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Chinese calligraphy is the art of writing Chinese characters using four special tools- a brush, ink stick, ink stone, and rice paper. It has a history of over 3000 years, as long as the Chinese language itself, and is considered the most important art form in China, carrying the priority that European art has traditionally reserved for painting.
Our art workshops are truly remarkable experiences and an off-the-beaten way for your students’ cultural learning activities
Chinese calligraphy is one of the most respected art forms in China and has a long history. Indeed, the most well-known calligrapher in history is Wang Xizhi (王羲之), born in 303 AD; his works are still widely studied today, by calligraphy students and experts alike. Chinese calligraphy is written with a pointed brush, known as a mǎobǐ (毛笔). The brush is a very flexible writing instrument that makes it possible to create a wide range of effects, from strong and stately to fluent and dynamic to nimble and fleeting.
Unlike in Western or Arabic calligraphy, where students typically start by learning a particular alphabet, students of Chinese calligraphy typically start by copying the characters written by a famous master. Since there are thousands of characters, the goal is not to study each and every one of them; instead, the goal is to become familiar with the style of the master: their sense of balance, flow, contrast, etc.
Chinese calligraphy has not only borne great significance domestically but also elsewhere, especially throughout Asia. In countries such as Japan, Korea, and Singapore, calligraphy is widely practiced and highly valued. In Korea, Chinese was used as the official script until the 19th century even after the invention of Hangul in 1447. Calligraphy is also widely practiced in Japan and has been incorporated into the current school curriculum. In the West, Picasso was fascinated by the interplay of Chinese characters, the strength, and economy of their construction, and stated, “If I were born Chinese, I would not be a painter but a writer. I’d write my pictures” (Claude Roy, 1956). Additionally, traces of Chinese calligraphy can also be easily recognized in the paintings of another famous European artist, Henri Mattise (Li, 2009). Hence, it can be said that the beauty and significance of Chinese calligraphy have been recognized and appreciated around the world for many years.
Chinese calligraphy is both a historical method for documentation and communication, as well as a form of artistic expression. Its significance in China and across the world has been enormous. It is a great cultural treasure. Both historical and empirical evidence clearly demonstrates a compelling necessity to pass on this knowledge and skill from generation to generation through teaching and training. In UNESCO’s Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity (2001), different cultures are no longer regarded as national property, but rather as the common heritage of humanity. To promote an awareness of the positive value of cultural diversity, the declaration encourages all levels of education to take action on both curriculum design and teacher education.
In this workshop, we will assume no prior familiarity with Chinese characters or Chinese calligraphy. We will start by explaining a little bit about the history of Chinese characters and how they are structured. Then we will take a look at some different styles of calligraphy to get an idea of the variety in character forms, as well as an understanding of the sense of beauty in Chinese calligraphy.
Then it will be your turn. We will start with the regular script of Zhenqing Yang (颜真卿, 8th century AD), which today is regarded as a model script and a good starting point for new students. We will study the basic strokes, write some simple characters, and finish by writing a short but meaningful text. Of course, there will be plenty of room for asking questions and personal feedback throughout the workshop; if there is something specific you would like to write, we can probably accommodate that also.
Depending on the participants the workshop will be taught in English or Chinese; of course, questions can always be asked in either language.
Whenever I teach our pointed pen calligraphy workshops, someone usually mentions that it is very therapeutic or relaxing. That’s because when you are only focused on creating one stroke at a time, each stroke slows down your breathing, and relaxes your body. And as you keep writing, your mind starts to forget about your problems, thus making it a great activity for meditation and relieving tension.
In order to do calligraphy, you need to know how to use the pen to create each stroke of the letter. This activates the motor areas of the brain, which include the cerebral cortex, the basal ganglia, and the cerebellum. At the same time, it engages the language portion of the brain. Studies have shown that children retain the spelling of a word much better when they are writing the word out by hand. So learning calligraphy and handwriting are definitely an incredible way to develop fine motor skills and increase memory retention.
3. We are most creative when we are using our hands
Austin Kleon, the author of Steal Like an Artist, has an analog table and a digital table. He writes:
“The analog desk has nothing but markers, pens, pencils, paper, index cards, and newspaper. Nothing electronic is allowed on that desk. This is where most of my work is born,… The digital desk had my laptop, my monitor, my scanner, and my drawing tablet. This is where I edit and publish my work.”
He believes that when we’re behind any electronic devices, our body is stationary and gets disconnected from our brain. By keeping our hands moving and our bodies active, it encourages our brains to think at a higher level. This is where we can inject our sense of play, and encourage our creativity to flourish. Creating a calligraphy art piece allows us to move our hands, and putting together word compositions gives us a chance to unleash our creativity when writing.
When we’re engaged in problem-solving, it’s been shown that the best results come from writing things out or manipulating the problem with our hands. Also, whenever we encounter a problem, the act of writing helps with the critical thinking process. This is also one of the reasons why some of us like to write physical journals in order to sort through our complex emotions. Doing so allows us to gain a deeper understanding of our situation, uncover how we’re feeling, and discover potential solutions to our problems.
Learning calligraphy is a skill; it takes a lot of patience and practice. We may get frustrated in the beginning when we start learning, but as we get better and see the beautiful progress, we begin to take pride in our work and gain more confidence. Learning and mastering new skills that challenge us confirms our belief that we have the ability to overcome difficulties.
Last but not least, being able to build a strong relationship with others is the main reason why I love calligraphy. We are social creatures. When we write something meaningful to someone, and when we see that instant reaction from the person, we know that our message has touched them, or made an impact on them. We know that we’ve connected with the other person. This moment is very powerful, and it’s a beautiful moment to behold and treasure.
These are some of the reasons why I teach calligraphy. I have personally experienced all of the above benefits and I want to share them with others. Also, as a mother of a 2.5-year-old son who may not have the opportunity to learn to handwrite, I feel that it is extremely important for me to help pass on the beautiful art of calligraphy to our future generations.
Our Workshop costs vary depending on the lengths of the visit and the context of the sessions. Depending on your needs, the length varies between 60 mins to a full day. The cost ranges from £90 per hour per class or £500 for a full day visit. There will be a £3 per delegate charge to cover learning materials.
1, Hosting at a venue
In return for hosting at a venue, we will deliver our workshop and sell tickets on our advertised workshop list for £10-£15 per delegate per hour. We will provide you with all the advertising material, offer you two free places for the class and handle all the bookings. There are no other charges other than any additional places above the free places you may want to book.
2, Organize an online event
In return for helping to organize an online event, we will deliver the course via our online platform and sell tickets on our advertised courses list for £6-£10 per delegate per hour. We will provide you with all the advertising material, offer you one free place for the course and handle all the bookings. There are no other charges other than any additional places above the free place you may want to book.
3, Run a workshop exclusively for your school, organization, or community
If you would prefer we can deliver the course exclusively for you. This can be at a venue or online. For venue based you simply supply us with the venue, projector and screen, and basic refreshments and you manage who attends the course on your end. If it is online you just need to organize who will have access to the session. We don’t advertise the course or allow the course to be opened up beyond your own group. As a rough guide, we charge £90 per class or £250 per half day, or £500 for the full day delivered on a single day. There will be an additional £3 per delegate charge to cover learning materials.
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