ASCL 62.01 Chinese Calligraphy
Traditional Chinese literature ranges from the earliest examples--divinations inscribed on turtle plastrons and ox scapulae dating back more than 3000 years--to the popular knight-errant novels of the early 19th century. The Opium War of 1839-42 is taken as the cut off point for courses in this topic category, which considers cultural as well as literary themes. Courses reflect the interests and expertise of the teaching staff and include the development of the Chinese script, historical prose, fiction and drama, poetry, and oral literature. Courses under this rubric are defined by historical period and/or literary genres. Courses numbered 61 - 63 are literature-in-translation courses, and do not require knowledge of the Chinese language. There are no prerequisites and courses are open to students of all classes. They may be repeated for credit if the topic varies.
This course is a survey of the major script types in the Chinese writing system and an introduction to the art of Chinese calligraphy. Along with studying the history of Chinese calligraphy, the student will learn about the similar technical origins of Chinese calligraphy and painting, study and practice the basic techniques of Chinese calligraphy, and learn the basic rules of formation of Chinese characters. Classroom practice will give the student hands-on experience of using traditional Chinese writing tools.
Instructor
ASCL Faculty