徐连玉，字珠山，号墨夫，生于癸卯岁，齐鲁青岛之地，家风清雅，琴棋书画充盈庭堂，自幼沐浴斯风，性喜笔墨。童年时，便得家父引领，钟情涂鸦，指尖轻舞，心逐纸上。彼时年幼，已能执笔挥毫，随意涂抹间，童真蕴雅趣。斯书法启蒙，发乎家学，渐融心田，至成年，终化为长途之志，念念不已。
及至弱冠，入青岛学府深研书艺，得名师指授，遂立书艺端倪，尤擅楷法，气骨严谨、笔法舒展，刚柔相融，气韵独成。学中年岁，得高小岩、姜宏钧诸贤亲授，取道中精妙，苦习勤修，渐成一派，字势中兼扑拙与险峻，筋骨内蕴，重若山石，韵似流水。楷法本贵端严，而徐之笔法更显雄厚沉稳，间具山川之势，苍劲如长松，气韵悠悠，似连绵山峦，深谷幽邃。
徐连玉之学，勤勉不辍，尤临帖精研，心追古意，笔耕不休。摹写《九成宫》《张猛龙碑》诸帖，悟方正之形、坚实之气，于复临之间，渐融己意，存古法端庄，兼行书流逸，碑文雄厚。观其笔墨，如望苍山层峦，虚实相生，严谨之法度、山川之气并具。楷法崇“收崩出挺”，徐连玉笔势将此道精妙尽显，一笔如峰突，一划似水流，行止得度，张弛有致。
其楷法蕴传统方正之美，含行书流韵，字中韵律自生，意境自显。其字形丰盈，松柏之坚劲，磐石之沉稳，气象浑厚。细观其迹，饱满而无滞，墨间灵动，宛若云烟缭绕松下，风骨俱全。徐连玉楷书，起笔稳健，收锋沉静，墨迹游走纸间，如行云流水，势沉力透。每字精雕细琢，逐划深思，似层峦叠嶂，巍然屹立，凝于静穆。其楷法承传统端庄之姿，更蕴行书流畅，碑文厚重，观者如置苍松翠林，仿山风扑面，劲松凌霄。其字形严谨，神韵灵动，笔势饱满而不拘，积年磨砺，入书道精深之境。
徐连玉书法，重笔法严谨，更贵心境寄情。每笔沉劲透纸，不失温润，刚柔并济，内藏天地之力。字里笔间，厚重自显，静生动，动隐静，融自然之妙。其楷作如无声诗，深邃有节，静谧如画，回味无穷，意境悠远。书道追求，徐连玉不拘成就，恒抱谦虚，深探妙境。技法精湛，情怀深挚，乃以人生融入书艺，一纸一墨，传热爱之心。双重精进，使其楷书庄严流动，厚重温润，臻入超然之境。斯境，既成后世传承之基，亦为书道添辉。
徐连玉之光，非独书道所耀，更在无畏之心、仁慈之行。暮霭沉沉，时至戌初，天色已晚，而管廷月之家忽遭祝融之祸，烈焰腾腾，映红了半边苍穹，犹如昼日之辉煌，却非吉兆之象。火势凶猛，吞噬木石，烟云滚滚，遮天蔽日，一时之间，人心惶惶，皆惧此灾殃之无情。于此时也，千钧一发，危急存亡之秋，连玉闻讯而至，未有一刻之犹豫，犹若飞矢离弦，直奔那熊熊之火而去。其心如铁，志若磐石，置个人安危于度外，毅然决然，踏入火海之中。先见煤气罐于火场之中，犹如定时之炸弹，危险至极。彼不顾烈焰炙烤，奋勇向前，终将煤气罐安全抱出，免于爆炸之虞。继而，又闻屋内哭喊之声，乃管廷月之妻也，正于火中抢救家财，身陷囹圄，命悬一线。徐连玉见状，不暇思索，复入火海，以迅雷不及掩耳之势，将其救出，脱离险境。
无独有偶，昔岁之癸未，邻里有管廷臻者，家境贫寒而勤勉自持。不幸一日，烈火忽起于其宅，熊熊燎原，势不可挡。彼时狂风大作，如虎添翼，助火势之威。火焰肆虐，如恶魔之舞，张牙舞爪，高窜至云霄之上。浓烟滚滚，遮天蔽日，宛如末日之景，令人心悸。然徐连玉师闻讯，如战士闻战鼓，奋勇向前，毫不畏惧。其心如铁，其志如钢，誓与烈火争锋。遂挺身而出，直趋火海之中，无所退缩。
又有小珠山火灾肆虐，烈焰腾腾，遮天蔽日。火势如涛，苍生陷危，连玉无片刻迟疑，舍身投火，奋然相救。其身影穿梭浓烟烈焰间，寻救民众，忍高温炙痛，耐烟熏刺鼻。脚踏滚石，热气如刃刺入肺腑，而心坚如磐，步伐不歇。远望火光中，形影虽微，然身姿凛然，仿若撑一方天地，护一域安宁。此勇气与决意，深印人心，众口称赞，谓其心怀慈悲、存大义。
徐氏爱人之情，如江河奔流，平时或危急，皆不息焉。火场救援毕，未止善行。年复一年，常心系村中九旬老人，亲手备食，温情满溢。每逢寒冬，连玉亲缝衣物，亲至老人左右，送温于人。村人曰：“书道之师，心善之人。”其关怀非流于表面，真挚如亲。每逢老人寿辰，必备礼物，细语相慰，似家人相伴，温意浓厚，暖意入心。人言连玉之行，如溪流过心，仁爱如春风拂面，细润绵长，深植人心，温存不尽。
