What do you think?
Rate this book
Chinese Calligraphy: An Introduction to Its Aesthetic and Technique
This is the classic introduction to Chinese calligraphy. In nine richly illustrated chapters Chiang Yee explores the aesthetics and the technique of this art in which rhythm, line, and structure are perfectly embodied. He measures the slow change from pictograph to stroke to the style and shape of written characters by the great calligraphers.
Speech and writing are two organs of the same human impulse--the conveyance of thought: the one operating through hearing, the other through sight; the one by sound from mouth to ear, the other by form or image from hand to eye. But each can do something besides convey thought. Spoken words can be so arranged as to discharge aesthetic "musical" significances, as in much Western poetry. Written words can be formed to liberate visual beauties; and it is these which form the subject of this book. In addition to aesthetic considerations, the text deals with such more practical subjects as the origin and construction of the Chinese characters, styles, technique, strokes, composition, training, and the relations between calligraphy and other forms of Chinese art.
For the third edition the author has added two new chapters: "Calligraphy and Painting" discusses the dependence of Chinese painting on calligraphic training and techniques; "Aesthetic Principles" explores the fundamental concepts underlying every Chinese art form.
Chinese Calligraphy is a superb appreciation of beauty in the movement of strokes and in the patterns of structure--and an inspiration to amateurs as well as professionals interested in the decorative arts.
Speech and writing are two organs of the same human impulse--the conveyance of thought: the one operating through hearing, the other through sight; the one by sound from mouth to ear, the other by form or image from hand to eye. But each can do something besides convey thought. Spoken words can be so arranged as to discharge aesthetic "musical" significances, as in much Western poetry. Written words can be formed to liberate visual beauties; and it is these which form the subject of this book. In addition to aesthetic considerations, the text deals with such more practical subjects as the origin and construction of the Chinese characters, styles, technique, strokes, composition, training, and the relations between calligraphy and other forms of Chinese art.
For the third edition the author has added two new chapters: "Calligraphy and Painting" discusses the dependence of Chinese painting on calligraphic training and techniques; "Aesthetic Principles" explores the fundamental concepts underlying every Chinese art form.
Chinese Calligraphy is a superb appreciation of beauty in the movement of strokes and in the patterns of structure--and an inspiration to amateurs as well as professionals interested in the decorative arts.
241 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1955
22 people are currently reading
134 people want to read
About the author
Chiang Yee
38 books16 followersChiang Yee (simplified Chinese: 蒋彝; traditional Chinese: 蔣彝; pinyin: Jiǎng Yí; Wade–Giles: Chiang I; 19 May 1903 – 26 October 1977), self-styled as "The Silent Traveller" (哑行者), was a Chinese poet, author, painter and calligrapher.
The success of The Silent Traveller in London (1938) was followed by a series of books in the same vein, all of which he illustrated himself.
The success of The Silent Traveller in London (1938) was followed by a series of books in the same vein, all of which he illustrated himself.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
June 4, 2015
This is a fantastic book, there are so few books in English that cover the subject in any depth. It explains the different styles of writing, how they were derived and the various inventors (when known) of the scripts. It's mostly well illustrated since calligraphy tends to be in black and white with the exception of some example paintings which are in muddy half-tones. It does include a section on writing your own characters that's very good on the basics and it does cover the basic strokes and many variations. There are enough examples given in the book that you could use this as a solo textbook.
In addition, there is a large chunk of text about the aesthetics of writing and its relation to painting and seal carving. Parts of the explanations are a bit dated since it contrasts calligraphy with Surrealism, a movement I am not up on. On the whole though, this section is excellent.
This book has the Chinese terms spelled out both in Wade-Giles romanization and traditional Chinese characters. If you've ever had the nightmare of trying to figure out a Chinese art word based on an obsolete English spelling, you will appreciate this. Also includes a brief bibliography of suggested Chinese material for further reading.
On a bizarre note, apparently due to lack of presents in wartime England, this book was a popular gift to send home and went into multiple printings.
In addition, there is a large chunk of text about the aesthetics of writing and its relation to painting and seal carving. Parts of the explanations are a bit dated since it contrasts calligraphy with Surrealism, a movement I am not up on. On the whole though, this section is excellent.
