Calligraphy is often thought to be most revealing of one's personality. During the imperial era, calligraphy was regarded as a critical criterion for selection of executives to the Imperial court. Unlike other visual art techniques, all calligraphy strokes are permanent and incorrigible, demanding careful planning and confident execution. Such are the skills required for an executive. While one has to conform to the defined structure of words, the expression can be extremely creative. To exercise humanistic imagination and touch under the faceless laws and regulations is also a virtue well appreciated.
To practise calligraphy, we need the basic tools called four treasures of study (ink brush, ink stick, paper, and ink stone ) as well as much concentration on guiding the soft writing brush charged with fluid ink, and writing on the paper where the ink will diffuse quickly. Once the brush movement hesitates, a black mark is created, so speed, strength and agility is the essence of fine artwork.
About the Four Treasures of Study
The brush is the traditional writing implement in Chinese calligraphy. The body of the brush can be made from either bamboo, or special materials such as red sandalwood, glass, ivory, silver, and gold. The head of the brush can be made from the hair (or feathers) of some animals, including the deer, wolf, rabbit,etc.
A good ink stick should be ground so as to be refined black with luster. With the invention of paper, they were improved accordingly. Ink sticks are made from pine soot, using other procedures that include mixing with glue, steaming and molding.
Calligraphy requires a special paper- Xuanzhi (in Chinese宣紙), which is made from the Tatar wingceltis or other materials including rice, bamboo, hemp, etc.
Inkstone is used to grind the solid inkstick into liquid ink and to contain the ink once it is liquid.
