Japanese calligraphy, known as “shodo,” is a traditional art form that has gained popularity overseas due to its simple beauty. While most Japanese are familiar with it, there are many aspects of shodo that people may not know about. Here, we’ll explain the overview of shodo as a part of Japanese culture, its basic practices, and the five main script styles used in calligraphy. Understanding the fundamentals of shodo can help you appreciate its beauty even more.
Overview of Traditional Japanese Calligraphy
Shodo is the art of writing characters with a brush (known as a “fude”) and ink on paper to express one’s thoughts and feelings through the characters and the style of writing. It’s not just about writing characters but also about self-expression, making it a form of art. Shodo requires concentration and the mastery of techniques to write beautiful characters, which is believed to cultivate the mind and spirit. While “shuji” taught in schools is a precursor to shodo, there’s a significant difference in that shuji focuses on correct stroke order and balanced, beautiful characters, whereas shodo includes boldly distorted characters to express power, delicacy, or melancholy. Shodo can be broadly divided into two categories: kanji (Chinese characters) and kana (Japanese syllabaries), with a mix of both known as “kanji-kana majiri.”
Origins of Calligraphy
The origins of shodo are said to have come from China to Japan. Calligraphy developed in China, a culture with Chinese characters, and was transmitted to Japan along with Buddhism between the Asuka and Nara periods (6th to 7th centuries). Along with calligraphy, the making of brushes, ink, and paper were also transmitted. Being able to write characters with a brush and ink was considered an important accomplishment for warriors and nobles. Like many other cultures, arts, and entertainments, calligraphy gradually spread among commoners, not just warriors and nobles, as time passed. Most Japanese have the opportunity to learn shuji, the entry point to calligraphy, through calligraphy classes at schools, and calligraphy is deeply rooted in modern Japanese life, being used in ceremonies, New Year’s greetings, and the first calligraphy of the year.
Basic Practices in Calligraphy
Next, let’s explain the basic practices in calligraphy in Japan.
- Sitting posture: The basic sitting posture for calligraphy is seiza (sitting on the knees) on a cushion. If sitting seiza is difficult due to lack of practice or physical discomfort, it’s acceptable to sit on a chair or use auxiliary equipment for seiza, but it’s important not to lean diagonally against the desk.
- Posture and brush holding: The posture should also keep the back straight. Avoid hunching over or resting your hand and arm on the desk at an angle. When rubbing the suzuri (inkstone) to make ink, put a little water in the concave part at the top of the suzuri and gently rub the ink. Concentrate, and after rubbing the ink quietly for a while, the ink gradually dissolves in the water, creating ink. Once the ink is ready, dip the brush in it. Use your thumb, index finger, and middle finger to hold the middle of the brush. Unlike writing with a pencil, where you tilt the pencil slightly, when writing with a brush, you hold it straight up. When writing, lightly press the paper with the hand that is not your dominant hand (the hand that is not writing).
- Attire: There is no specific attire for calligraphy, unlike kendogi (clothing for kendo) or judogi (clothing for judo). You can wear casual clothes. However, since there is a possibility of ink splattering and causing stains, it’s best to avoid white or new clothes. Avoid clothes with bulging sleeves, fringe on the hem, or bell sleeves, as they may get caught in the suzuri. It’s safe to wear black or old clothes when practicing calligraphy.
The Five Main Script Styles of Chinese Characters in Calligraphy
Lastly, let’s explain the five main script styles of Chinese characters used in Japanese calligraphy:
- Seal Script (Tensho): Characters written in seal script are characterized by their rounded corners, known as “tensetsu,” which differ from the sharp angles found in characters like “田” (field) or “日” (sun).
- Clerical Script (Reisho): Characters on Japanese banknotes and those like “日本銀行券” (Bank of Japan Note) and “壱万円” (Ten Thousand Yen) are written in clerical script. It’s a script that developed after seal script, with flat “hane” and “harai” parts, but it’s surprisingly less used in actual calligraphy.
- Regular Script (Kaisho): Regular script is a script that developed after clerical script and serves as the basis for calligraphy. It’s the first script learned in shuji and calligraphy classes and is essential for mastering other scripts or writing characters with deviations.
- Running Script (Gyosho): Running script also developed from clerical script. It features a flowing style, slightly deviating from regular script, allowing for continuous writing without stopping or omitting some characters.
- Cursive Script (Sosho): Cursive script is a script for writing Japanese like English cursive. It can be written faster than running script, making it even more challenging to write and read without a certain level of knowledge. It’s considered a script for advanced calligraphers.
Recommendation for Beginners: Start with Regular Script
For beginners learning script styles in calligraphy, it’s recommended to start with kaisho, which is commonly used in daily life. After becoming familiar with it, move on to gyosho, which is slightly deviated, and then practice sosho, which is further distorted.