Calligraphy

Chinese calligraphy is the term for turning Chinese writing into a form of art. Calligraphy is nearly as old as Chinese writing itself and has various styles and principles. The art form began in China and spread throughout East Asia to Korea, Japan and Vietnam along with Chinese writing.

Calligraphy can still be seen in modern Chinese culture and basic calligraphy lessons are part of public education in the country. Modern practitioners can often be seen in parks and other public places displaying their work.


Rules and Principles

Calligraphy has a specific set of rules that practitioners follow. The way a calligrapher holds the brush is important for good results. The brush should be held vertically, held by the thumb, index and middle fingers. The palm should be empty and not gripping the brush. This ensures stability and freedom of motion when writing.

Stroke mastery is essential for good calligraphy. Though Chinese characters may look random to outsiders, each type of strike has a particular name and method for writing it. Different types of strokes must be made in different orders to ensure the proper balance in a character’s shape. Rhythm while writing is also essential, as stuttering or faltering while writing can cause a character look different.

Each calligrapher’s characters will look different. It’s thought that the way a calligrapher writes reflects certain elements of his or her personality.


Calligraphy Styles

There are a number of various styles of calligraphy. The most basic is the kaishu, or regular script. This was developed relatively late and is neatly written, with carefully placed spaces and strokes. This is usually what beginners practice with as a way of introducing them to calligraphy.

Seal script or zhuanshu was used in ancient China for ancient seals. Seals (also called chops) were carved out of wood, jade or bone and stamped on documents as an official signature. Most people can no longer read seal script because it differs significantly from modern writing, but it continues to be used as a style of calligraphy.

Another script called cursive script (or caoshu) is also known as grass script. The name comes from their flowing, soft appearance. Entire characters are sometimes written in this style without lifting the brush from the paper, since all the strokes flow into each other.