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“Yi” in traditional canonical theory not only carries the meanings of intention and purpose, but also implies devotion. For instance, in the Zhuangzi, the phrase “ke yi zheng pai, guo ke su, yang mei tu qi, zhi cun gao yuan” conveys a lofty aspiration; Liu Xie’s Wenxin Diaolong (Nan Chao) mentions “caizi you yi xue wen.” However, in traditional calligraphic theory, due to certain social and psychological demands, most calligraphers were empty of “you yi,” interpreting it largely as deliberate intention, while neglecting the inner structure of the mind. Zhao Yi of the Han Dynasty, in his “Fei Cao Shu,” asked: “Can the ugliness of writing be forcibly enhanced by mind and hand?” Cai Yong’s “Lun Bi” states: “To read, one must follow one’s feelings and desires, and then read.” Both reflect a determined aspiration toward this ideal.
This ambition stems from the essence of Daoist theory—“Dao fa zi ran.” The meaning of “Dao fa zi ran” is beautiful yet inexplicable. In brief, the origin of all things in the world is the “Dao,” which operates leisurely and naturally according to its own laws, without purpose, fame, profit, knowledge, or any external force, manipulation, or cultivation. The artistic theme described in the Zhuangzi—“the sky is high, the earth is thick, the sun and moon do not prove themselves, how can one cultivate oneself?”—began in the Wei-Jin period. Zhong Rong, in his “Shi Xu,” stated: “Words are not valued; one must seek fresh experiences. When the author reaches this state, he becomes immersed in the mundane, thus no empty words, no empty speech, and restraint is used to compensate.” The natural English intention is not worthy of human artifice,” indicating that artistic creation should not harm meaning through excessive words, should not feign sorrow without cause, but should naturally express the vivid emotions within one’s heart, thereby becoming elegant and refined.
It could be said that this mode of self-expression, self-revelation, non-deliberate manipulation, and waiting for a natural encounter aligns with the calligrapher’s disdain for pretentious hypocrisy and his reverence for returning to the original. Thus, “you yi” was revered and upheld as the standard and quality of calligraphy, praised in texts and repeatedly affirmed in theory. Take Jin as an example. On one hand, calligraphers revered calligraphy as “gan wu tong ling.” Wei Shuo, in “Bi Zhen Tu,” said: “One who does not understand things cannot speak of them.” Yang Quan, in “Cao Shu Fu,” stated: “The spirit’s transformations resemble the waxing and waning of the sun and moon.” On the other hand, the “Shu Fu,” when discussing “ziran ji ziran,” declared: “The hand and mind are one, the hand and hand are one,” so “the joy of spring, the beauty of scenery illuminating the light, sinking like clouds, faint like cicadas.” He believed calligraphy should follow the heart’s desire, brushwork like the scenery of early spring, strokes flowing continuously without interruption. On the other hand, he deliberately avoided detailed exposition: Yan Zhitui, in “Yan Shi Jia Xun,” said: “One should not be overly meticulous, for the capable man exhausts himself, the clever man grows anxious, often becoming enslaved by others, which makes them even more weary.” He even implied that he shared no common intention with calligraphers “striving among uneven stele inscriptions.”