East Asian calligraphy 1119765 224392193 2008-07-08T17:28:28Z TrinityExchange 7443035 /* Study */ higher education {{Chinese |pic=書.svg |picsize=100px |piccap=The traditional Chinese character for "writing" or "book". |t=書法 |s=书法 |p=Shūfǎ |kanji=書道|書道 |hiragana=しょどう (modern)<br />しよだう ([[Historical kana usage|historical]]) |revhep=Shodō |hangul=서예 |hanja=書藝 |rr=Seoye |mr=Sŏye |qn=Thư Pháp |hantu=書法 }} The art of '''[[calligraphy]]''' is widely practiced and revered in the [[East Asia]]n [[civilization]]s that use or used [[Chinese characters]]. These include [[China]], [[Japan]], [[Korea]], and to a lesser extent, [[Vietnam]]. In addition to being an artform in its own right, calligraphy has also influenced [[ink and wash painting]], which is accomplished using similar tools and techniques. The East Asian tradition of calligraphy originated and developed from [[China]], specifically the ink and brush writing of [[Chinese characters]]. There is a general standardization of the various styles of calligraphy in the East Asian tradition. Calligraphy has also led to the development of many other forms of art in East Asia, including [[Chinese seal|seal]] carving, ornate paperweights, and [[inkstone]]s. ==Styles== {| class="wikitable" |+ '''Main styles of Chinese character calligraphy''' |- !English name !Chinese <small>([[Traditional Chinese character|trad.]] [[Hanzi]])</small>;<br /> Japanese <small>([[Kanji]])</small>;<br /> Korean <small>([[Hanja]])</small>>;<br /> Vietnamese <small>([[Hán tự]])</small> !Chinese <small>(Hanzi - [[Simplified Chinese character|simplified]])</small> !Chinese, Mandarin <small>([[Pinyin]])</small> !Japanese <small>([[Hepburn Romaji]])</small> !Korean <small>([[Hangul]])</small> !Korean <small>([[Revised Romanization of Korean|Revised Romanization]])</small> !Vietnamese <small>([[Quốc ngữ]])</small> |- | [[Seal script]]<br>(Small seal) | <big>{{lang|zh-HanT|篆書}} | <big>{{lang|zh-Hans|篆书}} | {{transl|zh|ISO|Zhuànshū}} | {{transl|ja|Tensho}} | {{lang|ko|전서}} | {{transl|ko|Jeonseo}} | {{transl|vi|Triện thư}} |- | [[Clerical script]] (Official script) | <big>{{lang|zh-HanT|隸書}}</big><br>(Jpn: {{lang|ja|隷書}}) | <big>{{lang|zh-Hans|隶书}} | {{transl|zh|ISO|Lìshū}} | {{transl|ja|Reisho}} | {{lang|ko|예서}} | {{transl|ko|Yeseo}} | {{transl|vi|Lệ thư}} |- | [[Semi-cursive script]]<br>(Running script) | <big>{{lang|zh-HanT|行書}} | <big>{{lang|zh-Hans|行书}} | {{transl|zh|ISO|Xíngshū}} | {{transl|ja|Gyōsho}} | {{lang|ko|행서}} | {{transl|ko|Haengseo}} | {{transl|vi|Hành thư}} |- | [[Cursive script (East Asia)|Cursive script]] (Grass script) | <big>{{lang|zh-HanT|草書}} | <big>{{lang|zh-Hans|草书}} | {{transl|zh|ISO|Cǎoshū}} | {{transl|ja|Sōsho}} | {{lang|ko|초서}} | {{transl|ko|Choseo}} | {{transl|vi|Thảo thư}} |- | [[Regular script]] (Standard script) | <big>{{lang|zh-HanT|楷書}} | <big>{{lang|zh-Hans|楷书}} | {{transl|zh|ISO|Kǎishū}} | {{transl|ja|Kaisho}} | {{lang|ko|해서}} | {{transl|ko|Haeseo}} | {{transl|vi|Khải thư}} |} {| |[[Image:XiaozhuanQinquan sized.jpg|500x200px]] |[[Image:LishuHuashanmiao.jpg|500x200px]] |[[Image:XingshuLantingxv.jpg|500x200px]] |[[Image:CaoshuShupu.jpg|500x200px]] |[[Image:KaishuOuyangxun.jpg|500x200px]] |- |<center>Seal</center> |<center>Clerical</center> |<center>Semi-cursive</center> |<center>Cursive</center> |<center>Regular</center> |} Characters are often written in ancient variations or simplifications that deviate from the modern standards used in Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese or Korean. Modern variations or simplifications of characters, akin to Chinese [[simplified Chinese|Simplified characters]] or Japanese ''[[shinjitai]]'', are occasionally used, especially since some simplified forms derive from cursive script shapes in the first place. The Japanese syllabaries of katakana and hiragana are used in calligraphy; [[katakana]] were derived from