线质中篆籀之气充溢，令人味之既深，释之不忍。湘君遍临百碑，不拘一家之藩篱，尤醉心于行草，且日入狂草之境。他写字基本做到笔笔中锋，又不故作骄矜；挥洒自如，但不狂肆；虽纵横捭阖，却笔笔合规应矩。他研法帖，贵能分开以究其极，合拢以归其宗。创作力求在‘自由’与‘自律’中展其情性，臻达妙境。”
When appreciating his latest calligraphy works, I found that the qualities of his lines are full of the seal script style, which made me feel a deep sentiment and couldn’t let this feeling go away easily. Xiang Jun 湘君 has copied all the masterpieces and did not limit himself to just one type. He was especially obsessed with the semi-cursive script and gradually proceeded to a free, cursive style. Almost all the Chinese characters written by him are done in Zhongfeng 中锋 (one of the primary criteria for good brushwork, which literally means 'centered tip') and it’s not pretending to be arrogant. The style of his writing is free, but not reckless. The vertical and horizontal strokes open and close in his own way, but every stroke is compliant with the custom. He repetitiously copies the traditional masterpieces. And what's precious is that he can both break them down to study precisely and sum them up to operate perfectly. He seeks for a beautiful artistic conception and strives to express his feelings and spirits in a free, but a disciplined way.
印二：笔拂尘
Seal 2: Bi Fu Chen 笔拂尘（Brush as a horsetail whisk; The Daoists usually hold a horsetail whisk in hand to shake off the spiritual dust, which partly coincides with the long tip brush held in Xiang Jun's hand to practice the spiritual ideals in calligraphy）
元代大书家赵孟頫在《定武兰亭跋》中说：“书法以用笔为上，而结字亦须用工。盖结字因时相传，用笔千古不易。”
Zhao Mengfu 赵孟頫, a great calligrapher in the Yuan Dynasty, once said in"Dingwu Lanting Ba" 《定武兰亭跋》（Epilogue to The Orchid Pavilion — rubbing from the stone inscription in Dingwu）: "Chinese calligraphy should focus on operating the brush as well as on the character structures. The character structures may change over time, but the principles of operating the brush never change."
湘君苦修勤悟，深谙笔道，驭毫布纸，炉火纯青。30以后 ，熔道州何绍基、金陵林散之于一炉，喜用长杆(50cm以上）长锋(纯羊毫出锋8-18cm)，且高握笔杆顶端。锋柔长取散老濡墨之变幻丰富，杆高握得道州猿笔之生拙奇妙。一竿握之，俨然道家拂尘在手，贯气运劲，提按使转， 举重若轻，游刃有余。如鱼得水，如鹰翔空。笔舞锋走，庖丁解牛；墨濡纸上，出神入化。长锋过处，奇境生焉，线质或苍劲或绮丽，结体或浑朴或清奇。
Xiang Jun 湘君 is devoted to the brushwork and has already been in full understanding of the brush operating techniques. You can see the momentum and the gracious movements of his brush when moving on the paper. After the age of 30, he successfully integrated the calligraphy expertise of He Shaoji 何绍基 from Yongzhou 永州 (formerly known as Daozhou道州) and Lin Sanzhi林散之 from Nanjing 南京 (formerly known as Jinling 金陵). And ever since then, he especially enjoyed using Changgan 长杆（a brush above 50cm length）and Changfeng 长锋（a pure goat hair brush around 8-18cm）and preferred a grip close to the top of the brush. The long soft tip lets his works have the richness of changes learned from San Lao 散老（the elderly Lin Sanzhi 林散之）and the high grip gives his works a vivid and wonderful style of Daozhou Yuanbi 道州猿笔（HeShaoji 何绍基）. The way he holds a brush seems the same as when a Daoist holds a horsetail whisk. While seizing control over the spirit and operating on the energy, he skillfully and joyfully plays with the brush by lifting it up, pressing down and making twirls to create calligraphy that is like a fish in the water or like an eagle in the sky. The brush dances perfectly, the ink precisely moistens the paper. Where the long tip cut through, an artistic conception will be created. The line quality is either powerful or beautiful, the structure is either magnificent or elegant.
