Shodo or Japanese calligraphy is the art of writing with brush and ink. Shodo refers to “the way of writing”. Using these tools, Japanese men and women can create beautiful, pictorial characters or works of scripture that are extremely detailed. However, this form of art originated in China, and it has existed for around 2000 years. It has been passed down as a traditional art.
There was no written form in Japan at the time and so Chinese was used for religious texts and written communication. In the middle of the 7th century, the man’yogana writing system, which used Chinese characters and represented Japanese sounds started to be used. The oldest Japanese calligraphy works are from this period. Many of them still use Chinese. With time, the Japanese people developed their own scripts, like Katakana and Hiragana, which meant that the expression in Japanese calligraphy became more native.
Calligraphy as an Art
In Japanese culture, calligraphy is one of the most popular forms of artistic expression. In fact, in both Japan and China, calligraphy is believed to be the best visual art form. It is even esteemed higher than painting. Over the years, it has been practiced by the nobility, samurai, and also by ordinary people. It is a profound cultural tradition, which embodies the essence of Japanese philosophical spirit and aesthetic. You can learn more about this beautiful art form and its cultural tradition at the Japanese calligraphy workshop organized by different-level.
To create this unique form of art, the calligraphers used various feathered quills and wooden implements, which were constructed carefully. They were dipped in ink. Calligraphy is practiced even today but the instruments are very different. There are specialized calligraphy pens that have angled or slanted nibs and special ink cartridges.
However, some modern-day calligraphers still prefer to use older equipment and techniques like quills and ink reservoirs.
Historical Roots of Japanese Calligraphy
Japanese calligraphy goes back a long time to ancient China. With the development of Japanese scripts, calligraphy gradually became more specific to the country. There are three scripts in the Japanese language, which are hiragana, katakana, and kanji.
Kanji uses Chinese characters. This was introduced to Japan around the 5th century together with Buddhism. There was no return form in the country at the time and so Chinese was used for written communication. Man’yogana with Chinese characters was introduced in the middle of the 7th century. It represented Japanese sounds. The oldest surviving Japanese calligraphy works are from this period.
The two other Japanese scripts used in calligraphy, Hiragana and Katakana, are from Man’yogana.
- Hiragana is from the cursive, flowing styles used by women from the imperial court.
- The Buddhist monks developed the Katakana script to abbreviate complicated Chinese scripts.
Japanese calligraphy in Chinese style became extremely popular during the Heian period. The government official Tachibana no Hayanari, Emperor Saga, and monk Kukai were the best calligraphers of the time. They were known as the Sanpitsu, or “three brushes”.
A few centuries later, Fujiwara no Yukinari, Fujiwara no Sukemasa, and Ono no Michikaze were instrumental in establishing kana calligraphy. Together, the trio came to be referred to as the Sanseki or the “three traces”. They founded the Japanese Wayo style calligraphy, which is different from the Chinese imitation.
Shodo has been developing from this foundation. Japanese calligraphy is popular even today. According to an October 2021 survey, even after so many years, 3.4% of people in the country are actively engaged in calligraphy. Calligraphy is most popular in the following Japanese prefectures –
- Tokyo – 325,000
- Saitama – 209,000
- Kanagawa – 232,000
- Osaka – 191,000
- Aichi – 157,000
- Hyogo – 140,000
- Chiba – 128,000
- Fukuoka – 106,000
Sources –
https://stats-japan.com/t/kiji/22384
https://www.statista.com/statistics/1339022/japan-participation-rate-calligraphy/
Calligraphy as a Way to Convey Emotions and Atmosphere
Handwriting is a mirror that expresses our emotions and thoughts. Humans have for a long time wanted to express and write artistically. For example, the Romans used quill pens or ink-dipped reeds for scripting words on parchment scrolls. Later, western calligraphy was used to transcribe the Bible in the Christian churches.
Calligraphy is surely one of the most artistic ways of expressing our feelings. It is one of the most captivating expressions of artistry through handwriting. With calligraphy, the writers can give wings to words. It transforms ordinary words into an extraordinary art form and this art continues to encourage and inspire creative expression.
Calligraphy is visually captivating and can convey emotions efficiently. It has also been scientifically proven that this art form also offers therapeutic benefits. The rhythmic motion and pattern of calligraphy can give the mind a calming effect. It can also improve focus.
Symbolism in Calligraphy: How Hieroglyphs Can Express Philosophy, Feelings and States
Japanese calligraphers use various symbols and adaption of Chinese symbols to express their feelings and communicate. The symbols are drawn with different angled, horizontal, and vertical brushstrokes. Each symbol in Japanese calligraphy has a unique appearance.
- Kana symbols – This refers to two Japanese syllabaries, katakana and hiragana. There are 70 phonetic symbols. They all represent unique syllables. The kana symbols are highly cursive.
- Kanji symbols – This is the most popular Japanese written communication form. There are about 50,000 symbols and each one of them represents an idea or concept. In modern-day Japanese, about 15,000 of these symbols are used.
These symbols give the calligraphers everything they need to express their feelings and showcase the philosophy of this ancient form of art. An in-depth visual analysis will reveal its beauty.
The Influence of Calligraphy on the Perception of Text By the Viewer
Calligraphy has interesting fonts that have been used in many places like the cover of “The Alchemist”, written by Paulo Coelho and in the New York Times Magazine. You will see many instances of its use on posters, book covers, and magazines.
- Calligraphy fonts add sophistication, creativity, and elegance to printed materials, which makes them visually appealing.
- These fonts evoke associations and emotions like nostalgia, romance, and creativity, depending on the context and style of the font.
- Calligraphy fonts create a personalized and unique look for printed materials, which makes the design stand out.
- The fonts can also convey a sense of exclusivity and luxury, which makes them good for high-end marketing and branding.
- The fonts also create a sense of fun and playfulness, which makes them good for designs that want to attract a younger audience.
Calligraphy came to Japan from another country. However, the Japanese people gradually made this art form their own. They developed new techniques and styles that have made calligraphy uniquely Japanese. It is now valued highly and regarded as one of the most beautiful forms of art in Japanese culture.
This timeless art continues to inspire and captivate. Japanese calligraphy is a reflection of the country’s culture, history, and philosophical ideals. It is now an integral part of the country’s heritage. Japan has preserved and cherished calligraphy for many generations. Observe the graceful strokes of a calligrapher and appreciate its profound beauty.