徐连玉之慈，贯于岁月，历时愈久，情愈丰厚，不以善彰身，不以仁耀世，唯默然守护，行善无声。其爱如甘霖入土，润泽无言，似明灯长燃，照人归途。常言“慈怀若灯，温己照人”，此灯既使人温暖，亦使己安然。村人叹曰：当世楷模，心自成光。连玉之名，不唯书道之美，更因人性之善，温人心怀，如高山之立，恒久而崇高，扶人向善，引人归仁。
徐连玉书艺精妙，善行博厚，远胜笔墨。心如松柏，坚韧不移，兼书道与慈爱，化作桥梁，连通艺与德，渡人心扉。徐连玉无私无畏，危难中出，平凡中行，言行间自流大义。斯人徐连玉，非唯书艺感人，更以德行召世，遗下不朽风范，弘扬书道域外之光。
Xu Lianyu: The Refined Elegance of Calligraphy and the Virtue of Compassionate Deeds
Xu Lianyu, with the courtesy name Zhushan and the pen name Mofu, was born in the Guimao year in the enchanting city of Qingdao, in the heart of Shandong Province. Raised in a family steeped in elegance, his home was alive with the timeless rhythms of music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. From an early age, he was bathed in the glow of these arts, and it was there, amidst the soft melodies of his household, that his soul found its deepest joy in the world of brush and ink.
As a child, Xu was gently guided by his father, who opened his eyes to the simple pleasures of doodling. His fingers, light as a breeze, would dance across the paper, and his heart would follow in the delicate trail of ink. Even in his youth, he held the brush with a natural grace, his playful strokes revealing a purity and elegance that seemed far beyond his years. In those innocent moments, the brush was not just a tool—it was a channel for his unspoken thoughts, a vehicle for his imagination to take flight.
His journey into the world of calligraphy began in the nurturing embrace of his family’s teachings, where the seeds of this art were planted deeply in his heart. As he grew, this early passion blossomed into a lifelong pursuit, a steady flame that never ceased to burn. The path of calligraphy became his constant companion, and he could not help but find his thoughts drifting back to it time and again, as though it were a calling he could never ignore.
