Japanese Calligraphy
Japanese calligraphy, also known as "shodou" (which means 'the way of writing'), is a form of calligraphy of the Japanese language. Japanese calligraphy is a specialized art form that has certain similarities to Western calligraphy. However, while Western calligraphy has twenty six characters, Japanese calligraphy boasts of about 48,000 characters. Due to this reason, Japanese calligraphy, which is popular not only in Japan but all across the globe, requires a lifetime of dedication. In Japan, Japanese Calligraphy is widely used by people of all ages.
The roots of Japanese calligraphy can be traced back to Chinese calligraphy which was created about 4,500 years ago. By the time calligraphy arrived in Japan (around 6th century), it had already been developed for a significant period of time. During the Heian period, the Japanese people embraced the new art form offered by the "Three Great Brushes" (respectfully referred to as the "Sanpitsu") comprising the Buddhist monk Kuukai, the courtier Tachibana no Hayanari and the Emperor Saga. Many are of the opinion that their calligraphy captures the timeless beauty of Chinese calligraphy.
Around the 10th and 11th centuries, the "Three Great Brushes" were followed by the "Three Traces" (respectfully referred to as the "Sanseki") - Ono no Toufuu, Fujiwara no Sukemasa and Fujiwara no Yukinari, who formed the trio credited with developing "Wayou" - a uniquely Japanese calligraphy style. The style Ono no Toufuu served to create the Shouren'in school and the Oie style of calligraphy. During the Edo period, this style of calligraphy was used for official documents and taught in schools. Japanese calligraphy style and form continued to grow with zen-ei sho (Avant-Garde Calligraphy) and also fascinated artists in the Western world, notably Picasso and Matisse.
Many of the techniques and principles of Japanese calligraphy are similar to those found in Chinese calligraphy. Similar basic writing styles are used in both - seal script, clerical script, regular script, cursive and semi-cursive. Most often Japanese calligraphy is written using ink on mulberry paper. Japanese calligraphy consists of three basic styles - kaisho (which means “correct writing”), gyousho (which means “traveling writing”) and sousho (which means “grass writing”). A possible fourth style is kana, which has developed from radical forms of sousho.
Today, while being an elementary school subject, Japanese Calligraphy can also be found in high schools where it is one of the art subjects available to students. Japanese Calligraphy can also be found in some universities in Japan where special departments offer teacher training in calligraphy.
