East Asian calligraphy

The East Asian tradition of calligraphy originated and developed in China. The countries that use East Asian calligraphy are China, Japan, Korea and Vietnam.

 Tools 
In calligraphy, paper, ink, brush, ink stone, paperweight, and a desk pad are used.

 Paper 
The special paper used for calligraphy, is made of rice, paper mulberries, bamboo, hemp, etc.

 Ink 
The ink is made from soot and binders. It comes in sticks, and must be rubbed with water on an ink stone. Pre-mixed bottle inks are now available. Pre-mixed bottle inks are for practicing.

 Brush 
The body of the brush can be made of bamboo, or rare materials like red sandalwood, glass, ivory, silver and gold. The head of the brush is made of the hair of animals, like the wolf, rabbit, deer, chicken, duck, goat, pig and tiger, etc.

 Ink stone 
The ink stone is used to rub the solid ink stick into liquid ink.

 Paperweight 
They are used to weigh down paper. Paperweights come in several types, and they are collectible works of art.

 Desk pad 
The desk pad is a pad made out of felt. Students use these desk pads, which are printed with grids on both sides. When placed under the paper, the grid helps to make the words the right size, and ensures correct placement.

 Notable calligraphers 
Almost all traditionally educated men (and sometimes women) in East Asia are good in calligraphy. The most famous are:

 China 

Mi Fei 米芾
Wei Shuo 衛鑠（衛夫人）
Wang Xizhi 王羲之
Wang Xianzhi 王獻之
Huai Su 怀素 (懷素)
Qigong 启功
Yu Shinan 虞世南
Zhang Xu 張旭
Yan Zhenqing 顏真卿
Liu Gongquan 柳公權
Ouyang Xun 歐陽詢
Su Shi 蘇軾
Huang Tingjian 黄庭堅
Emperor Huizong of Song Dynasty 宋徽宗 （趙佶）
Zhao Mengfu 趙孟頫
Liu Bingsen 劉炳森
Chiang Kai-Shek 蔣中正
Kang Youwei 康有为
Zheng Banqiao 鄭板橋
Huang Ruheng 黄汝生
Shi Kefa 史可法

 Japan 
Kūkai 空海
Emperor Saga 嵯峨天皇
Tachibana no Hayanari 橘逸勢
Ono Michikaze 小野道風
Fujiwara no Sukemasa 藤原佐理
Fujiwara no Yukinari 藤原行成
Hon'ami Kōetsu 本阿弥光悦
Konoe Nobutada 近衛信尹
Shokado Shojo 松花堂昭乗
Ryōkan 良寛
Yamaoka Tesshu 山岡鉄舟
Igaki Hokujo 井垣北城

 Korea 
Choi Chiwon 최치원
Kim Saeng 김생
Tan Yeon 탄연
Yi Aam 이암
Yi Yong 이용
Bak Jega 박제가
Kim Jeonghee 김정희
Kim Myeong-hui 김명회
Han Seokbong 한석봉
Sejong the Great 세종대왕
Grand Prince Anpyeong 안평대군
Kang Sehwang 강세황
Yun Sun 윤순
Yi I 이이
Yi Hwang 이황
Yi Sun-sin 이순신
Shin Saimdang 신사임당
Jeong Yak-yong 정약용
Kim Okgyun 김옥균

 Styles 
There are several word styles in calligraphy. Some of them are; Seal Script (often called small seal script), Clerical Script (sometimes called official, draft or scribal script), Semi-cursive Script (also called running script), Cursive Script (sometimes called grass script), Regular Script (often called ‘standard script’), Edomoji, Munjado, and Kao.

 Other websites 

History of Chinese Calligraphy
History of Korean Calligraphy 
Special Issue Of Vietnamese Calligraphy 
History of Calligraphy in Vietnam 

Category:Calligraphy
Category:Chinese language
Category:East Asia