The format and skills of couplet writing

The format and skills of couplet writing

Couplets, also known as antithesis, door-to-door, spring stickers, Spring Festival couplets, couplets and so on. It is a antithesis written on paper, cloth or carved on bamboo, wood and columns. The antithesis of couplets is neat and even, which is a unique artistic form of Chinese. Couplets are the treasures of China traditional culture. The following is the format and writing of couplets I collected for you. I hope you will like them.

First, the writing format of couplets.

The so-called format (or style, style) refers to the form of couplet writing. Although couplet calligraphy is simply a two-line work written vertically, the forms of expression are not exactly the same, and the arrangement of words is not the same. As far as the format is concerned, I can summarize it into the following four types:

1 .2 "banner" style: a banner is a long article written vertically, which has a vertical shape and is the most common and commonly used format for writing couplets. Specifically, "banner" refers to cutting the whole rice paper in half vertically, or cutting it into three long strips, and the ruler is in a short horizontal and long vertical shape. It is stuck, hung or engraved on the left and right sides. Because practical couplets generally have few words (four or five short words and a dozen long words), the words on both sides can be written from top to bottom. This kind of couplet calligraphy is widely used, especially in study rooms, halls, buildings, shops, historical sites and exhibitions (see figure 1).

2. "nave" style: Nave is a wider flag. As the name implies, nave is usually hung in the center of the front wall of the living room. A square refers to a work written on a whole piece of rice paper. Usually, the length-width ratio of rice paper is 2: 1, which is subject to the vertical style. The size of the whole rice paper is three feet, four feet, six feet and eight feet. The whole Xuan paper need not be cut vertically, and the couplets are written on a piece of paper according to the left and right lines and hung vertically. This style is common in bedroom layout, calligraphy exhibitions, books, newspapers and magazines and the Internet (see Figure 2). Traditionally, the scale of couplets can be equal to nave (in terms of width) or smaller than nave, but not larger than nave.

The above-mentioned banner style belongs to unilateral lines (especially characters), which are paired left and right, with the upper part on the right and the lower part on the left, and cannot be reversed; Nave style belongs to two lines in a picture. These two formats are generally suitable for short links in writing.

3. "Longmen" style: some couplets have dozens of crosses or even hundreds of words. To write such a long couplet, we must use "Longmen" to deal with the format. Long Mendui is characterized by at least two or even several lines of couplets. The upper couplets are arranged from right to left, while the lower couplets are arranged from left to right. The upper and lower lines are equal, and the number of words in each line is equal.

The last line of the upper and lower couplets cannot be filled in, and enough space must be left for signature. Because the two single joints are relatively symmetrical, just like a double door, they are commonly called "Long Mendui" (see Figure 3).

Using this format, you can write it on the whole rice paper (according to nave style), or you can cut it into two banners and write it separately. This should be chosen according to the actual use and occasion. If it is used to carve the doorposts of buildings such as memorial archways and temples, it must be cut into two rows of slender banners to write; If it is only used for room hanging or exhibition printing, it can be written in the whole nave style.

4. Qin Dui: Qin Dui refers to the couplets which are concentrated in the upper part of the banner (about four-fifths or three-quarters of the length) and the paragraphs are placed under the couplets, which look like A Qin (see Figure 4). Generally speaking, a piano has fewer words, usually four or five words, and generally no more than seven words. The previous paragraph is placed under the first couplet and the next paragraph is placed under the second couplet. This writing form is often used when the couplets are few and the paper is long. Less words are generous and eye-catching, and more words will be cramped and crowded. "Qin Dui" is usually written in two separate banners, or on a nave.

The above four writing methods all reflect the "left-right symmetry" of the two lines in the form of upper and lower couplet, which is a traditional writing method and cannot be changed at will or deliberately innovated. So, can couplet writing be expressed in other styles? The answer is no, if there are other forms of couplet writing in reality, it can only be regarded as "couplet flag", "couplet sentence" and "couplet fan", rather than couplet calligraphy in a strict sense.

Second, the skills of writing and sealing couplets.

