Safe and Sound is where the lady of the house is!

Chinese calligraphy is one of the unique traditional artforms of China. Chinese characters were first developed by the working masses to record events through pictorial representation that gradually evolved to the written forms of today. And chinese calligraphy then followed suit from the invention of writing brushes.

Narrowly defined, Chinese calligraphy refers to the methods and the rules of writing Chinese characters using writing brushes, including the holding pattern, the stroke play, the layout, etc.

Broadly speaking, Chinese calligraphy encompasses all the writing efforts to express symbols and language. In other words, chinese calligraphy builds on the uniqueness of characters and their meanings and, through structured writing forms, transforms them into an elegant artform that constitutes an integral part of Chinese culture.

Here, simplistically, I would like to illustrate the evolution and the essence of Chinese calligraphy through a single character written in different calligraphic forms or scripts. The character I have chosen for this purpose means Safe and Sound, and in Zhuan Shu (the left character in the image below), which includes ancient writings on oracle bones, is represented by a roof with side walls encapsulating a seated lady within. The form symbolizes that the home is safe and sound when the lady of the house rules.

In Cao Shu, which literally means sketchy writing like grasses growing every each way, the walls seem to have disappeared (the middle character). Then comes the Kai Shu, the block shaped characters that are most often used today, signifying a roof over the character for lady. In a way, the word kind of jives with the English term, home maker, a moniker fondly and deservedly accorded to all great stay-home moms.




This is Announcing the arrival of Spring, ushering in a time of exuberance and verdancy.

And a flower with a backdrop of streaklines to finish off the ink left over from the calligraphic effort.