Introduction to Chinese calligraphy (Part 1) | Four Arts of Life | Tea with Erping

Summary

本视频深入探讨了中国书法艺术的历史与美学，从最早的形式到现代的发展，讲述了书法如何成为中国文化的重要组成部分。介绍了书法的五大主要风格，以及书法与哲学、道教和儒家思想之间的联系。通过历史名家如王羲之的作品，展示了书法不仅是书写技巧的展现，更是个人修养和内在精神的体现。

Takeaways

• 📜 书法被视为中国最高艺术形式，甚至高于山水画。
• 🌐 书法（Shu Fa）意为‘书写的艺术’，是汉字书写的法则和方法。
• 📚 汉字是连续使用最古老的语言，也是世界上唯一存活的表意文字。
• 🖌️ 中国书法有五种主要风格，从商朝的甲骨文到现代书法，讲述了中华文明的故事。
• 🏯 秦朝统一文字，创立小篆，奠定了全国统一书写风格的基础。
• 📖 汉朝时期，书法广泛用于官方用途，毛笔和墨成为书写的标准工具。
• 🌿 草书（Cao Shu）风格流畅自然，强调速度和连贯性。
• 📝 楷书（Kai Shu）或称标准字体，特点是清晰、规范、易读。
• 🏞️ 行书（Xing Shu）结合了楷书的规范性和草书的流畅性，是最受欢迎的书法风格之一。
• 🎨 六朝时期，书法与诗歌、文化学习紧密相关，书法家开始发展个人风格。
• 🖋️ 书法不仅是艺术，也是哲学和道德的体现，反映了书法家的内心世界和追求。

Q & A

书法在中国艺术中的地位如何？

书法被视为中国最高的艺术形式，甚至高于中国山水画。

西方的“calligraphy”一词源于哪里？

西方的“calligraphy”一词源于希腊语，意为“美丽的书写”。

中国书法的中文称呼是什么？

在中国，书法被称为书法，其中“书”字面意思是“书”，“法”意为“法律”或“方法”，合起来翻译为“书写的艺术”。

中国书法的历史可以追溯到多久以前？

中国书法的历史可以追溯到3000年前，它讲述了一个文明的故事。

中国语言的特点是什么？

中国语言是最古老的连续使用的语言，也是世界上唯一存活的表意文字语言。一个中文词可能由多个字符组成，每个字符都有独特的笔画，使得中文成为一种富有象征意义的书面语言。

中国历史上出现了哪五种主要的书法风格？

中国历史上出现了五种主要的书法风格：大篆（Great Seal style）、小篆（Small Seal Style）、隶书（Clerical script）、楷书（Kai Shu 或 Standard script）和行书（Xing Shu 或 running script）。

什么是“蚕头燕尾”？

“蚕头燕尾”是指使用毛笔书写时，简单的水平笔画的动态外观，这种笔画在隶书风格中尤为常见。

“四宝”指的是什么？

“四宝”指的是书法所需的工具：毛笔、墨、纸和砚台。

王羲之为什么被誉为最伟大的书法家？

王羲之被誉为最伟大的书法家，因为他掌握了多种书体风格，尤其是行书最为著名。他的作品《兰亭序》被认为是行书的典范，其书法风格流畅自然，充满生命力。

王羲之的书法风格有哪些特点？

王羲之的书法风格特点包括字符内部元素的相互拉扯，同时每个字符又保持自己的空间。此外，他在作品中对同一个字“之”进行了20种不同的创造性书写，展现了其独特的艺术风格。

道教对书法有哪些影响？

道教对书法有深远的影响，它教导书法家追求和谐、平衡，这体现在书法作品中黑白、粗细、大小、平滑与粗糙、浓墨与淡墨之间的平衡。书法家通过书写展现内在平和，回归简单，这与道教的阴阳和谐原则相吻合。

王羲之的《兰亭序》为什么受到如此高度的赞赏？

《兰亭序》受到高度赞赏，因为王羲之在作品中展现了多种书体风格，尤其是行书的精湛技艺。此外，他的书法风格流畅自然，充满生命力，作品中的每个字都具有独特的风味，展现了他高超的艺术造诣。

Outlines

00:00

🖋️ 书法艺术的起源与历史

本段介绍了中国书法艺术的起源和历史，强调书法是中国文化中最高的艺术形式之一。从3000年前的最早形式到现代，书法讲述了中华文明的故事。介绍了西方的“calligraphy”一词源于希腊语，意为“美丽的书写”，而中文中称为“书法”，意为书写的艺术。作者分享了自己从小学习书法的经历，以及书法在中国历史上的五大风格，包括甲骨文、大篆、小篆、隶书和楷书的起源和发展。

05:00

📜 汉字与书法风格的演变

这一段详细描述了汉字的特点和书法风格的演变。汉字是连续使用最古老的语言，也是世界上唯一存活的表意文字。介绍了汉字的构造和书写风格，从小篆到隶书，再到草书的发展。特别提到了楷书的规范性和草书的流畅性，以及行书的艺术性和易读性。此外，还提到了六朝时期书法与诗歌、文化学习的紧密联系，以及唐宋时期书法的黄金时代。

10:03

🎨 书法的工具与基本笔法

这部分讲述了书法所需的基本工具：毛笔、墨、纸和砚台，以及如何使用这些工具制作墨水。介绍了学习书法的基本笔法，即“八法”，以及如何通过这些基本笔法来构建所有的汉字。通过一个具体的汉字“永”来展示所有笔法，强调了书法与中国哲学的联系，以及通过练习书法来达到与道合一的境界。

15:03

🖌️ 书法的审美标准与文化内涵

本段探讨了书法的审美标准，包括笔画的平衡、结构的和谐以及书法作品所传达的情感和哲学思想。提到了道教和儒家思想对书法的影响，以及书法家如何通过书法表达个人品格和哲学观念。通过唐代忠臣颜真卿的故事，展示了书法与道德品质的紧密联系。

20:05

🌟 书法大师与传世之作

这部分介绍了中国历史上两位最伟大的书法家：颜真卿和王羲之。颜真卿以其坚定的道德立场和独特的书法风格著称，其作品《颜勤礼碑》成为后世学习的典范。王羲之则被誉为史上最伟大的书法家，其作品《兰亭序》展现了极高的艺术成就和个人风格，影响了无数后来的书法家。

🍵 书法之旅的结束与新的开始

视频的结尾部分，作者邀请观众休息并品尝一杯茶，同时预告下一集将介绍中国书法更为动态的时期，包括作者个人的书法经历。强调了通过学习书法，人们能够获得对中国文化和哲学更深刻的理解，以及书法如何成为连接过去与未来的桥梁。

Keywords

💡书法

书法是中国艺术中的一种形式，被认为是最高形式的中国艺术，甚至超过了中国山水画。它是一种发展了几千年的艺术形式，初看可能令人生畏，但通过了解其历史，观众将能从中获得无尽的享受。在视频中，书法不仅是艺术表现，也是中国文化历史的载体。

💡Shu Fa

Shu Fa是中文对书法的称呼，字面意思是‘书写的艺术’。书法不仅仅是书写技巧的展示，它还蕴含着深厚的文化内涵和哲学思想。

💡篆书

篆书是中国书法的一种古老风格，起源于商朝，当时的文字用于占卜，刻在兽骨和岩石上。篆书保留了长矩形形状和稍微圆角的特点，成为后来书法发展的基础。

💡隶书

隶书是中国书法的一种风格，起源于汉朝，特点是向下的笔画末端逐渐变细，形成一种节奏感和庄严感。隶书非常适合用毛笔快速书写，是官方文书的常用风格。

💡草书

草书是一种非常流畅和自然的书法风格，字符之间的连接非常紧密，一笔可以写出多个词语。草书追求的是抽象形式和整体形象，而不是严格的笔画规则。

💡楷书

楷书，又称为正书，是中国书法的一种风格，特点是笔画清晰、线条均匀，形状规整，易于阅读。楷书在现代印刷和网络中广泛使用。

💡行书

行书是中国书法的一种风格，介于草书和楷书之间，既有艺术性又有可读性。行书的字形圆润，充满活力，但仍然保持了一定的形式。

💡文房四宝

文房四宝指的是中国传统书法所需的四种工具：毛笔、墨、纸和砚台。这些工具虽然简单，但质量上乘的文房四宝成为了文人墨客珍贵的收藏品。

💡王羲之

王羲之是中国历史上最著名的书法家之一，被誉为‘书圣’。他的书法作品以行书最为著名，其风格流畅自然，充满生命力。王羲之的《兰亭序》是中国书法史上的杰作，影响了无数后来的书法家。