regular script shapes and [[hiragana]] from characters in the cursive script. In Korea, the post-[[Korean War]] period saw the increased use of [[hangul]], the Korean alphabet, in calligraphy. ===Seal Script=== {{main|Seal script}} [[Image:Seal Eg.png|right|100px]] The seal script (often called small seal script) is the formal script of the [[Qin (state)|Qín]] system of writing, which evolved during the [[Eastern Zhou|Eastern Zhōu]] dynasty in the [[Qin (state)|state of Qín]] and was imposed as the standard in areas Qín progressively conquered. Although some calligraphers now practice the most ancient [[oracle bone script]] as well as various other scripts older than seal script found on [[Zhou dynasty|Zhōu dynasty]] [[Chinese bronze inscriptions|bronze inscriptions]], seal script is the oldest style that continues to be ''widely'' practiced. Today, this style of Chinese writing is used predominantly in [[Seal (device)|seal]]s, hence the English name. Although seals (name chops), which make a signature-like impression, are carved in wood, jade and other materials, the script itself was originally written with brush and ink on bamboo books and other media, just like all other ancient scripts. Most people today cannot read the seal script, so it is considered an ‘ancient’ script, generally not used outside the fields of calligraphy and carved seals. However, because seals act like legal [[signature]]s in [[Chinese culture]], [[Korean culture]], [[Vietnamese culture]] and [[Japanese culture]], and because vermillion seal impressions are a fundamental part of the presentation of works of art such as calligraphy and painting, seals and therefore seal script remain ubiquitous. ===Clerical Script=== {{main|Clerical script}} [[Image:Clerical Eg.png|right|100px]] The clerical script (often simply termed lìshū; and sometimes called official, draft or scribal script) is popularly thought to have developed in the Hàn dynasty and to have come directly from seal script, but recent archaeological discoveries and scholarship indicate that it instead developed from a roughy executed and rectilinear popular or ‘vulgar’ variant of the seal script as well as from seal script itself, resulting first in a ‘proto-clerical’ version in the [[Warring States period]] to [[Qin Dynasty| Qín Dynasty]] <ref>Qiu 2000; p.59, 104, 106, 107 & 108</ref>, which then developed into clerical script in the early Western Hàn dynasty, and matured stylistically thereafter. In general, characters are often "flat" in appearance, being wider than the preceding seal script and the modern standard script, both of which tend to be taller than they are wide; some versions of clerical are square, and others are wider. Compared with the preceding seal script, forms are strikingly rectilinear; however, some curvature and some seal script influence often remains. Seal script tended towards uniformity of stroke width, but clerical script gave the brush freer reign, returning to the variations in width seen in early Zhōu brushwork. Most noticeable is the dramatically flared tail of one dominant horizontal or downward-diagonal stroke, especially that to the lower right. This characteristic stroke has famously been called 'silkworm head and wild goose tail' (蠶頭雁尾 cántóu yànwěi)in Chinese due to its distinctive shape. The archaic clerical script or ‘proto-clerical’ of the Chinese [[Warring States period]] to [[Qin Dynasty| Qín Dynasty]] and early [[Han Dynasty| Hàn Dynasty]] can often be difficult to read for a modern East Asian person, but the mature clerical script of the middle to late Hàn dynasty is generally legible. Modern calligraphic works and practical applications (e.g., advertisements) in the clerical script tend to use the mature, late Hàn style, and may also use modernized character structures, resulting in a form as transparent and legible as