Japanese calligraphy

Japanese calligraphy is a traditional form of artistic writing that holds great cultural importance in Japan. Also called shodo, or "the way of writing," the calligraphy originated from ancient Chinese characters the Japanese called kanji. Historically, shodo has consisted of five main styles, though modern calligraphy utilizes three styles. The art form has been used with Japan's three major alphabets and bears a strong connection to the meditative philosophies of Zen Buddhism. Learning shodo is required for all Japanese students in primary school, and it is an optional course in high school and college.

Background

The earliest known form of Chinese writing was etched into animal bones and turtle shells about 3,500 years ago. The writing, primarily used for administrative purposes or divination, was a pictographic script—symbols representing an object or concept. Chinese writing evolved over the centuries into a more artistic style featuring thousands of symbols, each representing a word or phrase. By the end of the Han Dynasty in the second century CE, the Chinese had developed a standard script that would form the basis for most forms of written Chinese.

Chinese writing was introduced to Japan as the Buddhist religion spread to the island nation around the sixth century CE. Prior to this period, Japan had no need of a writing system, as Japanese was purely a spoken language. The Japanese called the imported written symbols kanji, a term meaning "Chinese characters." They adapted the kanji symbols to their own language and used them to represent entire words. They also developed two commonly used phonetic writing systems from kanji called hiragana and katakana, collectively known as kana script.

The stylized, artistic traditions of Chinese calligraphy were also brought to Japan around the sixth century. Japanese royalty and noble families learned shodo as an art form by copying poetry and Buddhist texts. Shotoku Taishi, a Japanese prince who died in the early seventh century, further helped popularize calligraphy with the Buddhist practice of shakyo, a form of meditation that required meticulously copying religious texts. During the Heian period (794–1185), Japanese calligraphy began to deviate from its Chinese roots and develop its own distinctive style.

Overview

The primary difference between Japanese and Chinese calligraphy is that shodo uses the kanji characters as well as the kana scripts—hiragana and katakana. The oldest form of Japanese calligraphy is called tensho, or seal script. It originated in China in the first millennium BCE and was standardized during the Qin dynasty (221–206 BCE). Tensho was a decorative script originally used to engrave official seals on government documents and inscriptions. The ornamental flourishes of tensho were later adapted into another form of ancient calligraphy known as reisho, or clerical script. Reisho was a simplified writing style designed to be easier for the average person to read. It featured fewer strokes with a more rectangular linear form. Because of its similarities to modern forms of writing, reisho is still occasionally used in calligraphy to add an artistic touch to projects.

Kaisho, or "correct writing," is itself a simplified form of reisho, and it is one of the three styles used in modern calligraphy. Kaisho is closest to the original kanji characters and features a simple square style that is the easiest to read and write. It is most often the first style learned by those practicing shodo. Kaisho is a precise form of calligraphy and requires some knowledge of the proper structure and formation of each character. The order of brush strokes in kaisho must be followed in the correct sequence.

Gyosho, or "traveling writing," is a semicursive script with less formal, more rounded strokes than kaisho. Gyosho is written in a quicker manner, with the individual strokes flowing together to give it a sense of motion. Brush strokes in gyosho do not stop at the end of each stroke, but transition from one stroke to the next. The style is more flexible and allows for artistic freedom when creating the characters. Most modern Japanese calligraphy is done in gyosho.

Sosho is a cursive and highly informal style of writing. Sosho means "grass writing," as it is supposed to bring to mind meadow grasses blowing in the wind. The style uses artistic, fluid strokes that can be personalized to the point of becoming almost abstract in shape. For that reason, the style can be difficult to read for those not trained in Japanese calligraphy. To work successfully in the sosho style, a person must first master the kaisho and gyosho styles.

Japanese calligraphy is closely tied to Zen Buddhism, a branch of the religion that focuses on mediation. According to the Zen philosophy of shodo, the calligrapher begins with a blank sheet of paper and has only one chance to make a statement though his or her art. The brush strokes must be bold, fluid, and created with confidence because they cannot be undone once they have been made. An artist with a lack of confidence or concentration will transfer that doubt into his or her work.

Practitioners of shodo require several common tools to create their art. As a traditional canvas, they use a special paper called washi, made from the bark of the gampi tree, mitsumata shrub, or the paper mulberry. A solid inkstick, or sumi, made with grease, oil, or pine soot is ground into an inkwell called a suzuri and mixed with water to make the ink. A paperweight, or bunchin, is placed at the edges of the paper to hold it in place while the calligrapher uses an animal-hair brush called a fude to create the strokes.

During the Edo period (1603–1868), Japanese leaders made shodo a mandatory subject in schools throughout the nation. Students in Japanese elementary schools are still required to practice the art of calligraphy in the twenty-first century. The course is offered as an art elective once students reach middle school or high school, and it is part of many after-school programs. Several Japanese universities also offer courses in calligraphy.

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