Chinese Calligraphy: The Oriental Art

There are different forms of calligraphy that can be found all over the world. However, Chinese calligraphy is something different. This Oriental form of art is like painting. What makes it stand out from others is that it helps in communication of an artist’s spiritual world by making use of the Chinese characters. The uniqueness of Chinese calligraphy also lies in its ability to convey moral integrity, aesthetic feeling, emotion and the character of the artist to all the readers.

Chinese calligraphy is essentially a technique which is used for writing the Chinese characters. Apart from this, it is also disciplinary branch of education and art that people need to learn. When looked upon as a discipline for education, it becomes necessary to learn about its evolution, development, technique and history. What we need to understand is that calligraphers are not just mere people with brushes in their hands who stroke the characters on a surface. They have the power of art and they inherit this art. For us, as readers, we need to evaluate this Oriental art, which perhaps will not be an task because; what lies in the essence of calligraphy of China is its thousands of years of vivid history, rich culture and popular myths.

What is interesting about Chinese calligraphy is that it was essentially and wholly and completely Chinese just like the chopstick. However, it became an unique feature of the Oriental art when the Chinese culture started spreading to Japan, Korea, Singapore and Vietnam. The uniqueness and the beauty of this Oriental art form is today recognized by the world and to specify, it is recognized by the West, whom we call to be learned. The western scholars have developed a peculiar approach towards this art form. They first learn the characters of Chinese language. They then study how these characters are constructed and it is through this that they try to understand calligraphy. It is through this understanding of calligraphy that they try to understand and learn the Oriental culture.

What the western scholars believe is that Chinese calligraphy is the oldest of any abstract art and that it is the most condensed one. People say that this art form has the dynamism which is present in dance, it has the rhythm which is present in music and it has the image which can be found in a painting. Tracing back the history, it can be found that China is not the homeland of calligraphy and nor is the East. The existence of this art form is profound and that it is a treasure, a true gem in the world of art. It has a history of 4-5 thousand years which is why, it is so rich and diverse.