So, she loves calligraphy, loves embroidery, and also loves her current life.
She packed up her stall and returned home. There were still some unsold items today, but that was okay; the leftovers were not too much, just enough for her day’s meals.
She went home and used the leftover dough to make herself a few pancakes, which she ate as a simple meal. Then she called home to report her safety and prepared to rest for a while before going to watch the calligraphy petition. Though it was called a petition, perhaps it would be better not to mention awards at first — it was mainly an occasion for the elderly to exchange and interact.
Although Qin Xiangnuan had been practicing calligraphy for many years, she never formally apprenticed under a master system apart from being exploited by ’the system’; she had learned everything through her own exploration. She wanted to see for herself what the capabilities and techniques of a true master were like.
She arrived at the park early, having thought that she was late and thus had hurried all the way, but it turned out she was early; the venue was still being set up. There was a certain level of professionalism; several tables were arranged inside the venue, each set with brushes, ink, paper, and ink stones. For some reason, upon seeing these calligraphy tools, Qin Xiangnuan felt an itch in her hands. She stood quietly on the side, waiting for everyone to arrive.
Gradually, people began to show up.
While it was not a professional event, many people attended, and one could tell they were all respectable intellectuals.
"Ah, the young lady has arrived," Mr. Sun greeted Qin Xiangnuan warmly when he saw her.
"Did the old man forget to tell you the time, making you e early?"
"No, no," Qin Xiangnuan hastily explained, "I actually just arrived."
"Ha-ha..." Mr. Sun laughed, "e on, let’s go inside. If you like, you can observe more. This is our cultural essence, and only our country’s characters can have so many different styles of writing, encapsulating the mood, thought, even your entire life within each stroke."
Qin Xiangnuan knew and believed this well; the phrase "as are the words, so is the man" wasn’t said lightly.
Qin Xiangnuan followed Mr. Sun, like a little assistant. Mr. Sun was in a good mood and intentionally or unintentionally, kept her by his side. When anyone asked about her, he would mention that she was a young friend who came to observe.
After a while, people began to lay out paper and grind ink.
Qin Xiangnuan took the initiative to help Mr. Sun lay out the Xuan paper and then started grinding the ink.
Mr. Sun did not stop her but observed Qin Xiangnuan quietly, always feeling a strong scholarly air about this young girl. Despite her young age, her thoughts were very steady. Watching her movements while grinding the ink, he couldn’t help thinking that she indeed seemed experienced.
Naturally, Qin Xiangnuan knew how to grind ink. She stood upright; the force used in grinding ink should be steady: the grinding should be moderately light and fast, the posture correct, maintaining the vertical and even holding of the ink stick, circling vertically on the inkstone without tilting or pushing straight, and certainly not grinding haphazardly. As for using water, it should be clean water, not tea or hot water. The usage of water should be sparingly; if the ink bees too thick, add water and continue. The ink should be ground to a moderate thickness, not too thick or too thin. Pure water should be added if impurities are in the water, the resulting ink would not be pure. Regarding adding water, it should not be excessive at first to prevent soaking the ink stick or splashing the ink, gradually adding more is preferable. Grinding ink for a long time can cause the right hand to tire, so it’s best to learn to use the left hand. The dignified posture during grinding promotes steady handwriting. If the force is too light or heavy, too quick or slow, the ink will be coarse and uneven. If the force is too light and the speed too slow, it wastes time and the ink will be shallow; if the force is too heavy and the speed too fast, the ink will be rough and frothy, and the color will lack sheen. The correct method should involve ’pressing and pushing with force’, maintaining a balance of intensity, and not being too hurried.
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