This book has the Chinese terms spelled out both in Wade-Giles romanization and traditional Chinese characters. If you've ever had the nightmare of trying to figure out a Chinese art word based on an obsolete English spelling, you will appreciate this. Also includes a brief bibliography of suggested Chinese material for further reading.
On a bizarre note, apparently due to lack of presents in wartime England, this book was a popular gift to send home and went into multiple printings.
April 26, 2020
Interesting survey of the history, primary styles, values, and fundamental techniques of Chinese calligraphy, intended for people who have no prior experience with Chinese calligraphy or language. Chiang included a lot of really good examples and discussions of them.
Caveats: Chiang is an artist, not an etymologist or philologist, so the sections about the evolution of scripts should be taken with a grain of salt. In general he approaches the subject from a subjective and qualitative perspective. Also, the book is a little old so it doesn't talk about simplified Chinese, the internet, etc. in relation to calligraphy, and pinyin hadn't been standardized yet so it uses (I believe) Taiwanese pinyin. Chiang's also got plenty of that good old Chinese nationalist identity lol but I thought it was kinda endearing, like talking with your grandpa and just nodding along when he says Chinese writing, philosophy, and architecture are the objective pinnacle of human achievement.
Caveats: Chiang is an artist, not an etymologist or philologist, so the sections about the evolution of scripts should be taken with a grain of salt. In general he approaches the subject from a subjective and qualitative perspective. Also, the book is a little old so it doesn't talk about simplified Chinese, the internet, etc. in relation to calligraphy, and pinyin hadn't been standardized yet so it uses (I believe) Taiwanese pinyin. Chiang's also got plenty of that good old Chinese nationalist identity lol but I thought it was kinda endearing, like talking with your grandpa and just nodding along when he says Chinese writing, philosophy, and architecture are the objective pinnacle of human achievement.
June 9, 2024
Rich yet succinct take on the history, styles, techniques, and ideas that make China’s chief art form.
The writing style is excellent, which means that the book is read easily, and you get to retain a lot of the information. And, what helps are the plentiful illustrations and examples.
One of the main messages here is that the Chinese elevate their writing system beyond simply a means of communication. Through a focus on strokes, rhythm, and structure, we get to appreciate the abstract beauty of the line. This resonates with me because although I do not speak Chinese (and will probably never learn it), I can spend a lot of time contemplating just how a character looks in terms of patterns and the movements of the elements in it. Now I am reassured that there is nothing strange about that. A character does not have to express any particular thoughts to be beautiful. In this way, it is somewhat surprising that the author did not draw a parallel between calligraphy and instrumental music, though he did so with dancing.
And, I particularly enjoyed the part about the distinctions between the different kinds of beauty. Also, the idea that the empty spaces of characters are essential to their appeal was eye-opening.
What also caught my interest is the notion of taking a symbol beyond the real. This is where we try to capture essential depiction of a thing without imitation. Relatedly, I liked the idea that the great works are not necessarily about perfect symmetry as they are about the elusive asymmetrical balance.
Finally, this book gives a lot of practical advice should the reader be inclined to start the practice. Among them are valuable insights such as: keep your brush tight, practice by copying and do not get discouraged because mastering the art form is not an easy task.
The only somewhat questionable part was the idea that writing style reflects personality and that we can deduce character traits from it. Now, I am not saying that who we are does not influence how we write. Of course it does. But that is different from claiming that tall people will end up making tall characters or that persons of optimistic disposition will be able to endow their writing with that universally identifiable quality.
Given that there does not seem to be much material on Chinese calligraphy in English, this is a must-read for anyone interested in the subject. But also, in its own right, this book is great due to its comprehensiveness, choice of topics, style, and conviction with which it is written. As a final note, I wonder how Mr Yee feels about the whole idea of simplifying characters as it was done in the People’s Republic. I guess we will never know.
‘A beautiful form should be beautifully executed’.
The writing style is excellent, which means that the book is read easily, and you get to retain a lot of the information. And, what helps are the plentiful illustrations and examples.
