Introdution of Calligraphy

Peking opera, martial arts, acupuncture and calligraphy are four kinds of Chinese quintessence that is internationally recognized. Calligraphy, in particular, is an art that is unique to China. Because Chinese characters are formed with dots and strokes and are written with soft and flexible brushes, they show a clear distinction in characteristics of fonts deriving from different periods in history: the beauty of lines, symmetry, principle, style and artistic concept. Calligraphy culture began with the birth of Chinese characters. It is an “intangible cultural legacy” that dates back thousands of years. Affected by Chinese culture, elementary students in Japan also must take calligraphy lessons. In August of 2011, mainland China ordered calligraphy classes every week in elementary and middle schools across the country. Other countries such as Singapore and South Korea regard calligraphy as a critical literacy for their citizens.

The beauty of text lines

Calligraphy is pholosiphy of life

Whether it was in the time of the Qing Dynasty or the government of the Republic of China, children have learned to write calligraphy since the moment they entered school. Learning calligraphy helps cultivate the students’ rigorousness and attentiveness. It shows them the beauty of poetry, the importance of “the timing of pressure and flow”, “the swift and the still”, understand the balance the harmony of “blank space”, but is also a kind of education on life philosophy. After the founding of the Republic of China, the Ministry of Education promulgated the “Principle of Teaching and Syllabus for Elementary School”. The principle clearly stated “calligraphy” to be part of “Chinese” teaching, for the student to practice penmanship from the beginning to the end of their elementary education so that they can write their essays and weekly diary in calligraphy when they enter middle school.

However, since 2000, when Taiwan included native language and regional cultural education in their curriculum, calligraphy classes started to disappear. Then English education became primary importance, and the 60 years history of calligraphy classes was wiped entirely out of existence. Under the impact of computer information and multiculturalism, elementary and middle schools started to neglect calligraphy education. Students have little knowledge in calligraphy, do not understand the copybooks, and even do not know how to hold a brush. They become unable to feel the art or appreciate the aesthetics of the inscriptions created by famed poets. It is a loss in cultural heritage and a disappointment in aesthetic education.

The stamp of Republic of China- Huang Tingjian's calligraphy

The inter-opposition between yin and yang

Calligraphy integrated with modern creativity

Presently, Taiwan is the only country in the world using traditional Chinese characters, and the government has also emphasized this fact as an act of "pioneering of Chinese culture." However, in recent years, the Ministry of Education has only stipulated "four calligraphy classes in one semester" for elementary schools, that is, only one class every month or so in average; it is absolutely inadequate for active learning. As for the middle school, there are only two or three courses on "General Knowledge of Chinese", which shows the decline of calligraphy culture. Viewing education from a practical standpoint, the value of calligraphy does not exist in the modern life of seeking novelty, change, and speed. However, the artistic beauty and cultural inheritance contained in calligraphy have undeniable value for those engaged in language education. The spirit of calligraphy is a combination of life philosophy and aesthetics. It is also a demonstration of a country's cultural literacy. Through this research, we hope to arouse the government to deal with this issue, deepen the people's understanding of the quintessence of Chinse culture and implement them in their lives. Retaining traditional heritage as well as modern spirit, seek leisure in hasty lifestyles, finding the simplicity in the complex and discover the "roots" that was lost.