无论是篆籀隶分、楷魏真书之静态书体，还是行书章草、小草大草等动态书体，皆由长锋(纯羊毫）从容得之。一般蘸一笔墨在宣纸上往往可书三四十字，尤其是在很难吸墨的泥金纸上，长锋饱蘸浓墨最多竟书下285字！
No matter whether it is the still calligraphy style of seal script, clerical script, combination of the seal and clerical script and standard script from the Wei Dynasty to the Han Dynasty or the dynamic calligraphy style of running script and cursive script, etc --- all of this can be fluently written by him with Changfeng 长锋 (a pure goat hair brush around 8-18cm). In general, a brush that absorbed enough ink can write thirty to forty characters on a rice paper. Especially when writing on the gold-coated paper which is very difficult to absorb ink, Changfeng 长锋 after being fully dipped in thick ink can write up to 285 words!
一笔至尾，可谓毫干墨枯，然字廓仍清晰可辨------一笔(墨）下来，调锋使转，
运气贯行，信笔布字，章法随纸，行云流水 ，浑然天成，需何等功力?
While the work is finished with one stoke and the brush tip has totally dried of ink, the outline of the characters is still clear and legible--- after the first stroke, the tip of the brush is turned, the Qi 气 (the cosmic energy force) operates throughout free writing. It’s like clouds floating or water flowing. A pure nature itself. How much artistic talent should he have to complete such kind of masterpiece?
北京孔庙国子监博物馆展出收藏湘君撰书的丈二巨幅《健康铭》（行草）
湘君习书和林散老的艺术经历颇有相似之处，幼时身体孱弱，为健体曾习武，且有幸行万里路，读万卷书，故可将武术这一特别讲究气力修炼的国粹与书法打通。与一些书法江湖术士装疯卖乖、造噱惊奇、出格亮丑，广引围观争论的行径相反，湘君深掘传统正脉，汲取丰厚营养，自甘寂寞，默默苦修，捻握长杆如竹签一支，使转长锋似轻纱半缕；笔走龙蛇，纸起风涛；身居一室，神游万象；笔下纵横，墨分五色；纸上绽放，线隐灵光；质同金铁， 幻若烟云……
Xiang Jun 湘君 and Lin Sanlao 林散老 have quite similar artistic experience. Both were weak in childhood and have learned martial arts for health purposes. And these two were also fortunate enough to travel thousands of miles and read thousands of books. Therefore, they were able to integrate calligraphy with martial arts which are the quintessence of Chinese art and emphasize the cultivation of physical strength. In contrast to some calligraphy charlatans who pretend to be crazy and awesome and who make publicity surprised, attracted and invite them to a dispute, Xiang Jun 湘君 devotes himself quietly to the art, learns from the classic and absorbs the rich value of tradition. Holding a long brush so light as a bamboo stick, turning the long tip so soft as half of a strand. The stroke he writes is like a flying dragon or a slithering snake and makes the viewer feel a strong wind and floating waves on the paper. His body is in the room, but his mind wanders around the entire universe. While the brush lines spread vertically and horizontally, the ink reflects the shades of light and dark. The strokes literally burst on the paper and the lines show the writer's spirit. The line quality is as sturdy as iron, as flexible as a magical cloud.
昔年（三岁）黄口稚子，而今（五二） 半百壮夫，近五十载都握着竹管羊毫默默挥写，也不见他有什么个展宣传，拍卖炒作，但每隔一季半载，甚至一旬一周，给道友们看到的作品都是“苟日新， 日日新”……
From a 3-year-old child to a 52-year-old man, almost fifty years have been spent on silent writing with a brush. And there hasn't been even one exhibition or a public auction organized by him. But every six months, every three months, even every week, the works shown to friends are "new for one day and better every day"......