The writing skills or composition of couplets include three parts: text, inscription and seal, which are the three basic elements of calligraphy works. The three are organically combined, closely related, complementary and indispensable.

(A), the writing of the text

Characters are the main body of couplet calligraphy, occupying the main picture and being in the center and eye-catching position. For example, a person's face often determines the basic image of the whole person. Therefore, when the words are written, the whole calligraphy work is more than half successful. To write a good text, we should grasp the following aspects:

One is the readability of the text. It is easy to identify and make people see at a glance. We know that couplet calligraphy has unique popularity, practicality and appreciation. In particular, those couplets engraved on the doorposts of buildings are permanently available for people to read in public view and must be known at a glance. If people guess for a long time and still don't know what they are talking about, then the couplets are no matter how good and the calligraphy is wonderful, and there is no value in appreciation and existence. If calligraphers blindly pursue the so-called artistic characteristics and individuality regardless of the specific occasions of couplet calligraphy, and write strange and grotesque characters for a long time, most people will not recognize them, and they will lose their due publicity effect. Therefore, we should give full consideration to the different audiences of books (the general public or a few calligraphers), and avoid asking about the object and purpose without thinking.

The second is the writing position of the text. The first thing that a couplet calligraphy enters people's sight is two lines of words, which are the main body and focus. Therefore, it should be noted that the spacing between upper and lower words (that is, the center point of a single word) is equal and symmetrical. That is to say, from the vertical perspective, the center of gravity of each word is basically maintained on a vertical central axis and should not be skewed left and right; From a horizontal perspective, the words corresponding to the left and right are basically kept on a horizontal line, so don't misplace them up and down, so as not to cause a sense of instability. The size between words should be basically balanced, and the contrast should not be too big. Especially like writing Long Mendui, because there are many words and lines, each line should be flat on the top of the head, so that it is horizontal and vertical, so that it can be evenly coordinated left and right. For essays with more numbers, we should pay more attention to the unity, symmetry and coordination of vertical and horizontal arrangement. At the same time, the number of couplets is already small, so it should be noted that the size of each word is basically the same, and the difference cannot be too big. In order to avoid sticking, of course, it can be changed slightly, and it doesn't have to be written in the standard Mi Zige. The diameters are similar, but it must be generally balanced.

The third is the choice of font. China's calligraphy includes five styles: seal script (Oracle Bone Inscriptions, big and small seal script), official script (Han tablet and Qin and Han bamboo slips), regular script, running script and cursive script (Cao Jin and Da Cao). Among them, between regular script and running script is called running script; Between running script and cursive script, it is called running script. Generally speaking, it can be used to write couplets and re-create. However, we must fully consider the practicality and appreciation of couplet calligraphy, maintain consistency, adjust measures to local conditions and treat it differently according to different objects and occasions. As far as the artistic and practical effects of calligraphy are concerned, the selection of couplet writing fonts should pay attention to practicality. Specifically, regular script, running script and official script should be selected for couplets with large audience, easy identification and permanent appreciation, such as shops, archways, stone tablets, places of interest, pavilions and other buildings; As for seal script and cursive script (especially cursive script), etc. , generally suitable for living rooms, book exhibitions and printing, as well as calligraphers' exchanges and other occasions with fewer audiences.

Fourth, the structure and strokes of words should be clear and smooth. When writing couplets, there are generally fewer words in the text. Therefore, the lines and strokes of each word should be clear and smooth, and there should be no traces such as blurred lines, unclear intersections, fried ink, dry pens and broken pens. Especially, couplets that need to be engraved on wood, bamboo, stone pillars and stone tablets, if improperly written, will bring difficulties to the sculptor's re-creation, and it is also difficult to maintain the original ink and wash features of calligraphy works.

When writing couplets, the text is the subject and the center. If two single banners write one line at a time from top to bottom, the glyph must be on the longitudinal center line and cannot be offset. If you write Long Mendui, because the number of words and lines are different from short couplets, you must calculate the folding in advance, how many words are vertical and how many words are horizontal, and how many spaces are left in the last line of the upper and lower couplets for signature. These must be arranged well and not sloppy.

