Can calligraphy be taught by itself? Why do some people look down on self-taught calligraphy?

Calligraphy is not recommended for self-study at first, and many beginners have such doubts. Most beginners are blind at first and have no purpose. They think they can learn as long as they have a brush and copybook. If it's just a hobby, it's ok to exercise your mind. If you want to pursue higher in calligraphy, you need to pay attention to all aspects of details.

First of all, pay attention when choosing pens, papers and copybooks. When choosing copybooks, you should choose them according to your own suitability, and you don't have to practice from regular script. Each font has its own unique way of using a pen. If you like running script, you can learn it directly from it. After choosing a copybook, you must find a suitable brush for this copybook, which will get twice the result with half the effort. For example, when learning the running script "Preface to the Imperial Decree", you should choose a wolf brush with a thinner tube. In the choice of paper, try to choose a slightly cooked paper, either handmade paper. Jin dynasty generally used hemp paper, looking for a paper with as close performance as possible. These details are not paid much attention to by self-learners. Some beginners choose Sheng Xuan and Yang Hao when learning the exquisite copybook "Preface to the Hadith".

And now the copybooks are basically engraved, and self-study often only pays attention to the structure of words. Compared with the writing fashion of copybooks, you can't write without copybooks. There is no research on brushwork, and the structure of characters is external, obvious and easy to learn. The rules of strokes need to be carefully scrutinized, and it is also the most important thing in calligraphy learning to restore the actions of ancient people when writing through the writing of characters. Only by mastering the writing movements of the ancients and transforming them into their own writing movements through a lot of writing can we establish our own way of using pens and truly master calligraphy. Instead of just describing glyphs, it wastes time.

Therefore, in the initial stage of learning, there must be a "Ming" teacher's guidance, not a famous teacher.