Footnotes on the English Translation of “A Narrative on Calligraphy” Part IX
(203). 然消息多方 – “消息” here means “變化(variations)”.
(204). 乍剛柔以合體 – In this instance, “體” refers to “字的形體 (body of a character)”. This should be distinguished from the “體” in Lines 177 and 206, which refers to “字體(fonts)”. Furthermore, it is not “書體(scripts)” and is certainly not “style” as interpreted by Chang and Frankel (Chang and Frankel, Two Chinese Treatises on Calligraphy, New Haven & London: Yale University Press, 1995 :12) .
(205,206). 忽勞逸而分驅 – “勞逸” is “勞苦與安逸(labor and serenity)” and was used here by Sun Guoting as a metaphor for “重筆與輕筆(heavy and light brushstrokes)”. For further discussions on light and heavy brushstrokes, please see Leung Pai Wan’s (梁披雲)《中國書法大辭典》(廣東: 廣東人民出版社，1991， p.96).
“驅” means “快跑(running quickly)”, hence “分驅” should mean “running quickly in different directions”. Note also many misread the cursive “驅” in the original calligraphy as “軀(body)”.
It is therefore wholly incorrect to interpret “忽勞逸而分驅” as “underrate the [modulations] of labour and rest, and differentiate themselves accordingly” (De Laurentis, The Manual of Calligraphy by Sun Guoting of the Tang, Napoli: Universita degli Studi di Napoli "L'Orientale", 2011:56).
(207,208). 或恬憺雍容 - “恬憺” means “清靜淡泊(tranquil and plain)”, whereas “雍容” means “儀態溫文大方(gentle and graceful)”.
(209,210). 內涵筋骨- “筋(Tendons)” in Chinese calligraphy means “筆鋒的「藏」和「度」(the aesthetic manner of power buried within a brushstroke or among brushstrokes) ”. 陳繹曾《翰林要訣•筋法》:
字之筋，筆鋒是也。斷處藏之，連處度之。藏者首尾蹲搶是也；度者空中打勢，飛度筆意也。Source: 《歷代書法論文選》。上海: 上海書畫出版社, 1979, pp.482-483.
“骨(Bones)” in Chinese calligraphy refers to a brushstroke that is “剛勁有力,氣勢雄強(strong and powerful with an imposing and compelling manner)”. For further discussions on “筋” and “骨”, please see Leung Pai Wan’s (梁披雲)《中國書法大辭典》(廣東: 廣東人民出版社，1991， p.98).