Here, I want to remind you that Long Mendui's words can't be written in one line, at least two or even several lines, because there are too many words. It should be noted that the last line of the upper and lower couplets cannot be filled, so there must be enough space for inscription; The number of words should not be too small, and the length of the written words is generally not less than one-third of the adjacent lines. If you only write one or two words, it will appear uncoordinated and lack aesthetic feeling. If the whole short couplet is written in nave style, although the rice paper is not folded in half, the method is reasonable, that is, the rice paper is folded in half vertically, and then the middle lines on both sides are folded in half to determine the position of the text.

Let's talk about the basic characteristics and different treatment methods of five books:

1, seal script. Seal script is a general term for Oracle Bone Inscriptions, Dazhuan and Xiaozhuan. Oracle Bone Inscriptions is written on tortoise shells and animal bones, with a history of more than 3,000 years. It is the earliest recognizable writing handed down from generation to generation, and the ancients mainly used it for divination. The brushwork is thin and powerful, with many straight lines. There are Fang Bi, round pen and sharp pen, and there are many "hanging needles" in the handwriting (see Figure 5). Dazhuan refers to inscriptions on bronze inscriptions, bronzes and six-country scripts, which preserve the obvious characteristics of ancient hieroglyphics (see Figure 6). Xiao Zhuan, also known as "Qin Zhuan", is the common language of Qin State (see Figure 7).

Oracle Bone Inscriptions and The Story of the Great Filial Piety are both independent and unrelated, belonging to a static style. Among them, the glyph of Xiao Zhuan is longer, and that of Shi Guwen is a folk prescription, but the glyphs are uniform and of the same size. Oracle Bone Inscriptions and Zhong Dingwen are different in size, length and flatness.

Seal script couplets are generally used in ancient temples and halls to maintain the overall effect of simplicity and solemnity and coordinate with time and space. The pen used for seal script should hide its head and protect its tail. The pen should be centered and rotate in a circle, with subtle touch and intrinsic force, leaving no trace naturally, and its pen power is quite healthy.

Generally, the couplet size of seal script is the same, and there is no big change. The relationship between words should be handled loosely, not tightly. We must leave a loose Shu Lang spacing to make it visible and eye-catching. The relationship between the upper and lower links must be handled symmetrically and neatly.

2. Official script. From Lishu to the heyday of the Eastern Han Dynasty, it was a great change that China's calligraphy replaced hieroglyphics with symbols. Zhang Qianbei, Cao Quanbei and The Book of Rites are his representative works, most of which are the contents of eulogizing the merits of ancient sages. The pen is characterized by "twists and turns, silkworm head and goose tail", which is much more vivid than seal script; The structure is flat and square, and the static feeling is greatly enhanced compared with seal script. The overall effect of official script couplets is dignified, generous, calm and quiet, which is more suitable for temples and halls. The knot size of official script couplets is the same as that of seal script, with little change and basically the same font. But the distance between words is looser than other books, and the upper and lower parts of each word should be symmetrical. The official script of the Han tablet is mature and stereotyped, and it is also neat and static, with flat fonts and couplets. Whether it is Fang Gezi or long plaid, couplets naturally become horizontal plaids (referring to Long Mendui), that is, the vertical rows are close, the word spacing is large, and the horizontal rows are obvious. This is a unique composition form of official script, and characters can also occupy a flat space, so that the vertical and horizontal spacing is basically equal, forming a unified layout (see Figure 8).

Plane structure is a prominent feature of official script. Only by boldly arranging white in the composition can we enhance its empty inspiration, which is true and false, and the truth and reality coexist. If the flat official script is pressed together from top to bottom, it will look lifeless.

3. Regular script. Regular script, also known as regular script, original script and official script, evolved from official script gradually, becoming more simplified and more horizontal and vertical. It is "square and straight, which can be used as a model." It mainly refers to He Weibei (in addition, there are Jin people's small letters, ancient prose and so on. ), which belongs to the standard, neat and static style. When writing couplets, the characters occupy one grid and the font size is basically the same (see Figure 9).