💡颜真卿

颜真卿是唐朝的一位忠诚官员和著名书法家，以其刚劲有力的书法风格著称。颜真卿的书法作品体现了儒家思想中的正直和内在自信，他的作品《颜勤礼碑》是后世书法家学习和模仿的典范。

💡书法与哲学

书法不仅是书写的艺术，它还与中国的哲学思想紧密相连。通过书法，书写者可以表达自己的个性和内在修养，同时追求与自然和谐相处的道家思想，以及儒家倡导的中庸之道。

Highlights

书法被视为中国最高艺术形式，甚至高于中国山水画。

书法是一种发展了几千年的艺术形式，初看可能令人生畏，但理解其历史后会发现其无穷的魅力。

西方的“书法”一词源于希腊语，意为“美丽的书写”。在中文中，书法被称为书法，意为“书写的艺术”。

中国书法从3000年前的最早形式一直讲述着一个文明的故事，因此也可以称之为中国历史的艺术品。

中国语言是最古老且持续使用的唯一存活的表意文字语言，其发展独特，单个词可能由多个字符组成，每个字符都有独特的笔画。

中国历史上出现了五种主要的书法风格，包括篆书、隶书、草书、楷书和行书。

隶书的特点是向下的扫笔和逐渐变细的末端，这种风格非常适合用毛笔快速书写。

草书风格极其流畅和顺滑，可以一次性写出多个短语，毛笔不离开纸面。

楷书或标准脚本以其明显的细线性笔画和统一的矩形形状而易于阅读，今天在印刷和网络上广泛使用。

行书或跑脚本是艺术性和活泼性的，形状圆润，但仍有足够的形式，大多数人可以轻松阅读字符。

在唐宋时期，书法与诗歌和文化学习更紧密地联系在一起，书法家继续发展他们自己的风格，展示更多的个人风格。

“四宝”指的是文房四宝：毛笔、纸张、墨和砚台，这些工具虽简单，但质量差异大，成为文人珍贵的收藏品。

学习书法可以开启了解东方哲学世界的窗口，通过练习艺术，一个人可以渴望达到与道合一的神圣理想。

道教对中国书法和许多中国文化领域产生了持久影响，书法家通过完美的黑白平衡、粗细、大小、平滑与粗糙、浓墨与淡墨的书写，体现了道教阴阳和谐的教导。

儒家教义也对书法产生了影响，例如，儒家品味遵循中庸之道，书写通常看起来丰满、居中、稳固，显示出正直和内在自信，但不鲁莽。

颜真卿是唐代的一位忠诚官员，以其在安史之乱中的事迹和书法而闻名，他的《颜勤礼碑》成为后世学生无数次参考和模仿的作品。

王羲之被誉为有史以来最伟大的书法家，他的《兰亭序》是中国书法史上最著名的作品之一。

王羲之的书法风格独特，他能够在不同的上下文中以不同的方式书写相同的字符，如“之”字在他的作品中出现了20次，每次都有不同的写法。

王羲之的书法灵感来自于自然界，他流畅的书法风格常被比作他喜欢的鹅的优雅与轻松。

王羲之不为名利所动，晚年辞官，专注于他的激情所在：书法。

《兰亭序》的原件据说与唐太宗一同埋葬，今天没有王羲之的原作存世，这使得他的艺术无比珍贵。

通过这段中国书法的历史之旅，观众可能会感到自己已经不同于出发时，就像中国谚语所说：“归途之人，不同于离去之时。”

Transcripts

Welcome to Tea with Erping.

Calligraphy is regarded as

the highest Chinese art.

Even more so than

Chinese landscape painting. It’s an art form

developed for thousands of years.

At first glance,

it can seem intimidating,

but if you can give some time

to first understand the history,

you’ll find the artworks will reward you

with endless enjoyment in the future.

So what is calligraphy?

The western word “calligraphy”

is of Greek origin.

It means “beautiful writing”.

In Chinese, calligraphy is called Shu Fa.

The word Shu literally means ‘book’,

and the word Fa means ‘Law or Method’.

The two characters together

translate into ‘The art of Writing’.

Did you know that

these are all Chinese calligraphy?

From its earliest forms 3,000 years ago,

up to the present day,

Chinese calligraphy tells  the story of a civilization.

So in a way,

Calligraphy could also be called

the Art of China’s history.

I studied calligraphy in elementary school,

watching my father do it from time to time.