比如 《瘗鹤铭》，因其仙风道骨而被书界推崇备致，然多数书家视作畏途，因临写此帖是以篆隶楷诸体过关的功力积累为入门条件，历朝书家多数在此帖门口探一探头便悻悻离去，空余对此“大字鼻祖”（黄庭坚语）难以“得手”的遗憾。习此仙帖能得六七分神韵，即堪称其时大家。清未至民国初期衡阳曾熙于此帖入堂奥最深，名画家张大千曾拜其门下学书 ，张得鹤铭五分神韵即成就盛大画名。曾熙逝于沪上，大千扶灵至衡阳石市乡曾熙故里，于熙公墓侧筑草庐守月余乃离去，以感师授其书艺绝学之恩——留千古佳话于书坛。
For example, "Yihe Ming"《瘗鹤铭》has been praised to the skies for its elegant style, but most calligraphers are afraid to copy it. As for copying such a masterpiece, the entry condition is to master all the refined techniques in writing seal script, clerical script and standard script. Most calligraphers in the past dynasties appreciated it only from a viewer’s perspective and walked away with a feeling of pity that it's too difficult to copy this Great Character Ancestor (said by Huang Tingjian 黄庭坚). If one could express 60-70 percent of its original charm, he or she should be called a Master in the times. In the late Qing Dynasty and in the early People’s Republic of China, Zeng Xi 曾熙 from Hengyang was the one who had the most profound understanding of this work. The famous artist Zhang Daqian 张大千 was studying as his disciple. Zhang 张 became famous for having received 50 percent of “Yihe Ming”'s 《瘗鹤铭》 spiritual charm. Zeng Xi 曾熙 died in Shanghai, Daqian 大千 carried the hearse to Zeng Xi's 曾熙 hometown --- Shishi town石市乡 in Hengyang city. He also built a thatched cottage near Xi's 熙 cemetery and stood as a guard for more than one month in his appreciation to the teacher's calligraphic teaching. This deed also became a story on everybody's tongues within the calligraphy circle.
湘君于鹤铭已临过百（背临即过二十余）通，其中部分已得八分以上神韵，沈鹏、李铎、周令钊诸老认为，仅此亦堪称今日书坛难得盛事。
Xiang Jun 湘君 has already finished more than 100 copies (more than 20 of them were completed without looking at the original work). Some of the copies have expressed more than 80 percent of the spiritual charm of "Yihe Ming" 《瘗鹤铭》. Shen Peng 沈鹏, Li duo 李铎, Zhou Lingzhao 周令钊 and other elders have considered this as a rare event in today’s calligraphy world.
书法如湘君这般修习，乃真传承作为世界非物质文化遗产之正脉，尤其是其用笔长锋长杆，高执顶端，完全是开张手臂，扩展胸襟，引力在握，运气入毫，对书者的意志、心性、 体能、筋骨均是极佳的锻炼。
Calligraphy, such as Xiang Jun 湘君 practice, is truly an intangible cultural heritage of the world. Especially his use of the long stick brush with and long tip held close to the top. He opens his arms fully, expands his mind, holds the force of gravity and transfers his spirit through the brush. It's an excellent exercise for people's minds, will, bones, muscles and physical fitness.
