Chinese calligraphy is an important carrier of Chinese culture and may be the most important. Calligraphy is not only about expressing meaning to the Chinese, but also expressing thought and art.
There is an old saying in China: words are like people. In ancient China, writing calligraphy and writing poetry were essential social tools for high society or intellectuals. In modern China, although not many people practice calligraphy, if someone evaluates your writing well, it is a high praise for you.
Chinese characters are probably the oldest text that is still widely used today. The five-body calligraphy we often say "篆, 隶, 楷, 行, 草"
The original Chinese calligraphy was engraved on the oracle bone: Oracle. Mainly used in the Shang Dynasty (about 17th century BC - 11th century BC), about 3,600 years ago. It has a quaint, luxuriant aesthetic. The金文(jinwen) of the Western Zhou Dynasty was also a very representative ancient calligraphy, which was cast or engraved on bronze. Initially in the middle of the Shang Dynasty, it was held in the Western Zhou Dynasty. From bronze to wood and cloth, it gradually evolved into a book. The 隶书(lishu) originated from the Qin Dynasty, and the 草书(caoshu),楷书(kaishu),行书(xingshu)was developed at the same time.
If you don't know that Chinese history and culture are inseparable from calligraphy, then the emotions of calligraphy may not be easily understood (in fact, the Chinese themselves can understand not much, but the Chinese respect the calligraphy)
On the one hand, practicing calligraphy can make people calm and calm, and get good practice: Many people believe that practicing calligraphy is a way of communication with the ancients, which can have a deeper understanding of culture and better inheritance. Can vent your emotions. You can also get approval from others. Some people even use this as a professional life. On the other hand,for culture itself, calligraphy has witnessed the history of China and enriched the artistic heritage of culture.
What is common in China now is the 楷书(kaishu).
It is not easy to understand that it is unnecessary to learn calligraphy in China, but if you want to understand Chinese culture in depth, it is necessary to learn calligraphy.