He was an old-school scholar

who began writing with brush pens

when he grew up in the 1930s.

So he taught me how to use the pen

and make the black ink from the ink-stone,

as well as the writing styles.

When I got older I came to appreciate

the intricacies of calligraphy

and the inner meaning.

I’ll demonstrate some calligraphy-writing

later in the video.

So how did writing,

something you and I do every single day,

become such a prominent art-form in China?

Today let us explore the history of calligraphy

and then look at some of the

greatest calligraphy masters.

First, for those who are not

familiar with the Chinese language,

here’s a quick primer:

The Chinese language is the oldest language

in continuous use,

as well as the only surviving logographic language

in the world.

Its development is unique.

A single word in Chinese could be made up

of several characters,

and each character

from a unique variety of strokes,

making it a written language

very rich with symbols.

This is quite different

compared with Western calligraphy

which is based on

the original 23-letter Latin alphabet.

There are over 50,000 characters

in the Chinese language…

And no alphabet.

So you must learn each character independently.

If you’re familiar with 2-3,000 of those,

it’s enough to read the newspaper

and you’ll be fine to go about your daily life.

The Chinese language

is really an incredible thing!

Let’s dive in.

Throughout Chinese history,

5 major styles of calligraphy emerged.

When we think of Calligraphy

we imagine scrolls of ornate script

written with brush and ink.

But its early forms trace back to a time

long before either of these were invented.

If you watched my episode on Chinese characters,

you might remember

I explained the origin of Chinese characters

came from the Shang dynasty [13th century BC]

when early characters were used for divination,

and the inscriptions were carved onto

animal bones and rock.

When the Shang dynasty was overthrown,

the Zhou dynasty [1122-221BC]

created the Mandate of Heaven.

This established the belief

that legitimacy of rule is granted by gods.

The writing style used at this time

retained long rectangular shapes

with slightly rounded corners.

This became known as the Great Seal style.

It would be many hundreds of years later

before the written language would change again.

Qin ShiHuang became the first emperor

and established the Qin dynasty.

He unified the land of China,

and in short 11 years of rule as Emperor,

he built the Great Wall of China,

set down the rule of law,

standardized the Chinese currency

among many other things,

and he introduced the basis of

a uniform written language for the country.

This became known as the Small Seal Style.

With the invention of paper

and higher-quality animal hair brushes,

Chinese calligraphy was well and truly established

in the Han, [206BC–220AD].

It was China’s longest lasting dynasty

that writing became widely  used for official purposes.

And writing with brush and ink became the norm.

And it made sense

to have everyone use the same writing style:

the Clerical script.

With downward sweeping strokes with tapering ends,

this style is perfectly suited

for writing swiftly with a brush.

Shapes of characters written in this style

have a certain rhythm and a dignified look.

Even using the brush

to create a simple horizontal stroke,

referred to as “silkworm head and goose tail”

is dynamic to look at.

Another style of calligraphy

that emerged in the Han dynasty,

has altogether a very different flavor.

It goes by the name of Cao Shu.

Cao means grass,

and you can also take it to  mean ‘quick’, or ‘rough’.

Characters written in this style

are extremely fluid and smooth.

Even several phrases could be written at once

the brush would never leave the page.

So Cao Shu follows a different rulebook.

If we compare the two you can see

how it departs from the  rules of the stalwart styles,

to simplify the details of character formation

in favor of the abstract form and overall image.

This expressive style reached  its height of popularity

some 500 years later in the Tang dynasty.

Towards the end of the Han dynasty,

the Kai Shu or Standard script style emerged.

It features distinct thinner, linear strokes,

and is rectangular, uniform, and easy to read,

very much the opposite of Cao Shu.

Today we see this style used everywhere in print,

and also online.

This style looks simple.

But in actuality,

you would need strong discipline

and many years of dedication to master

all the 37 brush strokes of this style.

The development of calligraphy

reached its peak

in the Jin dynasty,

with a new fifth style of calligraphy

- Xing Shu, or running script.

It’s artistic and lively with a rounded shape,

but still has enough form that

most people could easily read the characters.

This is perhaps the most-loved

of all the script styles

and holds the middle ground

between Kai Shu and Cao Shu.

These three scripts,

the Cursive script,

Standard script,

and Running script

appeared during the time of

Six Dynasties (220AD - 589AD).

This was a time of division

as the land of China became

separated into different kingdoms.

But many of China’s most famous calligraphers

emerged in this period.

Together,

the 5 scripts would become like canon.

Later calligraphers in Tang and Song dynasties

would look to these earlier styles

for the foundation of their artworks.

This was a time

when calligraphy became

more closely associated with

poetry and cultural learning.

Calligraphers continued to

develop their own styles,

and showed more individual, personal flair.

The Golden ages of China,

the Tang and Song dynasties,

were also the golden ages for calligraphy.

Towards the end of the Song in particular,

calligraphy reached its peak.

This led to a term being coined:

the Four Treasures of a Scholar’s Studio.

So what are the four treasures?

These refer to the tools

needed for calligraphy:

A writing brush,

traditionally made from animal hair,

paper,

and an ink-stick and an inkstone.

When you grind the ink-stick

on the inkstone and add water,

you could form ink.

The tools are few and simple.

But they vary in quality

and have become precious collectibles

among the literati.

Since the Tang dynasty,

students began with Kai Shu

to learn the fundamentals,

starting first with the Ba Fa,

or ‘Eight rules’.

All the brush strokes in calligraphy

come from these 8 basic strokes.

Interestingly,

all these strokes can be found

in one character - Yong.

Yong stands for endurance and perseverance.

Here I am doing a demonstration

of Yong in Kai Shu.

Like the lotus flower

blossoming out of the mud,

this is a core value

found in Chinese and all Eastern cultures.

Studying Chinese calligraphy

can open a window to the world

of Eastern philosophy.

How so?

Here are some of the criteria

traditionally used to judge these artworks:

It includes

and so on and so forth.

While these may seem complicated at first,

it all has to-do with the Chinese belief

in the relationship

between heaven, earth and humanity.

At its essence,

calligraphy was seen as a way

to become closer to

the divine ideal of being one with the-Dao,

or to know one’s universal nature.

Through practicing the arts,

a person could aspire to reach that.

Daoism,

founded by Lao Zi,

has had a lasting impact

on calligraphy and many areas of Chinese culture.

And when you look at  calligraphy through this lens,

the experience becomes even richer.

When people talk about finding beauty

in the composition,

there is another layer of meaning.

The sophisticated calligrapher

writes with perfect balance,

balance of white and black,

thick and thin, big and small,

smooth and rough,

dark ink and light ink

- just as the Daoist principles teach of harmony

between yin and yang.

Earlier I mentioned the Chinese saying字如其人,

meaning: Handwriting shows one's personality.

It is said that

- a person’s philosophy can  influence their calligraphy.

What goes on the inside,

shows on the outside.

To achieve a state of inner peace,

calligraphers would aspire

to find balance in themselves

and return to simplicity.

And then,

it would show in their writing.

Chinese believed that

the person and their artwork

embody the same nature.

Confucian teachings

have also had their influence in calligraphy.

For example,

Confucian tastes follow the golden mean

- the writing typically looks  full (fou), centred and firm,

indicating righteousness

and a sense of inner confidence,

without recklessness.

Yan Zhenqing,

a loyal official in the Tang dynasty,

was such a Confucian.

You won’t forget this man or his calligraphy

after you learn his story

at the An Lushan rebellion.

Yan was alone on enemy grounds.

His MO was to negotiate  with rebel leader, Li Xilie.

Li tried all means

to get Yan to surrender to him,

but Yan never gave in.

Legend says that

one day Li set up a fire in the courtyard

and told Yan,

if he didn’t surrender,

he would be thrown straight into the fire.

Yan resolutely stood up,

and without hesitation,

walked himself into the fire.

The order was given to have him pulled out.

Li couldn’t help but feel  respect for Yan after that,

and he let Yan leave the camp.

To me,

Yan exemplified

what a man of honor and virtue should be,

a true Confucian indeed.

This is Yan Qinli Stele stele,

Yan’s most famous work,

which was completed after the rebellion.

Yan Zhengqing was in the later years of his life

when he carved these words of tribute into stone,

to commemorate his great grandfather Yan Shigu.

Yan Zhenqing was lucky enough

to be born into a literary family.

His great grandfather

was a famous historian and linguist,

and his father Yan Weizhen

tutored Tang dynasty princes.

In the stele you can see

his style is actually full of life,

but at the same time

shows the highest level of control.

The Yan Qinli Stele would become

referenced and copied countless times

by future students

who admired this morally upright

and stately style.

Now there’s another calligrapher

we have to get to know.

