Chinese calligraphy facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Chinese calligraphy
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese	書法
Simplified Chinese	书法
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Shūfǎ Wu Romanization sy平 fah入 Hakka Romanization su24 fab2 Yue: Cantonese Jyutping syu1 faat3 Southern Min Hokkien POJ su-hoat
Vietnamese name
Vietnamese alphabet	Thư pháp
Chữ Hán	書法
Korean name
Hanja	書藝
Transcriptions Revised Romanization Seoye McCune–Reischauer Sŏye
Japanese name
Kanji	書道
Hiragana	しょどう (modern) しよだう (historical)
Transcriptions Revised Hepburn Shodō

Chinese calligraphy is a beautiful way of writing that comes from China. It's not just about writing words; it's seen as an art form, much like painting, poetry, or music. People in China have practiced calligraphy for thousands of years.

In China, this art is called shūfǎ (書法/书法). This means "the way or method of writing." In Japan, it's known as shodō (書道), which also means "the way of writing" in Japanese. In Korea, it's called seoye (서예; 書藝), meaning "the skill of writing" in Korean.

Tools for Calligraphy

To create amazing calligraphy, artists use special tools. Four of the most important tools are known as the Four Treasures of the Study. These are the ink brush, the ink, the paper, and the inkstone.

Many calligraphers also use other helpful items. These include water-droppers to get the right amount of water for the ink. They also use paperweights to keep the paper still while they are writing.

How to Write Strokes

When writing Chinese characters, there's a special order for drawing each line or stroke. This stroke order helps the characters look balanced and makes them easier to read. Here are some common rules:

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  First horizontally, then vertically
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  Top to bottom
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  Left side, then right side
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  First the middle, then the sides
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  First the frame, then inside the frame
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  Close the frame last
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  Secondary dots last

Images for kids

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  Oracle bone fragment, Shang dynasty (around 1600–1046 B.C.)

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  Memorial to Yueyang Tower by Fan Zhongyan, Song Dynasty

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  On Calligraphy by Mi Fu, Song Dynasty

• Poems of The four treasures in a schoolar’s study (Qing).jpg

  Poems of The four treasures in a scholar's study (Qing dynasty)

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  A Chinese calligraphy set, Gurgaon, near Delhi, India

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  Brush-washers for removing extra ink are important tools in traditional Chinese calligraphy.

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  Water calligraphy or ground calligraphy is a popular pastime in China.

See also

In Spanish: Caligrafía china para niños