Early in the morning of the second day, when the sky was but just breaking dawn, Zhu Pingan gently packed up as usual and went out with a cloth bag slung over his shoulder holding a black wooden board.
The young girl on the bed also habitually opened her misty sleepy eyes, used to this point by which late to bed and early to wake up the teenager, that nerd thought that the light hand will not alarm their own, but do not know by the rivers and lakes of wind and rain soaked in their own is how sensitive.
Usually there are no people by the Taihu Lake, this day Zhu Pingan rushed to the Taihu Lake, but saw someone early to sit on the Taihu Lake fishing, is a white-bearded old man, just sitting on the boulder where he once practiced.
This old man is probably encountered what trouble, because fishing has to pay attention to, spring and autumn fishing all day, summer morning, winter at noon, now but the early spring, the water temperature is still low, the fish are generally in the middle of the day when the water temperature is a little higher active, fishing at noon is the best. But this old man early in the morning to run to fishing, surely is disturbed by the intrusion, only early in the morning to fishing to disperse.
Lake Taihu is so big, why worry about not find a practice boulder, so Zhu Pingan gently bypassed the fishing old man, along the Taihu Lake edge to go forward, not far to find a piece of the lake side of the scattered stones, looking for a piece of slightly larger stones, sitting on a relatively low stone next to it, will be the black wooden board, brushes, bamboo tubes one by one to take out, began the day’s morning practice.
Zhu Pingan dipped into the water in the black wooden board is writing seriously, but suddenly feel around seems to have breathing sound, look up to see just a bit of that fishing old man, at the moment is standing in front of their own watching seriously.
This old man seems to be really disturbed by the disturbing things, or why not fishing counter to their own this hilarious.
“The young man like this practice words for a few years?” Fishing old man holding a fishing rod stood in front of Zhu Pingan, early in the morning this dipped in the water on the black wooden board to practice the words of the young man is very curious, at this moment to see Zhu Pingan saw his own, then twirling the whiskers and asked with a smile.
“Since I learnt in Monk’s school, it’s been about eight years or so.” Zhu Pingan stopped his pen for a brief moment of thought before answering.
“What is the reason for the young man to practice writing like this?” The angling old man asked curiously.
“When I was young, my family was poor, so I could save a lot of ink, paper and inkstones by practicing like this, and my parents could sweat less. After a long time, I also like this kind of character practice.” Zhu Pingan also had no intention of hiding his intentions and casually explained.
“Oh.” The angling old man nodded, and the hint of approval between his brows increased.
After a brief exchange, Zhu Pingan continued to practise his calligraphy, and the fishing old man also found a rock on the side and sat down to watch Zhu Pingan practise his calligraphy with interest, as if watching Zhu Pingan practise his calligraphy was much more interesting than fishing.
Zhu Pingan was practising his calligraphy as if the old angler sitting on the side and watching did not exist.
After the red sun was born and the sky and earth brightened a little, Zhu Pingan collected the black wooden board and brush, took out a volume of hand-copied books from his satchel, and sat on the stone ready to read it carefully.
“Young boy, I see that your character has long been initiated, and is only one foot short of the door from entering the palace, but if you practice like this, I’m afraid that this door is not a good place to take a step.”
The fishing old man saw that Zhu Pingan had collected the black wooden board and brush, took out the book and had not yet read it, and at this time speaking out would not disturb Zhu Pingan, so he opened his mouth with a regretful face and said.
This kind of diligent and generous young man, the fishing old man intends to help him.
Hearing, Zhu Pingan eyes slightly bright, this old man also knows calligraphy, he also feels that the recent practice seems to have encountered a bottleneck, although the daily slight progress, but it seems that there is a can in front of, such as towering cliffs, difficult to overcome the general. At this moment, see fishing old man face with regret, but is full of confidence, seems to live their own arm. Thus, Zhu Pingan no longer hesitated.
“I still ask the old man to give me some advice.” Zhu Pingan got up and bowed his hand.
The angling old man waved his hand, signalling for Zhu Pingan to sit down and chat, twirling his beard and laughing, “Giving advice does not count, but it is just speaking from experience.”
“Practising calligraphy is about copying the post, propping up the post, pairing up the post, grasping the post, backing up the post, to enter the post and even more so, to leave the post.” Fishing old man tone is quite gentle, “I see the young man at this time has been out of the post, but the above is only the introduction, if you want to enter the chamber, do the above is still not enough.”
Zhu Pingan sat aside, holding a scroll to listen carefully, knowing that the fishing old man to say to the key point, is the body slightly leaning forward to support the ears to listen carefully.
“Practise character not only to copy, the important thing is also in reading, learning book good understanding, to understand from the post, some of the ancients excellent book post, not necessarily need to go to the pro, more need is to read is to understand, read carefully, repeated taste, understand which the law and rhythm. Ancient people are good at reading post, Cao Mengde of the Three Kingdoms, Ouyang Xun of the Tang Dynasty and other people like to read post, reading post is like making friends with the ancients to achieve empathy. Reading posters should start from one point and one painting, carefully study and ponder the ancient brush, knot word, chapter and momentum, rhyme of the wonderful. There are three flavours in calligraphy, one is the beauty of form, the second is the beauty of God, the third is the beauty of feelings, to be carefully experienced and comprehended, the accumulation of a small amount into a large number, and gradually absorbed and digested. Into the eye, melt in the heart, in order to run into the bottom of the wrist, full of paper, heart and hand, twice the result with half the effort, and even a school of its own is not impossible.”
Seeing that Zhu Pingan was listening attentively, the angling old man spoke more attentively, just like teaching his juniors.
Zhu Pingan listened as if he had been enlightened, and the insurmountable cliff face had been given an additional stone step, which seemed to be surmountable as long as he picked up his feet and went up.
“Many thanks for the teachings of the old man.” Zhu Pingan once again rose and arched his hand in a deep salute.
The old man with a gentle smile, accepted this salute from Zhu Pingan, and pulled out a yellowed book from his pocket and handed it to Zhu Pingan, “This is a copy of Song’s Zhang Yi Zhi’s “Big Character Dufu Scroll”, even though it is a copy there are nine points of resemblance, you and I are destined to have a good time, so this book will be gifted to you.”
Zhu Pingan took a step back, shook his head slightly and said, “The old man kept this book close to his body, it is a favourite thing, I have just been taught by the old man is already a great grace, this book does not dare to take the love.”
The angling old man saw that Zhu Pingan was able to refuse without blinking in the face of temptation, his heart was even more appreciative, and even more so, he insisted on gifting the word post to Zhu Pingan.
“A good sword is gifted to a hero, and a good posting should of course be gifted to someone who knows what he’s talking about.”
“Elder bestowed, do not excuse yourself.”
The angling old man insisted on gifting it to him, Zhu Pingan thanked him many times, but the old man still insisted, and there was almost a sulking look on his face before Zhu Pingan had no choice but to take it, and again, he thanked the old man with a deep arch.
“Thank you for the gift of the old man, Ping An will definitely not dishonour it. Oh, I haven’t asked the old man’s name, the old man’s great kindness, the next river Zhu Pingan will never forget.”
The angling old man waved his hand and laughed, “Why should we meet each other, the young man and warm the book by heart.”
After saying this, the old man smiled and left with his fishing rod in style.