regular (or standard) script. The clerical script remains common as a typeface used for decorative purposes (for example, in displays), but other than in artistic calligraphy, adverts and signage, it is not commonly written. ===Semi-cursive Script=== {{main|Semi-cursive script}} [[Image:Semi-Cur Eg.png|right|100px]] The semi-cursive script (also called running script, 行書) approximates normal handwriting in which strokes and, more rarely, characters are allowed to run into one another. In writing in the semi-cursive script, the brush leaves the paper less often than in the regular script. Characters appear less angular and rounder. The characters are also more bold. In general, an educated person in China or Japan can read characters written in the semi-cursive script with relative ease, but may have occasional difficulties with certain idiosyncratic shapes. ===Cursive Script=== {{main|Cursive script (East Asia)|l1=Cursive script}} [[Image:Cur Eg.png|right|100px]] The cursive script (sometimes called ''grass script'', 草書) is a fully cursive script, with drastic simplifications requiring specialized knowledge; a person who can read the semi-cursive script '''cannot''' be expected to read the cursive script without training. Entire characters may be written without lifting the brush from the paper at all, and characters frequently flow into one another. Strokes are modified or eliminated completely to facilitate smooth writing and to create a beautiful, abstract appearance. Characters are highly rounded and soft in appearance, with a noticeable lack of angular lines. Due to the drastic simplification and ligature involved, this script is not considered particularly legible to the average person, and thus has never achieved widespread use beyond the realm of literati calligraphers. The cursive script is the source of Japanese ''hiragana'', as well as many modern simplified forms in Simplified Chinese characters and Japanese ''shinjitai''. ===Regular Script=== {{main|Regular script}} [[Image:Regular Eg.png|right|100px]] The regular script (often called ‘standard script’ or simply ‘kǎishū’) is one of the last major calligraphic styles to develop, emerging between the Chinese Hàn dynasty and [[Three Kingdoms]] period, gaining dominance in the [[Southern and Northern Dynasties]], and maturing in the [[Tang Dynasty| Táng Dynasty]]. It emerged from a neatly written, early period semi-cursive form of [[clerical script]]. As the name suggests, the regular script is "regular", with each of the strokes placed slowly and carefully, the brush lifted from the paper and all the strokes distinct from each other. The regular script is also the most easily and widely recognized style, as it is the script to which children in East Asian countries and beginners of East Asian languages are first introduced. For learners of calligraphy, the regular script is usually studied first to give students a feel for correct placement and balance, as well as to provide a proper base for the other, more flowing styles. In the regular script samples to the right, the characters in the left column are in [[Traditional Chinese]] while those to the right are in [[Simplified Chinese]]. ===Edomoji=== {{main|Edomoji}} There is also a large family of native Japanese calligraphic styles known as ''[[edomoji]]'', characters created in the [[Edo]] period of Japanese history, such as ''sumōmoji'' (sumo letters) used to write [[sumō]] wrestling posters, ''kanteiryū'', used for [[kabuki]], ''higemoji'', and so on. These styles are typically not taught in Japanese calligraphy schools. Chinese and Korean people can read ''edomoji'', but the style has a distinct Japanese feel to it. It is therefore commonly used in China and Korea to advertise Japanese restaurants. ===Munjado=== Munjado is a Korean decorative style of rendering Chinese characters in which brush strokes are replaced with representational paintings that provide commentary on the meaning.