Regular script couplets are also suitable for solemn temples and solemn occasions. Its writing form, in addition to requiring symmetrical and neat upper and lower links, must also follow the principle of "shaping with words" in font. If all the characters in regular script couplets are written without any big or small, long or short, light or heavy, square or round, then there is no artistry at all.

4. Run the script. Running script is based on regular script, plus some cursive writing. Simple and complex, the characters are continuous and vivid, and the font size can be scaled with the trend, forming a beautiful, easy-to-understand, practical and ornamental book (see figure 10).

Running script is between regular script and cursive script, and there is a lot of room for manoeuvre in the movement and flow of the body, so it is also divided into regular script and cursive script. If you use running script as couplets, you can refer to the composition of running script, vertical and horizontal; It can also be arranged vertically, not horizontally, which is more compact. You can also relax the horizontal and vertical spacing appropriately, and the composition is simple and unique. On the other hand, cursive couplets can make use of the characteristics of continuous word potential and free and lively structure, and only seek overall balance, harmony and mutual protection between the upper and lower couplets, not symmetry of each word and each part, and form uneven and scattered composition changes as much as possible in the overall basic symmetry, so as to give full play to the artistry and expressiveness of cursive. However, we should pay attention to the fact that the upper and lower couplets are flush at the beginning and basically the same at the end, and the weight, density and length should not be too unbalanced, which will lead to mutual separation, different styles and disorder, which will undermine the basic requirements of symmetry and unity.

Running script couplets have the widest scope of application, regardless of palaces, temples, pavilions, study bedrooms and so on. , can be used as a running script, because running script is not only beautiful and generous, but also easy to write and recognize, and it is the most popular style. Therefore, when writing running script couplets, under the premise that the upper and lower couplets are basically symmetrical and neat, using pens and knots is more bold than regular script.

5, cursive script. Cursive writing is a way of writing for convenience. It is characterized by simple structure and continuous strokes. It was formed in the Han Dynasty and evolved on the basis of official script for the convenience of writing. There are Cao Zhang, Cao Jin and Crazy Grass. Cao Zhang is an elegant cursive style, which is compatible with early Han Li cursive, with distinct waves, wavy strokes, independent characters, square and horizontal strokes (see figure 1 1). At the end of the Han Dynasty, Cao Zhang was further "grassed" and the strokes of Lishu were removed. The upper and lower characters and strokes are connected, and the radicals are simplified and borrowed, which is called "this grass" (see figure 12). In the Tang dynasty, this kind of grass was written in a more indulgent way, with continuous strokes, wonderful glyphs and diverse changes. It is called "crazy grass" and also called "big grass" (see figure 13). Today, the aesthetic value of cursive script far exceeds its use value. Cursive script is to connect the dots and strokes of words according to certain rules. It has a simple structure and a loan, and it is not arbitrary graffiti. One of the main features of cursive symbols is the linking of strokes, including up-and-down linking and left-and-right linking. Cao Zhang's strokes are in the shape of a "I", while Jin Cao's strokes are in the shape of an "S". This is the fundamental difference between the two.

The writing of Cao Zhang couplets is basically the same as that of Lishu couplets, that is, the word spacing is Shu Lang, and a large area is covered with white, which has a prominent effect of reality and reality. When writing cursive couplets, the words of the upper and lower couplets don't have to be arranged neatly left and right, and the size of each word can be greatly adjusted according to the overall needs, as long as the length of the upper and lower couplets is not too different.

There are similarities between cursive script and seal script, that is, it is difficult to identify, with low practical value and high artistic appreciation value, and is generally used for indoor appreciation. Therefore, it is not appropriate to write practical couplets for the public, not to mention Long Mendui, whose words are more than two lines.

As for the practical scope of different fonts, it is relative rather than absolute. Each book has a different style, either elegant and dignified, simple and heavy, chic and unrestrained, old and vigorous, or round and delicate. You can choose the corresponding style according to different environmental occasions and writers' specialties.

