Zen and ink: Ancient art of calligraphy a world of beauty, meditation

Naoko Moriya / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer

With computer and digital device keyboards rapidly doing away with the need--or opportunity--to produce handwritten letters, a rising number of people are exploring the world of calligraphy. Calligraphers say it is because people are charmed by the beauty of the characters and the long history behind them. For many practitioners, it also offers an opportunity for meditation.

Calligrapher Mariko Kinoshita, who teaches the art at a culture center inside Printemps Ginza in Tokyo, says her students tend to be women in their 20s-30s. Some of them are hoping to have attractive writing; others are interested in what is known as art calligraphy, a recent movement in which there is more freedom in the writing of characters.

"The reason isn't important; it's just great to see people interested in calligraphy," says Kinoshita. "But I'd rather teach calligraphy as a traditional art, not as a form of fine art."

Kinoshita, who began studying calligraphy privately when she was 6, says she finds joy in reaffirming to herself the beauty of the characters and the years it took for the forms to become complete.

Kinoshita recommends that people new to the tradition begin by first practicing brushing the Chinese and Japanese classics, known as rinsho.

Demonstrating her point, Kinoshita writes six kanji characters on hanshi paper. She sits with her back straight as she holds her brush, creating a tense, serious atmosphere.

The six characters are from Kyuseikyu reisenmei, a Chinese classic often used to illustrate the kaisho standard, or square writing. The words are inscribed on a monument built to celebrate the coming of spring at Kyuseikyu, a palace building from the Tang Dynasty in China. Kinoshita said it is always the first thing she has her students learn.

"By meditating on why the ancient peoples left these characters, I feel as if I can get a sense of those days," Kinoshita said.

Hiragana, meanwhile, began its development in Japan during the Heian period (794-1192) and was originally based on characters from China. At the time, the syllabary was used mainly by women.

Asks Kinoshita: "I love the simplicity and suppleness of hiragana. Is it not amazing that we still use these letters that our ancestors made?"

The art of calligraphy requires a fude brush, sumi ink, a suzuri inkwell, hanshi paper, a shitajiki felt pad and a bunchin paperweight. They each come in several varieties and price ranges; Kinoshita recommends visiting a calligraphy speciality shop for advice on which tools you should use for your purposes and budget.

Inkwells and water droppers in particular are available in many beautiful choices, so it could be fun to build an attractive collection as your skills grow.

There are two ways to hold a brush: With the tankoho method, the brush is held like a pencil, with the thumb, index finger and middle finger. With the sokoho style, the ring finger is added.

One of the most appealing aspects of calligraphy is its meditative quality: You can reflect on yourself and feel a sense of serenity as you practice. "You don't have to spend hours doing it," she says. "For example, if you just write on one sheet of paper before heading off to bed, it will give you a sense of composure, especially if you have a rather hectic life."

There is a large selection of beautiful paper available for use in hiragana calligraphy. They come in different colors; some are patterned and some are gilded. This type of paper is called ryoshi and is believed to have originated in high society during the Heian period.

"Since letters were the only way for men and women to communicate their feelings to each other in those days, I think they carefully chose the paper on which they wrote, in addition to making sure their writing beautifully expressed their thoughts." Kinoshita says.

As a specialist in kanji calligraphy, Kinoshita--who works under the name of Shusui Kinoshita--uses white paper for her work. But she uses letter paper made for brush writing when sending a letter to her friends and acquaintances. Says Kinoshita: "It can also be fun to base your choice of letter paper on the recipient and the season."