Looking at Zhou Zhiwei, Jing Zhe smiled broadly.
But in your heart you're cursing: What the hell are you trying to figure out?
"Since Brother Zhou has already grasped the essence, then today I can impart to Brother Zhou the essential brush techniques of cursive script!"
"Master!"
Zhou Zhiwei waved his hand and said modestly, "There's no need to call me Brother Zhou anymore, just call me disciple!"
Zhou Zhiwei did not put on airs because of Jing Zhe's age. In his opinion, Jing Zhe was the number one person in Anguo with his talent. It was just that his name had not yet been made known. Otherwise, he would definitely be a master!
It's still prestigious to be apprenticed to the top teacher.
Most importantly, judging from Jing Zhe's appearance, he had no interest in taking on disciples. If it weren't for his persistence and his contribution of "He'll be finished sooner or later"—although it was useless—Jing Zhe would not have taken him on as a disciple.
Therefore, his current identity is quite special. He is not only Jing Zhe's first disciple, but also possibly Jing Zhe's closed-door disciple. He plays two roles at the same time, how wonderful!
"No need, calling you 'disciple' is too awkward and makes me sound old. But if you're willing, we can each address each other differently. You call me Master, and I'll call you Brother Zhou. Brother Zhou, shall Master begin teaching you?"
"..."
Zhou Zhiwei quickly nodded.
Because no one lived in the Jing family home permanently before, only Liu Jinghong would occasionally come back to stay. Moreover, she was a military officer, so there was no writing implements in the house.
So Jing Zhe followed Zhou Zhiwei to his place.
When he arrived, looking at the spacious courtyard with its three entrances and the pear wood furniture in the living room, he gained a completely new understanding of Zhou Zhiwei.
This is hardly a scholarly family; they're definitely spoiled rich kids!
No wonder the silly girl came to stay with him at night; it's mainly because this place is big enough!
Seeing the envy in Jing Zhe's eyes, Zhou Zhiwei explained, "My grandfather also owned a house in Jingzhou in his early years, and this was one of them. No one usually lives here, so I came here when I came to Jingzhou."
Jing Zhe nodded, "Brother Zhou, you certainly have a large and powerful family!"
Zhou Zhiwei smiled and said modestly, "It's just so-so. Compared to our home in Jinxi, this place is nothing!"
"..."
This guy is even trying to brag to me about being the best?
Jing Zhe was unwilling to waste any more words with him and started teaching directly.
...
study.
On the desk, writing brush, ink, paper, and inkstone were all prepared.
As a disciple, Zhou Zhiwei was very conscientious. After entering the room, he let Jing Zhe take the seat of honor, while he himself stood to the side, making preparations.
During the poetry gathering, Jing Zhe did not see Zhou Zhiwei writing. But when he suddenly glanced at his preparations, he realized that his posture was quite good. He truly deserved to be called the number one talent in Jinxi.
He flicked his wrist, dipped the brush tip into the inkwell, and after it was fully dipped in ink, gently took it out, held it horizontally with both hands, and waited for Jing Zhe to pick up the brush and write.
Jing Zhe smiled, picked up his pen, and began to write.
The silkworm head and swallow tail are completed in one go!
Zhou Zhiwei, standing to the side, was also somewhat stunned: Indeed, this is the demeanor of a great man!
Looking at the poem on the Xuan paper again, although it was still very messy, it was still recognizable.
Suddenly, the wind and lightning whizzed by, and the snowflakes flew and scattered.
A cold ape drinks water, shaking a withered vine; a valiant warrior raises his eyebrows like strong iron.
"What a beautiful poem!"
Zhou Zhiwei couldn't help but say.
"This poem encompasses all the essential elements of practicing cursive script: dynamism, fluency, variety, rhythm, and spirit. If you want to write good cursive script, none of these five points can be lacking!"
Although Jing Zhe had never been a teacher, he had systematically learned the key points of writing various types of calligraphy before he started learning calligraphy and copying model texts. At this point, he was simply reciting the knowledge from the textbook based on his memory.
Zhou Zhiwei nodded repeatedly after listening, but couldn't help asking, "Master, could you explain these five points in detail?"
"The foundation of cursive script lies in the combination of movement and stillness. Without movement, there is no cursive script; this is dynamism. Cursive script avoids stagnation and values fluidity and beauty. As for variation and rhythm, it means that cursive script should not be confined to one style. It should be written from the heart, with the brushstrokes creating their own artistic conception. And the last point is the most important: spirit! This is also the most difficult hurdle. Some people spend their entire lives without achieving it. Therefore, one must have a clear idea before writing cursive script to have spirit!"
"Do you understand?"
Zhou Zhiwei nodded, half understanding: "Yes, I understand."
"Got it?"
Jing Zhe was stunned.
I just read the textbook verbatim. Even if the whole class memorized it, there were still a lot of people who didn't understand it. In the end, they could only try to find the feeling by imitating.
He actually said he understood?
It seems Zhou Zhiwei isn't being honest! He's too vain and afraid of losing face, so he just said he knew it when asked casually.
So Jing Zhe decided to make things difficult for him.
"Now that you understand, give it a try!"
Zhou Zhiwei did not refuse. He took the pen, stood there, closed his eyes, and looked serious, as if he was thinking.
This guy can put on quite a show; it's not surprising that he'd become my apprentice based on that alone.
Suddenly, he opened his eyes, and with lightning speed, he wrote with his pen, completing the work in one stroke!
Jing Zhe looked down and was momentarily stunned.
Is there really such a thing as talent?
Jing Zhe's calligraphy is excellent mainly because his characters are masterpieces passed down through many dynasties, and they have never appeared in this era before, which is why people are amazed and praise him. Including his previous life, he has actually been practicing calligraphy since childhood for nearly twenty years.
This was Zhou Zhiwei's first time writing cursive script, and Jing Zhe had only shown it to him once and explained it to him once, yet the characters he wrote already showed signs of mastery, which was truly impressive!
It seems he really does have a lot in common with me. He's not just bragging, he's genuinely amazing!
Seeing Jing Zhe in a daze, Zhou Zhiwei asked nervously, "Master, is this calligraphy alright?"
"It's not bad."
Jing Zhe took a deep breath, then said, "It's Taihang! Congratulations, you've graduated!"
"..."
Zhou Zhiwei was stunned for a moment, then immediately realized what was happening, but his face showed little surprise, only shock.
"Don't do that, Master! I haven't even started yet, how can it be over already!"
"The essence of calligraphy is naturalness. Just like asking you to visit the Yi River today, once you understand it, you understand it. Once you understand it, you can become proficient without a teacher. Besides, you have me as your mentor, and with your own understanding, you are already ready to graduate!"
He can't just stop teaching, because if he continues, his half-baked teaching skills will be exposed!
He then picked up his brush and wrote three more calligraphy samples. After they dried, he handed them to Zhou Zhiwei, saying, "Now that you have grasped the essence, all you need to do is think and practice more, copy them frequently, and add your own ideas and insights. In time, you will surely surpass your teacher!"
As he said this, Jing Zhe felt that he was beginning to resemble a master, though of course, he was different from some of the fake masters of later generations who would grab a syringe or a mop, blindfolded, and scribble randomly on rice paper…
————
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