[http://www.nfm.go.kr:8080/english/search/sch_src/full.cgi?v_kw_str=&v_db=2&v_doc_no=00000671] The characters thus rendered are traditionally those for the eight Confucian virtues of humility, honor, duty, propriety, trust, loyalty, brotherly love, and filial piety. === Kaō === {{main|Kaō}} The ''kaō'' is a stylized calligraphic signature. Many Japanese emperors, shogun, and even modern politicians develop their own ''kaō.'' == Tools == The paper, ink, brush, and inkstone are essential implements of East Asian calligraphy: they are known together as the '''Four Treasures of the Study''' (T: 文房四寶 / S: 文房四宝) in China, and as the '''Four Friends of the Study''' (HG: 문방사우 / HJ: 文房四友) in Korea. In addition to these four tools, desk pads and paperweights are also used by calligraphers. === Paper === Special types of paper are used in East Asian calligraphy. In [[China]], ''[[Xuanzhi]]'', traditionally made in [[Anhui]] province, is the preferred type of paper. It is made from the [[Tartar wingceltis]] (''Pteroceltis tartarianovii''), as well as other materials including [[rice]], the [[paper mulberry]] (''Broussonetia papyrifera''), [[bamboo]], [[hemp]], etc. In [[Japan]], ''[[washi]]'' is made from the ''kozo'' (paper mulberry), ''[[ganpi]]'' (''Wikstroemia sikokiana''), and ''[[mitsumata]]'' (''Edgeworthia papyrifera''), as well as other materials like bamboo, hemp, rice, and [[wheat]]. Sometimes the brush is used to put ink on a pen. === Ink === The ink is made from lampblack (soot) and binders, and comes in sticks which must be rubbed with water on an inkstone until the right consistency is achieved. Much cheaper, pre-mixed bottled inks are now available, but these are used primarily for practice as stick inks are considered higher quality and chemical inks are more prone to bleeding over time, making them less suitable for use in hanging scrolls. Learning to rub the ink is an essential part of calligraphy study. Traditionally, East Asian calligraphy is written only in black ink, but modern calligraphers sometimes use other colours. Calligraphy teachers use a bright orange or red ink with which they write practice characters for students and correct students' work. === Brush === {{main|Ink brush}} The brush is the traditional writing implement in East Asian calligraphy. The body of the brush can be made from either [[bamboo]], or rarer materials like [[red sandalwood]], [[glass]], [[ivory]], [[silver]], and [[gold]]. The head of the brush can be made from the hair (or feather) of a wide variety of animals, including the [[wolf]], [[rabbit]], [[deer]], [[chicken]], [[duck]], [[goat]], [[pig]], [[tiger]], etc. There is also a tradition in both China and Japan of making a brush using the hair of a newborn, as a once-in-a-lifetime souvenir for the child. This practice is associated with the legend of an ancient Chinese scholar who scored first in the [[Imperial examination]]s by using such a personalized brush. Today, calligraphy may also be done using a [[pen]], but pen calligraphy does not enjoy the same prestige as traditional brush calligraphy. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1q5NDyWeraU A video showing how to hold a Chinese brush] === Inkstone === A stone or ceramic [[inkstone]] is used to rub the solid ink stick into liquid ink and to contain the ink once it is liquid. [[Chinese Inkstones]] are highly prized as art objects and an extensive bibliography is dedicated to their history and appreciation, especially in China. === Paperweight === Paperweights are used to weigh down paper. Paperweights come in several types: some are oblong wooden blocks carved with calligraphic or pictorial designs; others are essentially small sculptures of people or animals. Like inkstones, paperweights are