The Art of Chinese Calligraphy
Discover the Beautiful Art of Calligraphy Practice and Collection
Calligraphy was originally cultivated to inscribe and identify divine or
political artifacts. They can be dated as far back as around 1600-1100
BC during the time of the Shang dynasty. These inscriptions were found
on bronze or oracle bones in the form of an engraved marking.
Today, caligraphy still is practiced using simple brushes of small
animal hair bound by bamboo or wood cylinders. The specific layering of
the longer outer hairs over the shorter inner brush hairs allows the
brush its fluidity and line of expression that gives calligraphy its
characteristic artform.
The black ink is soot based powerder combined with a natural resin in
liquid or pressed stick form. The stick must be ground against a stone
with water to release the pigment. Whereas the red ink paste that is
used in the signature stamp is based on a mixture of different
ingredients like pigment coral, pearl, gold leaf, oil and minerals with
aicao or lotus (plant fiber) as a pigment binder.
The traditional calligraphy paper consists of mulberry, hemp or bamboo
fibers. These four elements: the ink, the brush, the inkstone and paper
comprise the four 'Treasures of the Study' of calligraphy. The
expressive aspect of calligraphy art is rooted in Confucian elements of
social behaviour and Daoist elements of nature.