(2) Writing of signature

Inscription, that is, signature and inscription, refers to the writing content except the text in calligraphy works. Inscription includes: the source of text content, the object of gift, the reason of creation, the time of creation, the author's name and font size, etc.

There are two signature formats: "double-segment" and "single-segment". In two paragraphs, the object and author of the book are placed above and below the text, the former is the previous paragraph and the latter is the next paragraph. The preceding paragraph shall specify the name, source and recipient's name of the work; The next paragraph records the year, place and name of the author (see figure 14). The previous paragraph: the position is relatively high to show respect, including name, title and modesty. Next paragraph: Write the time, place, name and modesty.

If there is a previous paragraph but there is no previous paragraph, it is called a single paragraph, which may or may not contain the contents of the previous paragraph. If there is no book gift object, only a single payment will be made (see figure 15). A single paragraph can be divided into long paragraphs, short paragraphs and poor paragraphs because of different words. A long paragraph refers to adding the author's feelings or reasons for creating this work before the writing time, name and place of the text source. Words should be sincere, meaningful and memorable. It can not only adjust the focus of the work, but also reflect the author's character and cultivation. A short paragraph only includes the source, time, name and place of the text. If there are many blanks in the work or because of the need of composition, you can leave a long paragraph; If the content of the work occupies the whole picture, it needs to be short or poor. If there is not much paper left and there are too few blank spaces, it can also be called "poor money" only by the author's name (see figure 16). The advantage of only losing money is that such works are easy to transfer, exchange and auction.

After long-term development, inscription has become an inseparable part of calligraphy works, which plays a complementary, coordinating and foil role in the whole composition. Although the inscription is not the main part of the work, whether the arrangement of the inscription is appropriate directly affects the overall artistic effect of the work. The ancients called it "wonderful words", and the word "wonderful words" can often reflect the writer's artistic accomplishment and creative quality. Therefore, when writing couplets, we should not only pay attention to the text layout of the works, but also work hard on the inscriptions.

In addition to the above two basic signatures, there is also a full coverage signature, that is, the left and right sides of the upper part and the left and right sides of the lower part need to be filled with inscriptions because of the content, and there are four lines of * * (Figure 17 and 18), which basically belong to the category of "two paragraphs" and do not need to be classified separately.

From the perspective of calligraphy, inscriptions are an important part of the composition of works, which play a coordinating, enriching and perfecting role in the overall composition. Therefore, it should not be ignored because it does not belong to the main text, but should be included in the creative conception of the overall composition of couplets. A complete couplet calligraphy works, the first paragraph can be omitted, but the second paragraph must be included.

Whether a work uses a single paragraph or a double paragraph, a long paragraph or a short paragraph or a poor paragraph, it should be used flexibly according to the specific situation, and there is no fixed format.

When writing couplets, we should mainly grasp the following points:

First, the font of the signature must be in harmony with the text. The font of calligraphy style can be exactly the same, different or completely different, which needs to be decided according to the font of the text. Generally speaking, there is no official seal, official script or cursive script. The traditional writing methods are "learning from the past to serve the present", "learning from the past to serve the present", "keeping still" and "making the present not more ancient". If Li, Wei and Kai are the texts, Kai and Xing are the signs. If the seal script is used as the text, it is signed by official script, regular script and running script; Cursive script, except your own cursive script, is generally not used for signature, because it is difficult to identify. In fact, there are usually many signatures in running scripts, which are easy to identify and avoid boredom. In addition, when writing illegible fonts such as seal script, especially Oracle Bone Inscriptions, notes are often attached to one side of the text to help reading.

Second, the font size of the signature must be coordinated with the text. The inscription of Chinese characters must be smaller than the main character, and the size generally accounts for one quarter to one third. Specific signature, but also according to the size of the blank space to determine the text. If the white space is too large and the font is too small, the center of gravity of the work cannot be stable; If the blank space is too small and the words are too big, the weight will be unbalanced and the guests will be usurped.

