Calligraphy

Calligraphy is the traditional art of writing Chinese characters. After centuries of creation and evolution, calligraphy has become a unique form of art.

Chinese scripts are generally divided into five categories: the seal script (zhuan), the official script (li), the regular script (kai), the cursive hand (cao) and the running hand (xing).the seal script was the representative script of the Qin Dynasty. The official script was popularly used in the Han Dynasty. The regular script was the result of development of official script. The cursive hand is fast way of writing the regular and official scripts. The running hand is the script between the regular and cursive. Neither as neat as the former nor as different to recognize as the latter, it is the most commonly used, and is the easiest way of handwriting.

There have been many famous calligraphers, such ad Wang Xizi , Ouyang Xun, Yan Zhenqing, Liu Gongquan and Zhao Mengfu, to name but a few. Each, after years of hard practice, has formed a unique calligraphic style, elevating the Chinese calligraphy into a higher level.

Chinese brush, ink stick ,paper and ink stone are the necessary tools and materials for writing and painting and have always been named collectively as the “Four Treasures of the Study”, to learn calligraphy, one first has to learn how to use a Chinese brush. Beginners should start by copying the regular script.