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CALLIGRAPHY
Calligraphy has a long and distinguished history in China, and this enthusiam has extended to those nations who imported China's writing system. In my mind, the greatest watershed in Japanese calligraphy and art in general occurs with the introduction of Zen Buddhism (Chinese in origin) early in the Kamakura Era (1185-1333). The contribution of Zen to Japanese culture is profound, and much of what the West admires in Japanese art today can be traced to Zen influences on Japanese architecture, poetry, ceramics, painting, calligraphy, gardening, the tea ceremony, flower arrangement, and other crafts.
In calligraphy, the brush line that is sweeping and fluid -- spontaneous rather than predictable, irregular rather than regular -- is highly treasured. To paraphrase Alan Watts, much of Zen art is the "art of artlessness, the art of controlled accident." To me, the hallmarks of Japanese Zen art are simplicity, emptiness, spontaneity, and naturalness. Below I present some of my favorite brush work, almost all by contemporary artists.
Character for Good, Goodness, Virtue
1986. Brushed by young Buddhist monk at Sanjusangendo (one of the most impressive of all Buddhist temples in Kyoto). The temple houses the Kannon of 1000 hands and is said to contain 33,333 of her images. The fluid sweeping brush strokes invoke a sense of vitality and spontaneity. When watching him brush this character, it seemed as though his hand and arm were dancing rather than writing.
Character for Nothingness, Emptiness
Above. 1986. Brushed by same young Buddhist monk as first image above. Again note the uninterrupted sense of motion and fluidity of brush.
The large character is the word for "kokoro" or heart. This 17th century Japanese brush and ink handwriting, with its relaxed Zen spontaneity, is one of the exercises practiced by Zen monks today. Photo courtesy of: www.buddhanet.net/japan.htm
Above. Painting at Ryutakuji - A Famous Zen Temple in Japan
Kokoro - Heart, Love (front label on Tentaka Kokoro Sake)
Wa - Harmony (from newspaper clipping)
Kotobuki ?? - Long Life (from Coreldraw Photo Library)
Aji - Taste (scanned from a match book)
Sake - Japanese Nihonshu, or Rice Wine
Drawn by Yasutaka Daimon's father
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