One of the main messages here is that the Chinese elevate their writing system beyond simply a means of communication. Through a focus on strokes, rhythm, and structure, we get to appreciate the abstract beauty of the line. This resonates with me because although I do not speak Chinese (and will probably never learn it), I can spend a lot of time contemplating just how a character looks in terms of patterns and the movements of the elements in it. Now I am reassured that there is nothing strange about that. A character does not have to express any particular thoughts to be beautiful. In this way, it is somewhat surprising that the author did not draw a parallel between calligraphy and instrumental music, though he did so with dancing.
And, I particularly enjoyed the part about the distinctions between the different kinds of beauty. Also, the idea that the empty spaces of characters are essential to their appeal was eye-opening.
What also caught my interest is the notion of taking a symbol beyond the real. This is where we try to capture essential depiction of a thing without imitation. Relatedly, I liked the idea that the great works are not necessarily about perfect symmetry as they are about the elusive asymmetrical balance.
Finally, this book gives a lot of practical advice should the reader be inclined to start the practice. Among them are valuable insights such as: keep your brush tight, practice by copying and do not get discouraged because mastering the art form is not an easy task.
The only somewhat questionable part was the idea that writing style reflects personality and that we can deduce character traits from it. Now, I am not saying that who we are does not influence how we write. Of course it does. But that is different from claiming that tall people will end up making tall characters or that persons of optimistic disposition will be able to endow their writing with that universally identifiable quality.
Given that there does not seem to be much material on Chinese calligraphy in English, this is a must-read for anyone interested in the subject. But also, in its own right, this book is great due to its comprehensiveness, choice of topics, style, and conviction with which it is written. As a final note, I wonder how Mr Yee feels about the whole idea of simplifying characters as it was done in the People’s Republic. I guess we will never know.
‘A beautiful form should be beautifully executed’.
February 19, 2023
For anyone interested on learning more about Chinese calligraphy, this is an amazing book, especially if you're only getting started on your journey to reading more about it. The author has specifically written this with people who don't have a lot of background knowledge in mind.
Personally as I have some familiarity with chinese philosophy, history, and other elements that definitely enriched my ability to enjoy this book, but it is not necessary.
Would highly recommend
Personally as I have some familiarity with chinese philosophy, history, and other elements that definitely enriched my ability to enjoy this book, but it is not necessary.
Would highly recommend
January 10, 2026
Interesting book
rich and informative
rich and informative
January 24, 2026
I should’ve read this 6 months ago. Very helpful for someone new to calligraphy.
December 10, 2012
This book was given to me in the big pile by webcowgirl and I did enjoy it immensely. It was written in the 1930s for Westerners to be able to appreciate the art of Chinese calligraphy and even be able to start learning how to do it themselves. Because of the time period there was a very interesting link between the surrealists and Chinese calligraphy. The book outlined, and included lots of different examples of, the main styles of calligraphy (I realised I'd been mislabeling grass style as running style for years) as well as the different strokes, and instructions for beginning to write correctly. It also tried to explain where to look for the beauty within the strokes and the characters, even if you didn't know what they meant. In one of the examples of how to do this he had characters next to images, the most striking was a flourishing grass script character next to a picture of a dancing girl with veils flowing around her. I'm not sure I will be able to separate the good from the bad yet, but I think I have a better idea of what to look for. It was very useful book and really made me want to take out my brushes and start practicing again.
June 1, 2015
This book is written in English and for a western audience, but otherwise it is just like a Chinese calligraphy manual. For example, it lists umpteen variations of the.stroke, complete with little arrows inside the strokes, and it says things like "These four dots are called four-dots-back-to-back, Pei-Szu-Tien (Chinese characters here) because they are not written in the same direction though they are closely related, as you can see." It includes theoretical points like empty space and the analogy with dance/nature. Good stuff.
Read
May 1, 2009Chinese Calligraphy by Chiang YEE (1966)
Currently reading
January 12, 2011interesting so far
July 8, 2015
a rui recommendation. a nice early 20th century primer on how to appreciate chinese calligraphy.
April 16, 2023
A fun introduction to the art form Chinese calligraphy. Lots of fun visuals and examples, and a detailed history/background is provided.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews