Throughout its long history, writing has been a big deal in China. Since the earliest dynasties, the skills of reading and writing have been highly respected. In fact, they form an important part of the Chinese art world. Calligraphy, the art of writing with a brush, is almost as old as writing itself. And though this art form dates back thousands of years, it is still extremely popular today. How did writing become so important in Chinese culture? The answer most likely lies way back in the Shang Dynasty (about 1600–1046 BC). That's when characters were first carved in bronze and used in religious events. This practice conveyed a spiritual aspect which gave writing authority in the eyes of ordinary people. Calligraphy spread during the Han Dynasty, when the necessary tools and materials became more widely available. First there was the brush, made from bamboo and animal hair. Early ink, or lampblack, was made by burning pine wood and mixing it with water. Early forms of paper were invented around AD 105. Finally there was inkstone, a smooth piece of stone used for mixing ink. Together, these tools were known as the "four treasures of study" in ancient China. Calligraphy has been popular in China for thousands of years. Some say that it's an even higher art form than painting. Though foreigners may not always get it, there's something truly special about calligraphy. Every written character has a strict stroke order. When viewing the results, you can trace the artist's process, reliving every stroke of his or her brush. This allows for an intimate connection between artist and audience. Calligraphy is something that's best experienced by doing. Luckily, this ancient art is still widely practiced today. So what are you waiting for? Get out there and find yourself a teacher!
在歷史悠久的中華文化中，寫作一直是一門了不起的學問。自最早的朝代以來，閱讀和寫作能力即受到高度敬重；事實上，他們在中華藝術界具有舉足輕重的地位。以毛筆書寫藝術的「書法」，其歷史幾乎與書寫本身一樣古老。雖然書法藝術可追溯至千年以前，但至今仍然蔚為流行。 書寫是怎麼成為中華文化所重視的能力之一？答案可能源自於商朝（約西元前1600 –1046年之間）。商朝是首度將文字刻於青銅器，並將之用於宗教儀式的朝代。這樣的做法傳達出一種神聖的概念，因此在老百姓眼中，書寫具有威權性。 書法於漢朝開始盛行，因為所需工具和素材變得唾手可得。先問世的是以竹子和動物毛髮製成的毛筆。早期的墨汁，「煤?」，則是燃燒松木後，混水調成的墨汁。而早期的紙則發明於西元105年左右。最後則是以石塊製成、用於混調墨汁的硯臺。這四項工具即為古中國有名的「文房四寶」。 書法是流傳上千年的中華藝術。有些人說，書法擁有比繪畫更高的藝術境界。在外國人眼中也許看似奇特，但確實有其獨到之處。每一筆劃都有嚴格的下筆順序。欣賞作品時，均可看出書法家書寫時的痕跡，彷彿親眼見證一筆一劃。這樣的特色，能讓書法家與觀賞者之間產生更緊密的默契。 只有體驗過寫書法，才能感受書法的真諦。幸運的是，此古藝術仍廣為流傳。所以還等什麼呢？趕快找個書法老師學習吧！ | 
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