New book explores cultural roots of calligraphy

Chinese Calligraphy and Culture, a new book written by Liu Shi, a literature professor at Tsinghua University, has recently been published by Beijing-based CITIC Press Group. The book places the art form within the broader context of Chinese civilization, showing that calligraphy is far more than a single brush technique or an isolated visual art. It is a record of civilization carried in lines and ink.

Across nine chapters, the book explores how calligraphy and Chinese culture have grown together, covering the evolution of typefaces and script styles, imperial calligraphy, literati poetry and calligraphy, Zen Buddhism ink traditions, calligraphy-related craftsmanship, the influence of changing times and regional cultures, the scholarly study of calligraphy, Chinese philosophy, and the spirit of calligraphy.

The book gives readers a complete framework for understanding calligraphy culture. It explains the basic principles of composition, how to hold the brush, brush movement, character structure, ink use, and it also examines the beauty of different types of Chinese scripts.

It showcases the artistic essence of masterpieces such as Lanting Xu (Orchid Pavilion Preface), a piece of Chinese calligraphy generally attributed to well-known calligrapher Wang Xizhi from the Eastern Jin Dynasty (317-420). It also discusses core ideas in Eastern aesthetics, including the balance of yin and yang, learning from nature, and the beauty of harmony. It reveals that every change in character form and every turn of the brush reflects the invention of tools, shifts in the times, the flow of ideas, and the creation of aesthetic values.

The book also includes nearly 300 images, among them famous masters' ink traces, letters and decorative letter papers, stone carvings and inscriptions, model calligraphy rubbings, sutra manuscripts, and unearthed artifacts such as oracle bones, silk manuscripts, and bamboo and wooden slips, all of which help sharpen aesthetic judgment.

Liu notes that calligraphy is a unique spiritual gift the Chinese people have given to the world.

"Today, when keyboards have replaced brushes and typing has replaced writing, calligraphy has long moved beyond the practical goal of writing characters well. It has become a key to understanding Chinese civilization and a way for Chinese people to steady their mind and body and make sense of the world," says Liu.