Daring and irresistibly new Chinese Calligraphy
Chinese Calligraphy unique and irreplaceable art genre
Rights Infringement, 2013, Wan Qingli
Melodious Chinese Calligraphy
The Chinese word for “calligraphy” comprises two characters “shu fa”, with shu meaning written words and fa implying the methods and principles of writing Chinese calligraphy.
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For generations, accomplished calligraphers were able to master the rules and principles of writing in pursuit of distinctive aesthetics, shaping Chinese calligraphy into a unique and irreplaceable genre of art.
City Rhymes: The Melodious Notes of Calligraphy features over seventy artworks by Hong Kong artists from the collection of the Hong Kong Museum of Art.
Rippling, 2012, Kan Tai-keung
By exploring the interplay among calligraphy, prose and poetry, dance, painting and music, this exhibition offers visitors a visual opportunity to better understand calligraphic works regardless of cultural background and knowledge of the subject.
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Chinese characters started as pictographs. During the Shang dynasty (1766–047 BC), oracle bone script was invented as graphic symbols that convey meanings through their pictorial resemblance to physical objects and gradually developed into a fusion of pictures and symbols.
Rippling (detail), 2012, Kan Tai-keung
Large seal script is said to be invented by Grand Historian Zhou during the reign of King Xuan of Zhou (1047–256 BC). It is usually seen on wooden and bamboo strips as well as silk fragments.
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Characters written in this script are exemplified in balanced composition by neat and even strokes with smooth and round turns.
Small seal script was the official style used across China after Emperor Qin Shi Huangdi unified the country (Qin dynasty, 221–206 BC).
Poem in seal script, not dated, Deng Erya (1884-1954)
It was a simplification of the large seal script with the removal of overly intricate or pictographic strokes, resulting in a rigorous and slender form.
Small seal script
Small seal script marked a significant turning point in the history of Chinese scripts, with the transition from a pictographic to a symbolic system.
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Bang script, also known as Shu script, can be traced back to the Qin dynasty (221–206 BC).
Calligraphy in cursive script, Not dated, Kee-cheung (1897-1942)
It was originally used for large plaque writings above the arches of palaces and temple gates before becoming widely adopted by the public and a common sight in the city.
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Most importantly, bang script had to be conspicuous, as it was mostly used on shop signs and plaques.
Calligraphers tended to use clerical and regular scripts in such writings for their clarity and lucidity.
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The large fonts make it easy to recognise from a distance and highlight the grandeur of bang script.
Chinese Calligraphy style peaked
Evolved from seal script, clerical script was the prevalent calligraphy style following the small seal script and reached its peak during the Eastern Han dynasty (25–220 AD).
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With its flat composition, clerical script laid a foundation for the development of Chinese characters in square structures.
Ode of retreat to nature by Tao Yuanming in clerical script, 1977, Chan Man-kit (1926-2011)
Curved lines and round corners were replaced with straight lines and sharp angles, while complex composition and strokes were simplified to make writing easier.
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The pictographic essence of previous scripts was further diminished.
Ode of willow in cursive script, set of 5 hanging scrolls, Not dated, Wong Shiu-hin
Compared to the straightforward strokes of seal script, clerical script contains richer aesthetic charm that features undulating strokes with pronounced round heads and sharp tails, the so-called “silkworm’s head and swallow’s tail”, marking a major pivot in the history of Chinese calligraphy.
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Cursive script is notable for its unstructured and hurried strokes. Generally, the term encompasses different cursive scripts from various periods, mainly comprising clerical, modern and wild cursive.
Verse by Monk Hongyi in clerical script, 2003, Fong Yat-fung
Clerical-cursive, from the Eastern Han dynasty (25–220 AD), was a simplified and cursory way of writing clerical script, where all characters are unconnected to one another.
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Modern cursive developed as speed writing in clerical-cursive, with the characters connected for a smoother flow.
The most liberal style is wild cursive, which has the most abbreviated strokes and requires little adherence to rules, thus taking the dynamic beauty of calligraphy to the next level.
Ink rhythm, 2003, Ha Bik-chuen
Running script is a cross between regular and cursive scripts and originates from the late Eastern Han dynasty (25–220 AD).
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It largely retains the framework of regular script with selective omission of strokes while forming connections between strokes as cursive script does, resulting in an abbreviated, easy-to-read yet free and vibrant style.
Poem in running script, set of 4 hanging scrolls, Not dated, Chao Shao-an (1905-1998)
Other variants include running-regular script, which is more orderly and restrained, and running-cursive script, which displays greater stylistic freedom and spontaneity.
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Due to its practicality and thus ease of adoption, running script became the preferred style for correspondence and written records.
Lyrics of Tourbillon by Wyman Wong in cursive script, set of 8 hanging scrolls, 2012, Chui Pui-chee
Regular script emerged in the late Han dynasty, flourished through the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern dynasties (386 – 589 AD), and reached its peak in the Tang dynasty (618–907 AD).
Chinese characters Kai Shu evolved
It is called kai shu in Chinese, with kai meaning a standard or model. Writing regular script is governed by rigorous rules and principles from stroke execution and brush modelling to character composition.
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For example, the “Eight Principles of Yong” established by Zhi Yong of the Sui dynasty (581–618 AD) set up the gold standard of regular script to be followed by later generations.
Lyrics of songs by Roman Tam in small regular script, 2003, Cheng Foo-ning
With regular script, the undulating strokes of clerical script was done away with in favour of simpler and straighter strokes for easy reading and writing.
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Since then, Chinese characters have evolved tremendously into their modern form. To this day, regular script remains the most prevalent style of Chinese calligraphy.
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Slender-gold style (shoujin ti) was created by Emperor Huizong of the Song dynasty (960–1279 AD), who was also a skilled painter and calligrapher.
Fire painting red spring, 1976, Kwok Mang-ho (aka Frog King)
The slender-gold style he invented preserves the traces of how a brush is twisted, lifted and pressed—a departure from the traditional practice of hiding sharp edges in calligraphy.
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In the name, “slender” (shou) refers to the long, thin strokes that resemble willow leaves; “gold” (jin) alludes to such strokes being rock-solid due to the firm handling of the brush.
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The script conveys a light, carefree style amid its sharp and robust strokes.
Frog bun lum 98, 1998, Kwok Mang-ho (aka Frog King)
Emperor Huizong of Song loved inscribing in this style to perfect his meticulous flower-and-bird paintings, as they showed commonality in terms of brushwork.
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Calligraphy is the art of imagery that finds expression in all things.
Dream of Splendor, 2019, Cheuk Ka-wai
During the Shang dynasty, oracle bone script was invented as graphic symbols that convey meanings through their pictorial resemblance to physical objects and gradually developed into a fusion of pictures and symbols.
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For its richness in lines, forms, and visual qualities, the art of calligraphy has been a great source of inspiration for artists of all mediums.
Common facts, 1968, Hon Chi-fun
By blurring the boundaries between painting and calligraphy, these experiments have introduced new styles and perspectives to calligraphy and opened vast possibilities for the interaction between the two art forms.
Text & Photos Hong Kong Museum of Art & Martin Wray
