颜筋柳骨
yán jīn liǔ gǔ
the strength of 颜真卿 and 柳公权; calligraphy with real backbone
Character by character
颜yán
Yan
Yan
筋jīn
sinew
sinew
柳liǔ
Liu
Liu
骨gǔ
bone
bone
Example
他的楷书颇有颜筋柳骨的味道，看得出下过多年苦功。
His regular script has something of Yan’s sinew and Liu’s bone; you can tell he has worked at it for years.
Tone: positive (praise).
Usage and origin
筋 is the full, springy strength of 颜真卿’s strokes, 骨 the lean, upright frame of 柳公权’s. First used by 范仲淹, praising a friend’s brushwork. Used only of calligraphy.
Learn this in Lesson 91 · HSK 6–7: 兰亭序与书法 (The Orchid Pavilion and the art of calligraphy)
A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. The first lessons of every level are free.
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