collectible works of art on their own right. === Desk pad === The desk pad (Chinese [[Traditional Chinese|T]]: 畫氈, [[Simplified Chinese|S]]: 画毡, [[Pinyin]]: huàzhān; Japanese: 下敷 [[shitajiki]]) is a pad made of felt. Some are printed with grids on both sides, so that when it is placed under the translucent paper, it can be used as a guide to ensure correct placement and size of characters. These printed pads are used only by students. Both desk pads and the printed grids come in a variety of sizes. === Seal === {{main|Chinese seal}} Works of calligraphy are usually completed by the artist putting his or her [[Chinese seal|seal]] at the very end, in red ink. The seal serves the function of a signature. ==Study== [[Image:Chinese brush hold.jpg|thumb|left|The [[Culture of China|Chinese]] method of holding the brush]] How the brush is held depends on which calligraphic genre is practiced. For [[Chinese calligraphy]], the method of holding the brush is more special; the brush is held vertically straight gripped between the thumb and middle finger. The index finger lightly touches the upper part of the shaft of the brush (stabilizing it) while the ring and little fingers tuck under the bottom of the shaft. The palm is hollow, and you should be able to hold an egg within that space. This method, although difficult to hold correctly for the beginner, allows greater freedom of movement, control and execution of strokes. For Japanese calligraphy, the brush is held in the right hand between the thumb and the index finger, very much like a Western pen. A paperweight is placed at the top of all but the largest pages to prevent slipping; for smaller pieces the left hand is also placed at the bottom of the page for support. [[Image:Water calligraphy - Beihai Park.JPG|thumb|right|A man practicing calligraphy in [[Beihai Park]], [[Beijing]]]] In China, there are many people who practice calligraphy in public places such as parks and sidewalks, using water as their ink and the ground as their paper. Very large brushes are required. Although such calligraphic works are temporary (as the water will eventually dry), they serve the dual purpose of both being an informal public display of one's work, and an opportunity to further practice one's calligraphy. In Japan, smaller pieces of [[Japanese calligraphy]] are traditionally written seated in the traditional Japanese way ([[seiza]]), kneeling down. In modern times, however, practitioners frequently practice calligraphy seated on a chair at a table. Larger pieces may be written while standing; in this case the paper is usually placed directly on the floor, but some calligraphers use an easel. Calligraphy takes many years of dedicated practice. Correct [[stroke order]], proper balance and rhythm of characters are essential in calligraphy. Skilled handling of the brush produces a pleasing balance of characters on the paper, thick and thin lines, and heavy and light inking. In most cases, a calligrapher will practice writing the Chinese character ''yong'' (永) many, many times in order to perfect the [[Eight Principles of Yong|eight basic essential strokes]] contained within the character. Those who can correctly write the ''yong'' character beautifully can potentially write all characters with beauty. Basic calligraphy instruction is part of the regular school curriculum in both [[China]] and [[Japan]] and specialized programs of study exist at the higher education level in both countries. ==Noted calligraphers== Nearly all traditionally educated men (and sometimes women) in East Asia are proficient in calligraphy. The most famous are: === China === [[Image:Mifu02.jpg|thumb|right|Chinese calligraphy of mixed styles written by [[Song Dynasty]] (1051-1108 CE) poet [[Mi Fu|Mifu]]. For centuries, the Chinese literati were expected to master the art of calligraphy.]] [[Image:Koku Saitcho