Third, the front paragraph can't go hand in hand with the text, generally it should be lower than the text and fall on the upper part; The next paragraph can't be flush with the text, there should be a certain blank, generally in the lower-middle position, otherwise it will give people a dull and stuffy feeling.

Fourth, if the signature and the text go together, there should be a gap between them, not too tight. The gap is generally about the width of a word.

In general, the last paragraph should be written in the upper right position and the lower left position of the couplet to make it echo up and down. However, some contemporary calligraphers pursue the illusion and movement of their works, and like to raise the inscription position to the upper left of the couplet to create a look-up effect of the viewer's line of sight, which is also desirable. However, for Long Mendui, its signature method is quite special. Long Mendui's last paragraph is written from right to left along the text at the bottom of the last line of the first part; The next paragraph is written at the bottom of the last line of the next couplet from left to right along the text. The last word of the upper and lower couplets should not be flush with the last word of the text, at least one word should be left, otherwise the words will be too heavy and boring. Having said that, it should be pointed out that Long Mendui's signature sometimes has too many words to write in one line, so there are double lines. At present, there are two different ways to deal with this kind of inscription: one is that the inscription in the upper part is written from right to left, and the inscription in the lower part is still written from right to left (left and right are not relative). Some famous calligraphers hold this opinion in practice and theory (see figure 19). The other is that the upper part is written from right to left, and the lower part is written from left to right (see Figure 20). So, which of these two formats is more scientific and reasonable? In my humble opinion, I prefer to agree with the latter. The reason is simple: it is more symmetrical, coordinated and consistent because it keeps the consistency with the writing format of up and down links.

Long Mendui's double-line signature must be consistent and coordinated, not the previous paragraph is double-line and the next paragraph is single-line; Nor can the previous paragraph be single-line and the latter paragraph be double-line. And the number of words signed should be roughly balanced. In addition, the width of the double-line signature cannot exceed the width of the main text, otherwise it will be inconsistent with the main text.

Third, how to seal it?

A complete couplet calligraphy works, in addition to the written words and inscriptions, also includes the seal. The so-called "seal" means seal. Stamping is the third step after writing the text and signing, and it is also the final finishing process. Without a seal, it is not a formal, formal, correct and perfect calligraphy work. Making good use of seals can make couplet calligraphy the finishing touch and add color; On the contrary, it will make the work give up halfway, and all previous efforts will be wasted.

So, don't be too hasty and call it a day, but be careful so as not to leave regrets. Hot stamping often has the function of adjusting and perfecting rice paper white cloth, and calligraphy works without hot stamping can only be said to be semi-finished products. Seal is one of the necessary calligraphy tools for writers. The seal referred to here is specially used to draw ink painting (that is, Chinese painting) and calligraphy works, which is different from other private common name seals. Seals are generally carved with stones, and fonts are generally carved with seal script (big print or small print). Therefore, understanding the general knowledge of seals and using seals correctly are the basic skills that every calligrapher must have.

There are two kinds of seals: Zhu and Bai. Zhu is also called, that is, the words are prominent, and the words printed on paper are red; White printing is also called negative printing, that is, the words are concave and the words printed on paper are white. Judging from the contents of the seal, there are famous seal, fast seal and idle seal.

How to seal it? Specifically:

First, seal the next paragraph. A couplet calligraphy work needs at least one seal (yin and yang), which is the minimum requirement and standard. The next paragraph must be stamped with the author's name stamp or font size stamp (square), and the size of the stamp is equal to or smaller than the width of the inscription, generally separated from the last word of the inscription by one word. The lowest position of the seal is higher than the bottom line of the last word in the text. You can cover one or two, but covering more than three is not the finishing touch, but the gilding the lily. If two seals are stamped at the same time, it is better to have one Zhu and one white, reflecting the change of yin and yang, and it is forbidden to have two Zhu and two white characters next to each other. There should be at least one printing position between the top and bottom of the seal, which should not be too crowded or too open. The two seals are the same size. If there are some differences, it should be printed in small print on the top and in large print on the bottom. Bai Wen is above, Zhu Wen is below. The printing, composition, knife cutting and style of the two seals should be basically the same, and there should be no obvious contrast. These two seals should be square, not round. Don't stamp casually after the next joint signing.

