Chinese calligraphy

calligraphy with Chinese script; one of the four arts (music, chess, calligraphy and painting)

Chinese calligraphy is calligraphy that is done in China. Chinese calligraphy is compared to painting, poetry, and music.[1]

Chinese calligraphy
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese書法
Simplified Chinese书法
Vietnamese name
Vietnamese alphabetThư pháp
Chữ Hán
Korean name
Hanja書藝
Japanese name
Kanji書道
Hiraganaしょどう (modern)
しよだう (historical)

In China, calligraphy is called shūfǎ (書法/书法). It means "way/method/law of writing". It is called shodō (書道) in Japan. It means "way of writing" in Japanese. It is called seoye (서예; 書藝) in Korea. It means "skill of writing" in Korean.[2]

Materials and tools

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Four of the most important tools in Chinese calligraphy are called the Four Treasures of the Study. They are the ink brushes, the ink, the paper, and the inkstone. Many calligraphers also usually use water-droppers, paperweights.

Stroke order

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Calligraphy usually follows a certain order when writing.

  •   First horizontally, then vertically
  •   Top to bottom
  •   Left side, then right side
  •   First the middle, then the sides
  •   First the frame, then inside the frame
  •   Close the frame last
  •   Secondary dots last

References

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  1. Li, You-Sheng. A New Interpretation of Chinese Taoist Philosophy: An Anthropological/Psychological View.
  2. Wang Li; et al. (2000). 王力古漢語字典. Beijing: 中華書局. p. 1118. ISBN 7101012191.