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The history of Chinese calligraphy is probably as long as that of China itself.Calligraphy is a special
category in China’s world of fine arts.Through the centuries Chinese characters have changed constantly
and are mainly divided into five categories today:the seal script(zhuan shu),official script(li shu),regular
script(kai shu),running script(xing shu)and cursive script(cao shu).
Calligraphy involves a great deal of theory and requires many skills.Among the most outstanding
calligraphers in ancient China were Wang Xizhi,Ouyang Xun,Yan Zhenqing,and Liu Gongquan,who are
known for pioneering their own styles.
In writing calligraphy,one will need a brush,paper,an ink stick and an ink stone,commonly referred to
as the “Four Treasures of the Study”.There are different types of brushes.White goat hair,black rabbit hair and yellow weasel hair brushes are the main ones.According to their function,brushes are classified into
three groups:hard,soft and medium.Brush sticks are usually made of bamboo,wood,or porcelain;ivory or
jade sticks are rare and precious.
The ink stick is a unique pigment used for Chinese traditional painting and calligraphy.The most famous
ink stick is hui mo(Anhui ink stick),made from pines that grow on Huangshan Mountain in Anhui Province.Clean water is needed to grind the ink stick.Press the ink stick hard and rub it lightly,slowly and evenly
against the ink slab to make thick,liquid ink.
While paper comes in many varieties,Xuan paper, produced in Xuanzhou(today’s Anhui Province),is
considered the best for Chinese calligraphy.The paper is soft and fine textured,suitable for conveying the
artistic expression of both Chinese calligraphy and painting.With a good tensile strength and moth proof
quality,the paper can be preserved for a long time.
Ink stones or ink slabs have been classified into three categories:Duan,She and Tao.Features common
to all three are hardness and fineness.Although the stone is hard and fine,it is not dry or slippery.Using a
hard and smooth stone,liquid ink can be produced easily by rubbing the ink stick against the stone.
By handling the brush and ink skillfully and carefully,the artist can produce an infinite variety of
calligraphic styles and forms.
