Calligraphy, or the art of writing, is an art form highly prized in China for cultivating discipline and self-expression. It focuses on forming Chinese Han characters carefully and deliberately with specific strokes to create beautiful pieces of art.
Because of the high value people placed on literacy and the written word in traditional China, calligraphy enjoys an elevated status in Chinese society. It was considered a fine art even before painting and sculpture.
Calligraphy requires the use of simple, traditional tools: brush and ink. The flexible hair brush allows the writer to vary the thickness, darkness, and other aspects of the word, and the ink stick can vary the concentration and darkness of the ink. This creates the different effects seen in calligraphy.
The art of calligraphy is one Chinese tradition that has continued for thousands of years. Today calligraphy is practiced by contemporary Chinese artists that have a passion for keeping this wonderful art form alive.