难怪书家久练皆有几分道家仙气，也往往能养生长寿，历史上看，汉唐以来至当代书家，除战乱等非正常死亡之外，平均寿命都逾七十古稀。比如齐白石及其弟子十一人，平均寿命近90；金陵四老平均寿命达84，比同代人平均寿命均高出近一倍。由此可见，真正修炼到家的书家和道家一般都健康长寿，书家的毛笔即是道家的拂尘------但这仅限于笔耕不辍的真正书家，而不包括那种热衷拉虎皮做大旗的“书法活动家”------道家求“仙”与书家求“道”不同的是，拂尘舞动可能除 “仙家”的功力增进外，是不会有书家“墨宝”留下的。
It is no wonder that calligraphers who have been practicing for a long time all have some Daoist immortal spirit and they are often able to maintain a long life. The average life expectancy of calligraphers starting from the Han and Tang Dynasties to the contemporary period has exceeded 70 years, except for the unnatural deaths during wars and chaotic events. For instance, Qi Baishi 齐白石 and his 11 disciples lived for an average of nearly 90 years. The Four Elders in Nanjing lived for an average of 84 years, which is almost double of their generation's average life expectancy. It can be seen that the calligraphers and Daoists who have reached proficiency are generally healthier and live a longer life. The calligrapher's brush is the Daoist's horsetail whisk --- this is only regarding the true calligraphers who never stop writing, but not including the kind of "calligraphy activists" who just like to pull tiger skins as a banner. While a Daoist seeks "the immortal" and a calligrapher seeks "the Dao 道" (Spiritual ideals) the difference is that the Daoist can only obtain the immortal, but the calligrapher can get the immortal but also the "ink treasure" (calligraphy masterpieces) at the same time.
印三：洪鑪
Seal 3: Hong Lu 洪鑪（A large furnace for cultivating the virtue）
洪鑪，通“红炉”，意为红色熔炉。湘君作为一方红炉掌舵人，工作兢兢业业，事业风生水起。虽然痴爱书法，但于一个红色学府的领头人而言，湘君和其师祖曾熙类似，“书法特其余事，犹奕祀而共珍”(谭延闿评曾熙）。
Hong Lu 洪鑪, the same pronunciation as Hong Lu 红炉 (Red Furnace, the word Red here originates from the Red Army and it means the Communist Party of China; the word Furnace here refers to a school where talents are cultivated like steel is forged). As a leader of the Red Furnace, Xiang Jun 湘君 worked conscientiously and his career was prosperous. When it comes to calligraphy, he is similar to his ancestral teacher Zeng Xi 曾熙, who has been commented by Tan Yankai 谭延闿 as: "Shu Fa Te Qi Yu Shi, You Yi Si Er Gong Zhen 书法特其余事，犹奕祀而共珍" (His calligraphy is excellent, but it was only his hobby and it has been respected and cherished along generations).
他致力于从严治校、从严治学、从严治教，着力提升学员执政能力和施政水平，把学校打造成一座立场坚定、成果斐然的红色熔炉 。他更注重红色文化与中国传统文化的交融共兴，作为增强学员“四个自信”特别是文化自信的重要举措，把中国书法引入教学实线，向爱好书法之学员倡导弘扬正确的书法态度 ：抱朴守真，养正拓大，避邪祛魅，固本强元；审视中国书法这颗中国文化艺术明珠亮钻和世界文化之瑰宝，力求破解书法“官场病”。
He was committed to managing the school strictly, research and teaching. He also made great efforts to improve the governing ability, administrative level of the students and also turned the school into a brilliant and firm Red Furnace with great results. He also emphasized the integration of Red culture with traditional Chinese culture as an important measure to enhance students' "Four Self-Confidence", especially their cultural self-confidence. He introduced Chinese calligraphy to the teaching practice and promoted correct attitude among the students interested in calligraphy: seeking a modest and pure spirit, correcting the wrong and developing the right, avoiding the evil and resisting temptation, strengthening what’s essential and laying a solid foundation; looking at Chinese calligraphy as a pearl of the Chinese culture, as an art and as a treasure of the world culture and striving to break the "official circles disease" of calligraphy.
