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Squareness and Roundness
方形和圓形。“方圓”連用，指事物的形狀或性狀，亦指使事物“方”或“圓”的方法、規(guī)則。古人認為天圓地方，天有旋轉、圓通、圓融等特性，地有安靜、剛直、方正等特性，主張做人行事應當效法天地的特性，外圓內方，既不放棄內心的堅守，又有適度的融通。在文藝創(chuàng)作特別是書法創(chuàng)作中，古人認為楷書要方，草書要圓，但無論哪種書體都應做到方圓之間的相互依存與和諧統(tǒng)一。
"Squareness," used in collocation with "roundness," refers to the shapes and properties of things, or sometimes to the methods and rules of making things square or round. Ancient Chinese believed that heaven is round and earth is square. Heaven revolves, accommodates, and harmonizes. Earth, in contrast, is still, firm, and straightforward. They argued that humans should conduct themselves in imitation of the ways heaven and earth operate, and be "round" on the outside and "square" within, meaning that people should be suitably flexible but firm on issues of principle. In artistic and literary creation, especially in calligraphic creations, ancient Chinese held that regular script should be "square" whereas cursive script should be "round." However, no matter which type of script is adopted, squareness and roundness should be applied in harmony with each other.
引例 Citations：
◎離婁之明、公輸子之巧，不以規(guī)矩，不能成方圓；師曠之聰，不以六律，不能正五音；堯舜之道，不以仁政，不能平治天下。（《孟子·離婁上》）
即使有離婁的好視力、公輸般的高超技巧，如果不用圓規(guī)和曲尺，也不能畫出方形和圓形；即使有師曠的辨音能力，如果不用六律，也不能校正五音；即使有堯舜的方法，如果不施行仁政，也不能治理好天下。
Even with Li Lou's keen vision and Gongshu Ban's skillfulness, they cannot draw either a square or a round shape without using a compass or a ruler. Even with Shi Kuang's sharp ear for music, he cannot adjust the five notes without using the six pitch-pipes. Even with Yao and Shun's enlightened methods, they cannot run a country well without practicing benevolent governance. (Mencius)
◎方圓者，真草之體用。真貴方，草貴圓。方者參之以圓，圓者參之以方，斯為妙矣。（姜夔《續(xù)書譜·方圓》）
對楷書和草書來說，方圓既是書體又是運用上的一種變化。楷書貴在方正，草書貴在圓通。方正的書體要參照圓通的技巧，圓通的書體要參照方正的技巧，如此才能達到絕妙的水平。
Squareness and roundness are the core essence and useful complement of regular script and cursive script. The merit of regular script is squareness whereas the merit of cursive script is roundness. Only when squareness is complemented by roundness and roundness is complemented by squareness can true calligraphic excellence be achieved. (Jiang Kui: Subsequent Commentaries on Calligraphy)
推薦：教育部 國家語委
供稿：北京外國語大學 外語教學與研究出版社
責任編輯：錢耐安
