When I was in primary school, I used to go to a teacher’s dorm located at a corner on campus to learn Chinese calligraphy on Saturday afternoon. In an old bungalow, with a few dozens of other kids I spent the afternoon struggling with my brush pen and a pool of ink trying to copy those prestigious calligraphers’ characters without tainting the paper or myself.
Unlike today when everyone’s tapping on the keyboard, a man’s handwriting was considered very important back then. For one thing, it is annoying if you have to bother yourself to recognize someone’s scribble, which is not only a waste of time but an “abuse” to your eyes as well as your mind. Not to mention the general idea that a person’s handwriting manifests what he is, 字如其人(zi4 ru2 qi2 ren2). Those who have beautiful handwriting will certainly leave a good impression. A love letter with nice handwriting is more likely to “hit the target.” A man with neat handwriting is more likely to get promoted. It helps not only in your personal relationship but your career.
And it’s not only about developing a beautiful handwriting. It’s also about cultivating your morality, balance your temperament and enhance your heath. When writing with a brush pen, you have to focus your will on the tip of the pen and pace your breath, or qi. To finish the strokes, you move not only the pen, but your muscles, your qi and your will.
This is what I have heard from the teacher, which I could not understand as a kid. But at least I’m sure it’s a good way to hone your patience. From making the ink out of water, handle the brush pen to keeping a clean script as well as a clean shirt without any stains,(traditionally we write from right to left) you got to be cautious and patient. That’s one of the reasons why for thousands of years our teachers and parents have made our kids do this, aside from enjoying the beauty of it in itself.
In 2001, 林懷民(lin2 huai2 min2), the founder of Taiwan’s modern dance group “Cloud Gate,” presented the first episode of his “Cursive Trilogy,” “Cursive;” in 2003, “Cursive II;” in 2005, “Wild Cursive.” With the white curtain containing Chinese characters as the background, the dancers in either black or white use their bodies to “write” in the air. It’s a combination of Chinese calligraphy, Tai-ji 太極(tai4 ji2) and Chinese boxing 拳術(quan2 shu4).
According to Lin, he was inspired by Chinese calligraphy to choreograph this trilogy, but he did not mean to show the beauty of the Chinese calligraphy. “It’s only an ‘excuse’ to dance.”
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For a starter of Chinese calligraphy, the teacher often begins with the word 永(yong3), which means forever. The reason is that the word includes eight common strokes of Chinese calligraphy, which is called “Eight Principles of Yong.” 永字八法(yong3 zi4 ba fa3) That’s why Lin uses the word as part of the background.
In Chinese calligraphy, the only colors are black and white, which I think is an important element for its beauty. The striking impact on the eyes from the contrast and proportioned balance of the colors is what you cannot neglect.
You can watch two trailers of this trilogy at the following website:
林懷民=林怀民
太極=太极
拳術=拳术
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