印四：金石儒
Seal 4: Jin Shi Ru 金石儒（A Confucian who loves calligraphy and seal carving）
儒者，以仁、恕、诚、孝为核心价值，重血亲人伦，求入世事功，倡礼教德治。儒学，是自汉以来影响中国社会最深重广远的显学。儒家书法以汉之蔡邕、钟繇，唐之欧阳询、虞 世南为盛，至颜真卿登峰造极。清王文治论书有诗：“曾闻北海掣鲸鱼，神力苍茫运太虚。间气古今三鼎足，杜诗韩笔与颜书。”通述了这种儒家文化的黄钟大吕，磅礴交响。
Confucians consider benevolence, forgiveness, honesty and filial piety as their core values. They give great importance to blood relations, seek to have success in the world and promote ethics and rule by virtue. Since the Han Dynasty, Confucianism has become the most profound and far-reaching school in Chinese society. The Confucian calligraphy has also been flourishing. The leading representatives were Cai Yong 蔡邕 and Zhong Yao 钟繇 of Han Dynasty, Ouyang Xun欧阳询 and Yu Shinan 虞世南 of Tang Dynasty. The Confucian calligraphy reached its peak in the times of Yan Zhenqing 颜真卿. Wang Wenzhi 王文治 of the Qing Dynasty wrote poems in his book on calligraphy and said in them:" It has been said that the North Sea Whale is as powerful as the Gods. And its overwhelming spirit remains as three leg confrontation: Du Fu's 杜甫 poetry, Han Yu's 韩愈 prose and Yan Zhenqing's 颜真卿 calligraphy." This is a general description of the Confucian culture which is as magnificent as a symphony.
儒者相传乃殷之遗民，恰为甲骨、石鼓、金文文字书法之主创及经典打造者，湘君取号金石儒，寓其书法上探源溯流，追高求古；于处世以诚、真、正、平为伦范，秉家国情怀， 求正大气象。儒者的责任意识(以天下为己任）、忠孝人道（仁、义、礼、智、信)、恕诚立场(己所不欲勿施于人)、伦理思想（修身齐家治国平天下）在湘君身上随处可见， 与之相交既久，颇有古风存焉之感。湘君以“起于勤，长于智，立于信，兴于诚（仁、义)，乐于艺，达于礼”做座右铭，且做到了知行合一。
The Confucians have been said to be the descendants of the Yin Dynasty, who were the creators and masters of the inscriptions on bones or tortoise shells, stone drums and bronzes. Xiang Jun 湘君 names himself Jin Shi Ru 金石儒 in the hope that his calligraphy works will trace back to the origin and the ancient times. When conducting their behavior in society, Confucians have a manner of honesty, sincerity, righteousness and equality. They hold a family sentiment and seek for a just and honourable atmosphere in the world. The Confucian sense of responsibility (taking the world as their own duty), the loyalty, filial piety and humanity (benevolence, justice, ethics, wisdom, truth), forgiveness and sincerity (don't do to others what you don't want them to do to you) and the ethical thoughts (cultivating your morality, unite your family, govern the country and level the world) can also be seen in Xiang Jun 湘君. It’s been a long time since the last time of me being with him and I have a feeling of an ancient style. As said in his motto: "Start from diligence, develop wisdom, stand on faith, flourish in honesty (benevolence and justice), be happy with art and get dignity in rituals ". Xiang Jun 湘君 has achieved unity of knowing and doing.
工作暇余，湘君尽付书法。幼习颜楷，上溯隶篆，回返魏晋，特别是金文和石鼓文的高古浑穆，为湘君至爱，壮年后由此直下晋唐宋明，于书风得儒家“为天地立心，为生民立命 ，为往圣继绝学，为万世开太平”（横渠张栻语）之浩然正气，故“金石儒”作篆籀符号以象征。
In his spare time, Xiang Jun 湘君was focused on calligraphy. When he was a child, he began to learn Yan Zhenqing's 颜真卿 standard script which gave him a solid foundation. Then he practiced the clerical script and seal script and when he mastered these, he continued to learn the masterpieces of Wei, Jin, Northern, and Southern Dynasties. He had a great love for the bronze script and stone-drum script. That ancient, pure, magnificent, solemn and beautiful style greatly attracted him. After the maturity period of life, he finally became a great master and his calligraphy seems to resemble nature itself. It has both the vigorous style of Jin and Tang Dynasties and the elegance of Song and Ming Dynasties. He also has a noble and righteous Confucian calligraphy style. "To ordain the conscience for Heaven and Earth. To secure life and fortune for the people. To continue the lost teachings of the past sages. To make peace for all future generations." (said by Zhang Shi 张栻 from Hengqu 横渠) so the seal characters "Jin Shi Ru 金石儒" were used as his symbol.