shounin.jpg|thumb|right|''Cry for noble [[Saichō]]'' (哭最澄上人), written by [[Emperor Saga]] for Saichō's death. Chinese calligraphic influence had weakened after Heian period. This text was one of the few examples of the transformation.]] *[[Wei Shuo]] 衛鑠 衛夫人 *[[Wang Xizhi]] 王羲之 *[[Wang Xianzhi]] 王獻之 *[[Huai Su]] 怀素 (懷素) *[[Qigong (artist)|Qigong]] (启功) *[[Yu Shinan]] 虞世南 *[[Zhang Xu (calligrapher)|Zhang Xu]] 張旭 *[[Yan Zhenqing]] 顏真卿 *[[Liu Gongquan]] 柳公權 *[[Ouyang Xun]] 歐陽詢 *[[Su Shi]] 蘇軾 *[[Huang Tingjian]] 黄庭堅 *[[Emperor Huizong of Song China|Emperor Huizong of Song Dynasty]] 宋徽宗 趙佶 *[[Zhao Mengfu]] 趙孟頫 *[[Liu Bingsen]] 劉炳森 *[[Mao Zedong]] 毛澤東 *[[Chiang Kai-Shek]] 蔣中正 *[[Kang Youwei]] (possibly considered one) *[[Zheng Banqiao]] 鄭板橋 *[[Huang Ruheng]] *[[Shi Kefa]] 史可法 See also [http://www.art-virtue.com/history/index.htm] === Japan === *[[Kūkai]] 空海 *[[Emperor Saga]] 嵯峨天皇 *[[Tachibana no Hayanari]] 橘逸勢 *[[Ono Michikaze]] 小野道風 *[[Fujiwara no Sukemasa]] 藤原佐理 *[[Fujiwara no Yukinari]] 藤原行成 *[[Honami Kōetsu|Hon'ami Kōetsu]] 本阿弥光悦 *[[Konoe Nobutada]] 近衛信尹 *[[Shokado Shojo]] 松花堂昭乗 *[[Ryōkan]] 良寛 *[[Yamaoka Tesshu]] 山岡鉄舟 *[[Igaki Hokujo]] 井垣北城 === Korea === [[Image:Chusa-Buliseonrando-01.jpg|thumb|Chusa-Buliseonrando-01.jpg|''Buiseonrando'', which was written and painted by [[Kim Jeonghee]]. This original Korean calligraphy is called ''Chusache'', which was named after his pen name.]] *[[Choi Chiwon]] 최치원 *[[Kim Saeng]] 김생 *[[Tan Yeon]] 탄연 *[[Yi Aam]] 이암 *[[Yi Yong]] 이용 *[[Bak Jega]] 박제가 *[[Kim Jeonghee]] 김정희 *[[Kim Myeong-hui]] 김명회 *[[Han Seokbong]] 한석봉 *[[Sejong the Great]] 세종대왕 *[[Grand Prince Anpyeong]] 안평대군 *[[Kang Sehwang]] 강세황 *[[Yun Sun]] 윤순 *[[Yi I]] 이이 *[[Yi Hwang]] 이황 *[[Yi Sun-sin]] 이순신 *[[Shin Saimdang]] 신사임당 *[[Jeong Yak-yong]] 정약용 *[[Kim Okgyun]] 김옥균 ==See also== *[[Chinese art]] **[[Chinese calligraphy]] (Redirected here) *[[Japanese art]] **[[Japanese calligraphy]] *[[Korean art]] **[[Korean calligraphy]] (Redirected here) *[[Ink and wash painting]] *[[Songti]] *[[Stroke order]] *[[Chinese character]] *[[Eight Principles of Yong]] == References == <div class="references-small"> * Daniels O, ''Dictionary of Japanese (Sōsho) Writing Forms'', Lunde Humphries, 1944 (reprinted 1947) * Deng Sanmu 鄧散木, ''Shufa Xuexi Bidu'' 書法學習必讀. Hong Kong Taiping Book Department Publishing 香港太平書局出版: Hong Kong, 1978. * Qiú Xīguī (裘錫圭), ''Chinese Writing'', Early China Special Monograph Series No. 4. Berkeley: The Society for the Study of Early China and the Institute of East Asian Studies, University of California, Berkeley, 2000. ISBN 1-55729-071-7. </div> ==External links== {{commonscat|Calligraphy of East Asia}} {{cleanup-spam|date=February 2008}} *[http://3benefits.com/brush/the-making-of-wishing-brush/ The Making of Wishing Brush 1 of 2] 12 Steps of Making a Chinese Calligraphy Brush *[http://3benefits.com/brush/wishing-brush-2/ The Making of Wishing Brush 2 of 2] *[http://www.chinapage.com/callig1.html Art of Chinese Calligraphy] *[http://www.art-virtue.com/history/index.htm History of Chinese Calligraphy] *[http://www.korea.net/korea/kor_loca.asp?code=H0405 History of Korean Calligraphy] at Korea.net(KOIS) *[http://www.sljfaq.org/w/Shotai Shotai - Sljfaq] *[http://www.thuhoavietnam.com SPECIAL ISSUE OF VIETNAMESE CALLIGRAPHY] *[http://www.culturalprofiles.net/Viet_Nam/Directories/Vi_ACYAIw-7879_ADs-t_Nam_Cultural_Profile/-3668.html History of Calligraphy in Vietnam] {{Chinese Calligraphies}} [[Category:Asian art]] [[Category:Chinese characters]] [[Category:Chinese language]] [[Category:East Asian calligraphy| ]] [[Category:Japanese writing system]] [[Category:Chinese art]] [[Category:Arts in China]] {{Link FA|fr}} [[ar:شودو]] [[de:Chinesische Kalligrafie]] [[es:Caligrafía china]] [[fr:Styles calligraphiques chinois]] [[ko:서예]] [[it:Shodō]] [[ms:Seni khat Asia Timur]] [[ja:書道]] [[vi:Thư pháp Á Đông]] [[zh:书法]]