All things have a story...
The history of Chinese calligraphy dates back nearly 4,000 years. There is no clear evidence when the Chinese language first appeared, but most historians agree the oldest Oriental language is called “Jia Gu Wen.” It was mostly used during the Shang dynasty, around 1600-1046 BC and was not a fully complete written language. Jia Gu Wen was a script written in an artistic fashion, which may have been the first example of actual Chinese calligraphy. Later, during the Han period, art in China began to blossom and many skilled calligraphers emerged. At around this time, Chinese calligraphy was seen as an independent art form and was on par with poetry as a means for self expression and creativity. The art of calligraphy in China was passed on from teacher to student and generation to generation. The beginner student of Chinese calligraphy had to slowly learn the basic brush strokes, practicing over and over until his or her brush moved flawlessly over the canvas. Chinese brush calligraphy is considered one of the four traditional arts and is similar to painting in that only a person dedicated to the craft can master it. While an observer may not notice much difference between two calligraphers, each is as unique as handwriting is to one person from the next. The subtle difference of the brush strokes, style, presentation and form distinguish one calligraphy work from the next. Many young men took up the brush as a means of learning discipline and calligraphy in China was often equated with learning and scholars. In Japan, calligraphy was a popular aspect of Zen Buddhism. Today Chinese calligraphy is an art form that many people like to practice, but very few truly master. Most master artists of this art form can be found in China and they often paint Chinese calligraphy in the traditional fashion on scrolls, paintings, wall carvings, umbrellas shoji screens and even furniture. The beautiful Chinese characters that are so frequently seen painted on works of Chinese art are often produced by these amazing artists. Their work and their legacy can be traced back thousands of years to the first generation of calligraphers in China, who wrote on tablets, turtle shells, walls and anything they could find. Their work lives on in the magnificent artistry that today’s calligraphers paint and lovers of Asian art adore so much.
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