印五：湘君垆
Seal 5: Xiang Jun Lu 湘君垆（The representative inheritor of Hu-Xiang culture）
衡山洞庭，文脉渊深，孕育湖湘文化。吃得苦、耐得烦、霸得蛮，坚忍强韧、绰历敢为，是湖湘文化的品格特性。雁城衡阳乃湖南第二大城市，湘军之摇篮，也是湖湘文化代表城市和经典城市。周敦颐、曾国藩、毛泽东等都曾在此留下活动胜迹，王船山更是于此把中国传统文化推向了一个高峰。湘省在中国书法长空不乏耀眼星座，欧阳询、 怀素、何绍 基、曾熙、谭延闿、齐白石、毛泽东等至今熠熠发光。
Hengshan Dongting Lake, with its long history and a profound cultural context, has nurtured Hu-Xiang culture. It is said that the Hu-Xiang culture characteristics are hard-work, patience, domination, persistence and bravery. Hengyang, which is also called Yancheng 雁城 (Wild Goose City), is the second largest city in Hunan Province. It is the cradle of Hunan troops and also the representative and influential city of Hunan culture. Zhou Dunyi 周敦颐, Zeng Guofan 曾国藩, Mao Zedong 毛泽东 and many other famous people have left their mark here and Wang Chuanshan 王船山has pushed the traditional Chinese culture here to a new level. Hunan has trained lots of calligraphy talents: Ouyang Xun 欧阳询, Huai Su 怀素, He Shaoji 何绍基, Zeng Xi 曾熙, Tan Yankai 谭延闿, Qi Baishi 齐白石, Mao Zedong 毛泽东 and so on.
湘君生养成长于历史如此丰富、文化如此深厚的衡阳，加之其自幼酷爱文学、深研书法，几十载如一日，继承、历练了湖湘 文化思想、理论和实践，是一个深修湖湘文化与衡阳本土文化的苦行僧。他策划运营过南岳寿文化节、湖湘文化节、蔡伦科技发明节和船山国际文化节，参与规划建设了八个体现 湖湘文化和衡阳底蕴的历史遗迹景点修复(石鼓书院、 彭玉麟退省庵、西湖公园周敦颐太极广场、爱莲阁、曾国藩岳家欧阳故宅、王船山故居、陆家新屋衡阳保卫战纪念馆、 岳屏山衡阳抗战纪念城），出版了《追逐朝阳——南岳旅游经济》《推动人类文明进程的100位科技巨匠》《追逐朝阳——大南岳、大旅游、大策划》等多部专著。
Xiang Jun 湘君 had a love for literature and a deep study of calligraphy. As he was born and brought up in Hengyang, a city with a long history and rich culture, it's natural that he inherited and developed Hu-Xiang's cultural thoughts, theories and practices throughout the decades. He really is an ascetic of the Hu-Xiang Culture and the Hengyang local culture. He planned and ran the Nanyue Longevity Culture Festival, the Hu-Xiang Culture Festival, the Cai Lun Science and Technology Invention Festival and the Chuanshan International Culture Festival. He has also taken part in restoration of the eight historical sites that reflect Hu-Xiang Culture and Hengyang Charm, such as the Shigu Academy, Peng Yulin's former residence, Zhou Dunyi Taiji Square in West Lake Park, Ailian pavilion, a former residence of father Ouyang of Zeng Guofan's wife, the former residence of Wang Chuanshan, Hengyang Defense Museum built in Lujia Xinwu and Hengyang War Memorial City in Yueping Mountain. He has also published a series of monographs such as "Chasing the Sun - the Nanyue Tourism Economy", "100 Great Masters of Science and Technology Who Have Promoted the Progress of Human Civilization", "Chasing the sun - the Great Nanyue, Grand Tourism, Grand Planning".