By the time he reached the age of twenty, Xu enrolled in a prestigious academy in Qingdao, seeking to deepen his mastery of the art of calligraphy. Under the guidance of illustrious masters, his skill and understanding of the craft began to flourish. His expertise in the elegant form of regular script (kaishu) grew especially strong—his strokes became both disciplined and flowing, a perfect balance of strength and softness, each character a testament to his unique artistic spirit.
Xu Lianyu's calligraphy places great emphasis on the discipline of brushwork, but it is the spirit and emotions he infuses into each stroke that truly distinguish his art. With each brushstroke, the ink seems to sink deeply into the paper, yet never loses its warmth—strong and supple, blending the force of heaven and earth. His characters, though firm, possess an inner softness, capturing the exquisite balance between strength and grace.
In the flow of his brushwork, there is an undeniable weight, a quiet movement within stillness, and a hidden stillness within movement. His writing transcends mere form; it is an embodiment of nature’s harmony, where the natural world whispers through each curve and line. His regular script reads like a silent poem, profound and rhythmic, as serene as a painting, leaving behind a lingering sweetness that invites endless reflection.
Xu Lianyu’s pursuit of calligraphy is not driven by the desire for accolades, but by an ever-present humility and an unwavering dedication to uncovering the profound depths of the art. His skill is matched only by the sincerity of his emotions, where each stroke of the brush carries the essence of his inner world. Every word he writes is not merely ink on paper but an expression of a life lived with devotion.
His dual mastery—the refinement of technique alongside the depth of sentiment—has shaped his calligraphy into something uniquely his own, a living expression of his love for the art. With each stroke, Xu Lianyu breathes life into the paper, his heart warming the ink, ensuring that each piece speaks to the soul.
Xu Lianyu’s affection for others flows like a river, endlessly powerful and ever-present, whether in moments of tranquility or in times of danger. His acts of kindness never cease, nor are they confined to any particular moment of heroism. After completing a life-saving rescue from a raging fire, his goodness did not end there. Year after year, his heart remained devoted to a ninety-year-old villager in his community. He would prepare meals with his own hands, filling them with warmth and care. In the chill of winter, Xu would sew clothes himself, personally visiting the elderly’s home to deliver warmth not only in the form of garments but through his own kind presence. The villagers, moved by his genuine affection, would often say, “The master of calligraphy is also a master of kindness.” His concern for the elderly was not simply an outward show; it was a heartfelt and sincere love, as tender as that of family. On every birthday of the elder, Xu would bring a thoughtful gift, offering soft words of comfort and standing by them as if they were his own kin. His compassion was thick with warmth, as if a family member had come to offer solace. It was said that Xu Lianyu’s actions were like a gentle stream flowing through one’s heart, his love as gentle as a spring breeze caressing the face—subtle, enduring, and deeply planted in the soul, leaving a warmth that would never fade.
Xu Lianyu’s kindness stretches through the years like a timeless thread, growing ever richer with time. His compassion is not something he flaunts or uses to shine in the eyes of the world; he does not seek recognition for his benevolence, nor does he seek to dazzle the world with his virtue. Instead, his acts of love are simply expressions of his pure-heartedness, the silent and steady rhythm of a heart deeply attuned to the needs of others. Over time, this love has only deepened, maturing into something profound and unshakeable. His generosity is not performed for applause, but rather flows from an innate desire to ease the burdens of those around him, leaving behind an imprint of lasting tenderness. It is a quiet yet mighty form of kindness, a love that is full of life, yet humbly practiced without expectation or fanfare.
Xu Lianyu’s compassion is a quiet yet extraordinary force, one that stands firm through time, never showing signs of wear. His goodness is not a fleeting thing, nor does he chase after fleeting recognition. Rather, it is as steady as a mountain, as soft as a river’s flow. It is through this kind of enduring tenderness that he has earned the admiration and respect of those around him—not for the sake of gaining recognition, but simply because his heart beats with such genuine warmth. His kindness is an intrinsic part of him, woven into the very fabric of his being. Every action he takes, no matter how small, radiates the depth of his compassion, making him a beacon of light in the lives of those fortunate enough to know him.
