Explaining the history and types of calligraphy in Japanese culture

Calligraphy is an art that has been popular in Japan since ancient times. Many people would like to know about the history of calligraphy and the types of calligraphy that are loved by men and women of all ages.

In this article, we will introduce the history of calligraphy in Japanese culture and the types of calligraphy.

What is calligraphy?

Calligraphy is one of Japan's traditional arts. Express your thoughts and words on paper using a brush and ink.

Calligraphy allows you to train your mind, as you need to develop your concentration and master the skill of writing beautiful calligraphy.

In Japan, people can learn calligraphy as part of their lessons or in school classes since childhood.

What is the history of calligraphy? ?

In the Asuka period, with the introduction of Buddhism, many people in Japan began copying sutras.

Sutra copying refers to hand-copying Buddhist scriptures such as scriptures and sutras. This is an activity that is performed as part of Buddhist training and faith, and by carefully copying the text and content of the scriptures, you can deeply immerse yourself in the teachings and words. Sutra copying is considered an important practice for people seeking spiritual training and peace of mind.

During the Nara period, the Nihon Shoki, which is said to be the oldest in Japan, was written. This history book uses a unique Japanese notation in which kanji are represented by sounds. This unique notation was called Manyogana, and eventually led to the birth of kana characters.

In addition to Manyogana, “Katakana” was created, which is a further simplified version of Manyogana, in order to read down Chinese characters.

During the Kamakura period, a mixture of kanji and hiragana (like today) came to be commonly used.

It is said that during the Muromachi period, various schools of calligraphy were born, which gradually spread to Japan and became the calligraphy we know today.

Type of calligraphy

Script

Kaisho is a typeface for writing kanji and classical Chinese literature. In kaisho, the strokes of the brush are relatively straight, the thickness of the lines is uniform, and the shape of the letters is clear. Regular calligraphy is considered the basis of Chinese calligraphy, and is considered important as the basis for accurately writing characters. It is also widely used in calligraphy practice and art in Japan.

Cursive

Cursive is a typeface for writing kanji and classical Chinese literature. As the name suggests, this typeface gives the impression that the letters are overgrown like grass. The brushstrokes can be made freely, the lines can be curved, and multiple strokes can be drawn with a single stroke, allowing for a much higher degree of freedom than kaisho or gyosho. Cursive calligraphy is known as a particularly unique and expressive type of calligraphy.

Gyosho

Gyosho is a typeface for writing kanji and classical Chinese literature. The brush strokes are freer than in block script, and the lines are written smoothly. The shape of the letters is slightly more delicate, allowing the writer's personality and emotions to be more expressed. Gyosho is considered to be an intermediate type of calligraphy between cursive and regular calligraphy, and is considered one of the most beautiful styles of calligraphy.

summary

Calligraphy has a very deep history and has become an essential part of Japanese education and cultivation. It would be a good idea to take a calligraphy class or buy a set of tools at a stationery store and try writing.

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