湘君既是文化湘军，又是中国书法湘军；是中华文化与中国书法的通才，其经20余载苦思琢磨、近50载人墨磨合，创作了广获赞誉的《人生三铭》(健康铭、平安铭、成功铭)。
Xiang Jun 湘君 is not only an army of Hunan culture but also a general of Chinese calligraphy. After more than 20 years' of hard thinking and nearly 50 years of brush writing, he created the widely praised "Three Inscriptions of Life" (the Inscription of Health, the Inscription of Safety and the Inscription of Success).
著名画家杨敬云题赞：“同君一铭悟，胜读十年书。”著名书家周世忠称道：“同君兄典籍积学深厚，著有铭文《平安》《健康》《成功》，称《人生三铭》…….其书行草线条连绵， 圆转自然，力至端末，来去豁然，很具视觉张力。书法长卷则笔走龙蛇，如南岳七二峰，逶迤相连而姿态万千，峰峰巍然而近青远黛相映；又如长龙翻滚，首舞尾随，气郁格高， 观之令人心潮澎湃。”
Yang Jingyun 杨敬云, a famous painter, praised his work with these words: "It’s much better to understand Tongjun's 同君 inscriptions well than to read books for ten years". Zhou Shizhong 周世忠, a famous calligrapher, commented with these words: " My friend Tongjun 同君 has accumulated rich knowledge of the ancient books and with a profound understanding he created the inscription of "Safety", "Health" and "Success", which are also called the "Three Inscriptions of Life". His lines in the running and cursive script are connected to each other and the point where the horizontal and vertical lines meet is written naturally as a round stroke. As the force comes to the end of the stroke, it comes and goes freely with a strong visual tension. The long scroll of his calligraphy forms a shape like a dragon or a serpent. The art style appears just like the Seventy Two Peaks of Nanyue, which are linked with twists and turns, but all vary in their shapes. The contrast of the faraway mountains and the landscape in the foreground depicts a spectacular scenery. His style is like a flying or a dancing dragon with great boldness and noble spirit, leaving the viewers overwhelmed by emotions.
湘君书撰的《健康铭》，2014年5月被巴基斯坦文化艺术委员会收藏；25米《三铭》长卷2015年9月由北京孔庙国子监收藏，2017年9月， 孔庙国子监另收湘君书撰《成功铭》予诺贝尔文学奖获得者莫言收藏； 2017年11月，湘君书撰的《平安铭》又被周令钊老先生收藏。《三铭》还勒石于衡阳城市地标石鼓书院和南岳第一峰， 成为传世教化的美妙文化景观。
Xiang Jun's 湘君 Inscription of Health was stored by the Pakistani Council of Culture and Art in May 2014. The 25m long volume of Three Inscriptions of Life was stored by Beijing Confucius Temple and Imperial College Museum in September 2015. In September 2017, the Beijing Confucius Temple and Imperial College Museum collected another "Inscription of Success" written on gold -coated paper by Xiang Jun 湘君 and presented it to a Nobel Prize winner Mo Yan 莫言 for collection. In November 2017, the “Inscription of Safety” wrote by Xiang Jun 湘君 was collected by Mr. Zhou Lingzhao 周令钊. "The Three Inscriptions of Life" has also been carved as stone inscriptions at the Shigu石鼓 Academy and the first peak of Nanyue in Hengyang city. It has become a gorgeous cultural landscape that will be handed down to the next generations.
