home->Calligraphy Introduction
Calligraphy and painting are regarded as two of the four kills for a learned and elegant scholar to pursue in the ancient China. Shu (calligraphy), Hua (painting), Qin (a string musical instrument), and Qi (a strategic board game) are the four basic skills and they were also held as a good exercise to cultivate one's temperament.
Introduction to calligraphy
The word "calligraphy" is originally a Greek word meaning "beautiful writing." We usually associate this word with good penmanship, handwriting that is neat, legible and attractive. In China, however, calligraphy is regarded as an art from in itself and is admired and displayed in museums just as paintings are.
Moreover, calligraphy is often used to decorate articles of everyday use. For instance, when you go to a Chinese restaurant you may notice that the dishes are painted with characters as well as with colorful pictures. Even on the ordinary, everyday level of life, beautiful writing is appreciated.
As an art of writing Chinese Characters, Chinese calligraphy or shufa boasts its long history. It is one of the highest forms of Chinese art perfectly embodied the rhythm, lines and structure, serving the purpose of conveying the thoughts of the writer and displaying the abstract beauty of lines. Masters take the characters as the carrier of their thought, so it is no need to understand Chinese character to appreciate the beauty. Like what people do when they appreciate the Western abstract painting.
Regarded as the most abstract and sublime form of art in Chinese culture, "Shu Fa" (calligraphy) is often thought to be most revealing of one's personality. During the imperial era, calligraphy was used as an important criterion for selection of executives to the Imperial court. Unlike other visual art techniques, all calligraphy strokes are permanent and incorrigible, demanding careful planning and confident execution. Such are the skills required for an administrator / executive. While one has to conform to the defined structure of words, the expression can be extremely creative. To exercise humanistic imagination and touch under the faceless laws and regulations is also a virtue well appreciated.
By controlling the concentration of ink, the thickness and absorptive of the paper, and the flexibility of the brush, the artist is free to produce an infinite variety of styles and forms. In contrast to western calligraphy, diffusing ink blots and dry brush strokes are viewed as a natural impromptu expression rather than a fault. While western calligraphy often pursues font-like uniformity, homogeneity of characters in one size is only a craft. To the artist, calligraphy is a mental exercise that coordinates the mind and the body to choose the best styling in expressing the content of the passage. It is a most relaxing yet highly disciplined exercise indeed for one's physical and spiritual well being. Historically, many calligraphy artists were well-known for their longevity.
Chinese calligraphy is an art of turning square Chinese characters into expressive images by the responsiveness of rice paper and speed and pressure of a pointed Chinese brush. People in the west also love and practice Chinese brush calligraphy. Like Picasso and Matisse, who were famous artists in the world, openly declared the influence by Chinese calligraphy on their works.
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