The Confucius Institute at the University of Banja Luka organized a themed workshop titled ‘Experience Chinese Calligraphy’ on Saturday, 1 December 2018, in the premises of the Faculty of Political Sciences.
Chinese professors gave a brief introduction on the history of Chinese calligraphy, or the art of Chinese writing, which in China, from a very early period, was viewed as the supreme visual art form. It was more valued than painting and sculpture, and ranked alongside poetry as a means of self-expression and cultivation.
This workshop was organized with the aim to present this aspect of Chinese culture to the public and enable all the people interested in it to experience it themselves by learning how to write Chinese characters with a brush and ink.
The Chinese professor showed some famous calligraphy works to the people who came to take part in the workshop and explained how they were made. He showed them how to properly sit and use the writing brush and how to make basic strokes with the brush.
A typical brush used in calligraphy consists of a bundle of animal hairs (such as black rabbit hair, white goat hair, etc.) pushed inside a tube of bamboo or wood (or some other material). The hairs are not all of the same length; rather, an inner core has shorter hairs around it, which in turn are covered by an outer layer that tapers to a point. Brushes come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes that determine the type of line produced. What all such brushes have in common is their flexibility that allows the calligraphic line to be so fluid and expressive.
Apart from the supreme value calligraphy has in China, it is believed that due to the proper holding of their body, breathing and concentration, calligraphers live longer and achieve harmony of the body and the mind.
Accordingly, the participants found this ancient Chinese artistic form of expression very interesting and helpful for developing both their artistic writing skills and for their concentration, and therefore wish to continue practicing calligraphy.
This is the second themed workshop organized by the Confucius Institute at the University of Banja Luka for the citizens of Banja Luka interested in Chinese culture. The aim is to help them have a better understanding of Chinese culture, thus deepening the understanding and friendship between the two nations.
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