I often hear some “miraculous” conversations in the calligraphy circle, one of which is that “calligraphers’ works contain no misspelled characters.” At first glance, this seems somewhat reasonable, but upon closer reflection, I believe these so-called “reasons” are actually gross misconceptions. If not clarified, such fallacies could spread overnight, causing widespread errors. The notion that “calligraphers’ works contain no misspelled characters,” while containing a certain degree of playful exaggeration, cannot be ignored for its negative impact—it not only misleads beginners and the general public interested in calligraphy, but also causes theoretical confusion within the calligraphy community and becomes an excuse for some calligraphers with inadequate technical skills to cover up their misspellings.
In calligraphy creation, what is commonly meant by “calligraphers’ works contain no misspelled characters” usually refers to variant characters, interchangeable characters, missing or reduced strokes, added strokes under special contexts, and other forms of “calligraphic play.” It is regrettable that many people are confused and misled by these practices, which often become eloquent justifications for calligraphers defending their misspellings.
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