This handscroll features the poem, “Five words to describe how to hold the brush,” written in running script in 58 vertical lines or columns, with approximately 10 characters in each column. The first twelve lines are comprised of the title and the poem, which is followed by a detailed explanation of the first twelve lines and written in smaller characters. The poem is Shen Yinmo’s first treatise on calligraphy, published in 1943. This famous treatise was first written as a colophon—the second of three colophons—to calligraphy by the famous late Qing calligrapher, Zhang Yuzhao張裕釗 (1823–1894).Shen Yinmo wrote a total of three colophons on Zhang Yuzhao’s work. They were written on November 18th, 1940, December 1st, 1940 and October 13th, 1962 respectively. See Li Tianma 李天馬, “Shen Yinmo xiansheng ba Zhang Lianqing caogao” 沈尹默先生跋張廉卿草稿. In Shufa yanjiu書法研究, No.3 (Shanghai: Shanghai shuhua chubanshe, 1980): 56-58. Shen wrote the treatise when he was in Chongqing during the Sino-Japanese War (1937-45).Qianshen Bai notes in his article, “Shen Yinmo yu Chang Ch’ung-ho沈尹默與張充和,” that Shen was in Chongqing from the end of 1938 to 1946 [See Ch’ung-ho Chang’s collection, Shen Yinmo shuzhong moji 沈尹默蜀中墨蹟 (Nanning: Guangxi meishu chubanshe, 2001), pp.11, 16-17]. However, another source suggests that he was there from the fall of 1939 to 1946 [See Dai Zizhong 戴自中, “Biography”. In Wu Yaohui 吳耀輝, Lu Zhizhang 盧之章 ed., Ningjing: Yinmo ershi zhounian ji 凝靜 — 尹默二十年祭 (Beijing: Beijing yanshan chubanshe, 1991): 104-106]. The Seattle Art Museum's handscroll was written for Chang Ch’ung-ho Frankel (born 1913). Although there is no date on it, Chang believes that it was written when Shen was in Chongqing.Ch’ung-ho Chang, “Cong xiyan shuoqi: jinian Shen Yinmo shi” (從洗硯說起 — 紀念沈尹默師). In Shen Yinmo shuzhong moji沈尹默蜀中墨蹟: 4.

What Shen Yinmo emphasizes in his theory of technique are “five words”—“to position” (ye 擫), “to press” (ya押), “to hook” (gou鉤), “to stabilize” (ge格) and “to resist” (di 抵)—which refer to the role of each finger. That way, when practicing calligraphy, the fingers will hold the brush firmly while the wrist moves freely. The argument to keep the fingers steady and the wrist nimble has its origin in traditional theories.For the relation between Shen Yinmo’s “How to Hold a Brush” and traditional theories, see Zhuang Su-e 莊素娥, “Shen Yinmo 'zhibi wuzi fa' bianlun” 沈尹默“執筆五字法”論辯. In Shen Yinmo xiansheng dansheng yibai ershi zhounian jinian wenji沈尹默先生誕生一百二十周年紀念文集: 142-159. Indeed, holding a brush properly ensures the use of a centered tip (zhongfeng中鋒), which is critical in mastering the “Two Wangs” tradition. When Shen’s theory was published at a later date, it became widely popular. By presenting a handwritten version to Chang Ch’ung-ho Frankel, Shen was not simply giving her a gift of his calligraphy, but a vivid reminder of a key lesson in Chinese calligraphy. Not only did Chang live up to Shen’s expectation, she also disseminated his theory by promoting and teaching calligraphy for several decades in the U.S.

It has often been said that Shen Yinmo’s Chongqing period marked the peak of his calligraphic achievement, and this work is a fine example of calligraphy done in a relaxed manner in that period.Shen C Y Fu, “Minchu tiexue shujia Shen Yinmo” 民初帖學書家沈尹默. In Shen Yinmo xiansheng dansheng yibai ershi zhounian jinian wenji沈尹默先生誕生一百二十周年紀念文集 (Shanghai: Shanghai hongkouqu wenshiguan, Shen Yinmo xiansheng guju; Shanxi: Hanyin sanshen jinian guan, 2004): 40. We may assume that he was relaxed because 1) he was writing for his student, 2) he punctuated the text, which was not a common practice for writing calligraphy, and 3) he did not bother to align the first character of each column neatly. Moreover, the natural fluidity of the calligraphy that results from this state of mind recalls the elegance of the “Two Wangs” style.

© 2013 by the Seattle Art Museum