Linchi xinjie 臨池心解

Linchi xinjie 臨池心解 "Explanations from the heart while [practicing] by the pool" is a book on calligraphy written during the high Qing period 清 (1644-1911) by Zhu Hegeng 朱和羹 (c. 1804-1851), courtesy name Zhishan 指山, from Wuxian 吳縣, Jiangsu. He was a poet and excelled in the writings style of the seal script and the regular script (kaishu 楷書).

The book, which is 1 juan long, spontaneously recorded the accumulated insights from the practice of calligraphy. After Zhu's death, his four sons published it. Cheng Tinglu 程庭鹭 and Xu Xichen 徐锡琛 wrote the preface.

The book explores the origins of calligraphy, its rules and standards, the forms and structures of characters, as well as the techniques for using the brush and ink. The discussions are thorough and rooted in his own experiences, avoiding any biased or one-sided views. The entire book comprises over sixty sections, emphasising that to learn calligraphy, one must first grasp its clear origins, then familiarise oneself with the rules, and finally comprehend the differences in transmission and practice.

Despite the book's lack of a clear sequence and systematic organisation, along with some repetitive sections, it still effectively conveys its message and offers guidance.

The text can be found in the series Xiaoyuan congshu 嘯園叢書, Meishu congshu 美術叢書 and Lidai shufa lunwen xuan 歷代書法論文選.