2008年4月2日水曜日

Calligraphy

I examine about calligraphy. Calligraphy is one of the Japanese arts.
Calligraphy is using writing brush and ink and writing letters on the paper.
There are some ways of handwriting.
In Japan, the exhibition of calligraphy has held since Showa period. Gradually, calligraphy is established as modern art.

Please look at this picture. Tools of calligraphy are ink stone, brush, paper and ink. They are called four treasures of stationary.

Ink stone is used like a palette of painting. It is used for polishing ink and storing ink. It is usually made from stone. Some of them are made from pottery and japan ware.

Brush is made from the bristle of horse, sheep and raccoon dog with tree and bamboo.

It is used for the special paper for calligraphy. Sometimes Japanese paper is used though it is expensive.

Ink is usually used India ink.
In Japanese compulsory education, elementary school students of third year or over learn calligraphy as one of Japanese class. It is provided as teaching guideline. In high school, course of art has music, art and calligraphy, so students can choose favorite one.
Please look at this picture, in Japan, there is an annual event which shows world and Japanese social condition by one Kanji in December 12th. The day is decided Kanji day (漢字の日) by the association of Kanji examination. The Kanji is written in Kiyomizu temple, in Kyoto every year openly. The Kanji is generally called Kotoshino Kanji (今年の漢字). It means Kanji of this year. This event is started in 1995. When the Kanji is announced, Shinto priest of Kiyomizu temple write it on a big paper using brush.
Last year, the kanji, 偽 (deceit), was chosen because there were many food disguise and also the problem of pension was happened in Japan.






Please look at this picture. Calligraphy is generally written in quiet place with sit on their heels; however this picture is totally different. A woman writes with standing and there are some women with instruments. Recentry calligraphy exert to many fields. It shows a changing culture.

2 件のコメント:

visual gonthros さんのコメント...

Calligraphy is a good topic and you do a nice job of describing it. How do you know about this subject? Do you do calligraphy? It might be a good idea to cite a source, either a book or a link, so that someone who is interested can easily get more information.

You did well to include the kanji of the year. But where did the picture come from? Did you take it? If not, please cite the source. Also, he is a Buddhist priest, not Shinto.

Your last picture is interesting to look at, but I don't quite understand what is going on, other than that she is on her feet. More context would be useful.

Ayumi Tanaka さんのコメント...

I am realy interested in calligraphy. When I was in elementary school and jounir high school, I have done calligraphy for about seven years.

I got the picture from asahi online. http://www.asahi.com/special/07-08/news/OSK200712120062.html

I am not sure but I think she performances Japanese culture officially.