The second is to cover the seal of the previous paragraph. Generally, the upper right part of the couplet is stamped with a leisure chapter, which is also called the first chapter or the first chapter (round, vertical rectangle, vertical ellipse, irregular shape). The position of the seal is generally in the middle of the first and second words in the upper part of the text. If the name of the recipient or the author is written in the upper part of the couplet, it is forbidden to affix the handprint to avoid feeling depressed and show respect for the recipient. For example, in order to coordinate and enliven the picture, you can use a square leisure chapter, which can be covered after the first couplet, but it can't be covered in the corner like a Chinese painting corner chapter.

If some parts of the preceding paragraph and the next paragraph need to be stamped, they should reflect one Zhu and one Bai, which set each other off and are full of changes; If there is no space at the bottom of the following paragraph because there are too many words, you can adjust it to the left of the penultimate word, but it cannot exceed the bottom line of the text.

The third is to master stamping skills skillfully. There are two criteria to test whether the seal is properly stamped and perfect: one is that the printing position is moderate and fair, and the other is that the imprint is firm and clear. When stamping, you can put a small rubber pad or notebook under the rice paper. After the seal is positioned, hold the top of the seal tightly with both hands to stabilize the center of gravity. First, apply force vertically and evenly, then tilt slightly up and down, left and right, and stamp hard. Then open the seal, press the paper with your left hand, and gently lift the seal with your right hand. In order to keep improving, some calligraphers use a right-angle notch (L-shaped or inverted T-shaped) of a small gauge to adjust the position of the seal, so as to prevent the seal from slipping and keep it upright. Its effect is obviously different.

Writing couplets into a calligraphy work is actually a creative process, not a simple copying and writing, which requires a lot of brains. For example, although the couplets provided are ready-made, the content of the title is not available, involving how to write the title, how to use single or double paragraphs, how many words, what font to use, how to stamp and so on. These are all things that need to be considered by books. Even in the face of ready-made joint articles, we should seriously consider and think twice before you act. For example, writing usually uses traditional Chinese characters, but unlike typing with a computer keyboard, traditional Chinese characters will be automatically converted. You just need to copy them. As we all know, in the use of traditional Chinese characters, because the meaning of words has multiple meanings, different word collocations have different usages and cannot be simply applied. Otherwise, it is easy for some famous calligraphers to mistake "Ying Hou" for "Ying Hou" and "Fan Zhongyan" for a joke.

The final formation of a couplet calligraphy work, from the overall picture effect of rice paper, whether it is double or single couplet, should leave appropriate space on the four sides outside the glyph, not too crowded or empty, let alone leave no space on the four sides like ink painting, otherwise it will affect the beauty of the work.

By the way, there are also couplets, such as Spring Festival couplets, elegiac couplets, wedding couplets and housewarming couplets. Among them, you don't need Xuan paper, just write it on ordinary red and white paper. Because of its short-term practicality and timeliness, it does not need to be inscribed or stamped, so it cannot be regarded as a complete calligraphy work in a strict sense. I won't go into details here.

To sum up, the writing of couplets is a second creation, and it is also a comprehensive art, involving calligraphers' basic skills and artistic accomplishment in many aspects. To meet the requirements of the above three aspects, first, choose a good couplet to make the content healthy and positive, in line with the rhythm of couplets, that is, the perfect unity of content and form. If the content is no matter how good, but it doesn't conform to the law, I would rather give up than write. Some calligraphers often don't distinguish or are not good at distinguishing, so they copy what they take, which not only causes regret, but also leaves a laughing stock. This should be regarded as a warning. Secondly, according to the length of couplets and the place of use (which is very important), the writing format and font selection should be arranged appropriately. Third, correctly handle the relationship between text, title and seal, that is, highlight the key points, distinguish between primary and secondary, and give consideration to the three. Only in this way can we complete a qualified and even excellent couplet calligraphy work.

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