“民间工匠的书作在历史上较多，工匠中也有极优秀者，如观秦汉瓦当、魏晋墓志造像，其中便多上乘之作，但与‘文人' ‘艺术家’之作还是有天壤之别的，反映在作品中所传达‘信息量’的多寡。工匠多偏于技、艺，最多成个‘巨匠’，‘文人’ ‘艺术家’在追求技、艺之外，着眼于人格与‘道’的探求，便易成一国、一族精神文脉的传承者，其作品中亦可觅得此消息。”(《书法》2017年第10期卷首语) 我有理由相信：湘君是我们这个时代大写的“文人”“艺术家”，而不只是个工匠，哪怕是“巨匠”。
"There are many calligraphy works done by folk craftsmen in the history and some of these are outstanding ones. If you look closely at the statues of the Qin and Han Dynasties and the inscriptions and statues of the Wei and Jin Dynasties you will find that although many of them are excellent, they are quite different from the works of ‘scholars' and 'artists' who have larger amount of 'information' visible in their works. Craftsmen tend to focus more on mastering skills or techniques and all they can become is a 'master craftsman'. In addition to pursuing skills and techniques, the 'scholars' and 'artists’ focus on the exploration of personality and Dao 道（spiritual ideals）, therefore they are more eligible to become the spiritual inheritors of a nation or a country. This information can also be found in their works." (Preface in the magazine "Calligraphy" No.10, 2017) I have reasons to believe that Xiang Jun 湘君 is the great "scholar" and "artist" of our times, not just a craftsman. You can't even call him a "master craftsman".
印六：书画禅
Seal six: Shu Hua Chan 书画禅 (Meditation with calligraphy and painting)
湘君曾应中国社科院书法研究所之邀，著有短文《禅意书画》，传播广远。最难得的是他自己知悟、践行了书画禅的修行：得禅之范、禅之神、禅之韵，坚持做到铺纸日课、磨墨 禅修、尊真君子、拜真如来、习真功夫、长真本事。
At the invitation of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Xiang Jun 湘君 wrote a short essay called the ‘Zen Calligraphy and Painting’ which spread widely. The most challenging thing is that he not only achieved a self-understanding but also practiced meditation with calligraphy and painting. In order to acquire the Zen style, Zen spirit and Zen charm, he stuck to daily study courses. He would grind the ink and practice meditation every day. And he was always respectful for men of virtue, worshipped the true Buddha, learned the true Kung Fu and became proficient in the real skill.
放眼当今，在热闹非凡的书法江湖和水墨道场，湘君是一名扫地僧，憨头陀，平常心里见奇崛，苦修为中得欢喜，低眉信手持续扫，笔墨功德无心事。
Today, in the extraordinarily lively calligraphy world, Xiang Jun 湘君 is a sweeping monk, a naive Buddha, from whose heart you can see a vigorous spirit and a happy life in penance. Sweeping in a casual and humble manner, seeking the merits and virtues with his brush without any worry.
在湘君的书法修行中，我们看到了——
中国文人的使命，
中国文艺的美妙，
中华文化的自信，
中华文明的博大。
In Xiang Jun's 湘君 calligraphy practice, we saw --
The mission of the Chinese Scholar,
the beauty of Chinese literature and art,
the confidence of Chinese culture,
the vastness of Chinese civilization.
丁酉年冬于京华 （本文糸天津人民美术出版社法书大红袍《文化自信与中国书法一一中国当代书法名家 尹同君》序文，作者系北京孔庙和国子监博物馆馆长、著名文博鉴藏专家）
Written in Beijing, Winter, 2017 (the preface of "Culture Confidence and China Calligraphy---a famous contemporary Chinese calligrapher, Yin Tongjun 尹同君"---a calligraphy model Big Red Robe（one of China's top artbook publishing brand）published by the Tianjin People's Art Publishing House. The author is the Director of Beijing Confucius Temple and Imperial College Museum and a famous expert on literature, arts and collections)
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