北京奥运展现书法之道 The Dao of Chinese Calligraphy

中国日报8月9日的一篇文章认为北京奥运开幕展现了书法之道。
中国书法其实具有很强的表演性。虽然对不认识中文字的观众而言，这是一种视觉艺术。可是对华人来说，书法有复杂而深远的文化意蕴。
书法自古以来就是高雅的媒介。它是一种独立的艺术，也是不少艺术不可缺的陪衬艺术，所谓牡丹虽好，也要绿叶扶持。更主要的是，它可以带领我们走向心灵平和与宁静之道。
欣赏书法的一个好方法是欣赏者想象自己正在书写，从而感觉书法线条的韵律和运动。很多书法爱好者都是用这个方法来学习书法的。
对那些不认识汉字和不熟悉中国文化的人，欣赏书法的最简易方法就是把书法当作视觉艺术。那些线条，毛笔法，结字，章法，尤其是草，狂草，简直形如西方表现主义者，或抽象派的图画。 毫无疑问的，中国书法从音乐和舞蹈中得到了灵感。可以这么说，书法家正在运用毛笔的韵律和运动，静静地和自己的身体交流。
毕卡索曾经说：如果我生来是个中国人，我必定成为书法家，而不是画家。我们有很多理由相信他讲的是真心话。

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Extracted from an article published in the China Daily on 9 Aug 08 by Yang Yingshi, after watching the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics:

For me, the performances are deeply rooted in the tradition of Chinese calligraphy. Although it is seen, especially by those who cannot read the characters, as a form of visual art, it has a much more complex and profound cultural meaning in the lives of Chinese.
Calligraphy has long played the traditional role of a graceful means of communication. It can also be a form of fine art that stands on its own but also serves as the fundamental basis for other art forms such as Chinese ink painting and seal carving. Above all, it can be a Tao, a "path" of "way" to spiritual peace and harmony.......

A good way to appreciate Chinese calligraphy is to feel the rhythm and movement of the calligraphic lines by imagining that you are writing the calligraphy yourself. That is how Chinese calligraphers typically learn.
For people who do not read Chinese and are not familiar with Chinese culture, the most convenient way to appreciate calligraphy is to treat it as a visual art. The lines, brushwork, structure of the characters, and composition of the entire piece, especially if in running or cursive script may be reminiscent of expressionist and abstract paintings in Western art.....

It is true that calligraphers often find inspiration from great music and dance. In a way, the calligrapher is having a silent dialogue with himself via the rhythm and movement of the brush and his/her own body.
Pablo Picasso was quoted as saying: "Had I been born Chinese, I would have been a calligrapher, not a painter." We have plenty of reasons to believe that he was telling the truth.

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