For thousands of years

he has been regarded as

the all-time greatest calligrapher.

His name was Wang Xizhi.

When Emperor Wu of Liang dynasty

saw this piece by Wang Xizhi.

This is what he said about the calligraphy:

A dragon leaping at the Gate of Heaven,

A tiger crouching at the Phoenix Tower.

China’s emperor was impressed,

and he wrote these remarks

on the scroll next to Wang’s calligraphy.

It was common for emperors to leave remarks

on important artworks

to leave a legacy for future generations.

Through it,

we are able to get a better  sense of cultural value.

The Emperor Taizong of the Tang dynasty

was also a fan.

He collected more than 2,000 pieces

of Wang Xizhi calligraphy

and even composed the entry to his biography

for the official history of the Jin dynasty.

With that,

Wang Xizhi would enjoy an eternal place

in China’s history.

Wang’s most famous piece

was Preface to the Poems

Composed at the Orchid Pavilion

In the year 353AD,

Wang invited 41 fellow literati friends

to come enjoy a poetry contest

at the Orchid Pavilion

alongside a flowing stream.

Cups of rice wine floated downstream.

If a cup stopped in front of them,

that person would write a poem.

And we assume

they would enjoy their beverage afterwards.

Altogether 26 guests composed 37 poems.

Observing that spring day

among lofty mountains

and slender bamboo,

Wang was inspired to write his famous Preface.

As Wang reflected on a perfect afternoon,

his words revealed a lasting sentiment

that resonates with every one of us:

Future generations will look upon us

Just like we look upon our past

How sad!

Hence,

we record the people

presented here today and their works;

Even though

time and circumstances will be different,

The feelings expressed will remain unchanged.

Future readers shall also empathize

with the same

by reading this poetry collection

So why is this piece so admired?

Wang Xizhi mastered many script styles,

but it’s the Running script

he’s most famous for.

Preface is perhaps the finest example.

Look closely at the characters

can you tell

how some elements in individual characters

seem to pull away from each other?

Yet each character holds its own space.

This marks Wang Xizhi’s style

and is one of the ways

you can tell

his work apart from those  of other running scripts.

Another interesting thing is

how Wang playfully used characters...

The character 之,

which by itself means “of”

and the same character in Wang Xi Zhi’s name

is used 20 times,

and each time

Wang was able to write it differently.

The characters are written spontaneously,

yet each carries its own flavor.

You might be wondering

what kind of man Wang Xizhi was.

Born in 303AD in the Jin Dynasty,

Wang came from a family of renowned writers,

and he began practicing calligraphy

when he was seven years old.

He was so diligent when writing,

he would forget to eat.

After practice,

he would clean his brushes outdoors in a pond.

He did it so often,

he turned the color of the water to ink.

Wang Xizhi, the calligrapher,

was also a Daoist.

He took inspiration from the natural world,

and his smooth calligraphic style

was often likened to

the grace and ease of the geese he liked to keep.

Here we see

Wang Xizhi and his young attendant

enjoying a peaceful scene,

overlooking the water from a pavilion.

Two white geese swim towards them.

It's said while watching

how the geese move their long necks,

Wang enlightened to the principles of calligraphy

and the ideal wrist movements,

which he adopted in his writing.

Like his forefathers

who held prestigious positions in government,

Wang also took office.

But he cared little for fame

and the renown that came with it,

and in his later years

he resigned to devote himself to his passion:

calligraphy.

As for Preface to Lan Ting Xu,

after word got out,

countless copies were written

by Wang’s peers and contemporaries.

His words have been engraved on stone,

Emperors have commissioned sculptures,

and landscape paintings have been created,

all inspired by the story of Lan Ting Xu.

The original is said

to have been buried with Emperor Taizong.

And today,

no original works of his remain,

which makes this man’s art priceless.

We are now half way through our introduction

of the art of calligraphy.

Perhaps this is a proper time

for a tea break.

In the next episode

I will share-about

an even-more dynamic period

of Chinese calligraphy,

including my own encounters with this art form.

As a Chinese proverb says,

“He who returns from a journey

is not the same as he who left.”

I have a feeling

that you are not the same person now,

having-traveled-this-far

in the history of Chinese calligraphy.

No one has lived in the past or the future,

only the now.

Perhaps a cup of tea

can help keep your world sane.

Thank you for watching.

Until next time,

peace and tea be with you.