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  • In the last episode we talked about how Chinese calligraphy works, its history and how it's

  • practiced. So if you haven't seen that video - please click right here to watch.

  • In this episode we're going to talk about the materials that are used in Chinese calligraphy

  • and the history behind them.

  • The four essential elements of Chinese Calligraphy are the brush, the ink stick, the ink stone

  • and the paper. These items are known in Chinese tradition as "the four treasures of knowledge."

  • Because, well, the idea is that when you learn how to write, you become literate, which - in

  • turn - then you can learn how to obtain and pass on knowledge.

  • So the brush tip is usually made of animal hair such as rabbit, wolf or goat, inserted

  • into a hollow bamboo tube. The tip is shaped to come to a point at the top so that it can

  • make sharp thin lines when held upright, and wider lines when tilted to its side. Like

  • all brushes, the brush comes in different sizes depending on the shape and the size

  • that you want your brushstrokes to be.

  • So the ink stick is where the ink comes from. It's made from pine soot that comes from

  • the inner core of a tree, mixed with a binding agent such as animal glue. To be used, it

  • needs to be ground with water against the next item, the ink stone, until it reaches

  • the right consistency. In fact, grinding the ink was an art in itself that apprentices

  • of calligraphy had to master before they could continue to develop their skill in writing.

  • So how do you, how do you know it's at the right consistency?

  • Hmm, you can feel the, the fluid, if it's too thick or too thin.

  • I can try. I think it's still too thin.

  • Too thin.

  • The quality of the stone is also important and it needs to have a fine grain in order

  • to produce the best ink quality. Over time, ink stones have actually also became a treasured

  • and collectible works of art in themselves since they would usually be made of very high

  • quality stones, and also be carved or decorated in very beautiful and elaborate ways. Nowadays

  • you can also buy pre-ground and pre-mixed ink that comes in bottles. But the quality

  • of it is significantly lower than the ink that comes from rubbing ink sticks. Bottled

  • ink would usually be used as student grade ink for people who are just learning how to

  • do calligraphy.

  • And finally we have the paper, a historic Chinese invention by the way that was invented

  • in the Han dynasty in around 100 BCE and became widely used in China in around 100 CE . Prior

  • to the invention of paper, people carved into stone and ivory, as well as wrote on bamboo

  • and silk. But the Han dynasty was a very bureaucratic dynasty and they needed a lighter, cheaper

  • and more efficient way to keep records. I mean my filing cabinet would be full in no

  • time if I wrote on stone tablets. And therefore paper to the rescue! Its early types would

  • have tree bark mixed with things like hemp, pressed flat and left out in the sun to dry.

  • Calligraphers use a special type of paper called Xuanzhi, also known as rice paper - made

  • of a particular specie of Elm mixed with rice. The paper also comes in different types that

  • have different absorption rates, creating different types of brushstroke qualities.

  • In addition to these "four treasures" Some Calligraphers also sometimes use paper weights

  • which are also often carved and decorated pieces of stones and wooden blocks and it

  • can also sometime be collectible works of art just like the ink stones.

  • As I mentioned in the previous episode - artists would stamp their works with their personalized

  • seals. The practice of sealing in China dates back to as early as 544 BCE. The seal is used

  • by people and organizations to effectively act as a verifiable signature. It is also

  • common for the owners of the art and calligraphy to seal works in addition to the artist. Some

  • works that have passed through multiple owners over the years may have dozens of red seals

  • all over them. A seals could made of stone, ivory, wood or jade and is dipped in a red

  • paste made of cinnabar with water mixed with honey or oil. And, similar to other calligraphy

  • materials - seals could also be beautiful works of art in themselves. The character

  • design of the stamped part can come in many unique forms and styles, and the stamp body

  • is also often elaborately carved.

  • So do you have any favourite calligraphy styles or calligraphy artists? whether they're Eastern

  • or Western, whichever the language. Let me know in the comments.

  • A seals could made of stone, ivory, wood or jade and is dipped in a red paste made of

  • … I don't know.

In the last episode we talked about how Chinese calligraphy works, its history and how it's

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中国の書道とは?Pt.2: 素材|ARTiculations (What is Chinese Calligraphy? Pt. 2: Materials | ARTiculations)

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    Li Rose に公開 2021 年 01 月 14 日
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