Xiao Yawu on Chinese Calligraphy 萧雅悟谈学书法

Xiao Yawu shares with us his reflection on learning Chinese calligraphy as follows:

萧雅悟与他的书法 Xiao Yawu and His Calligraphy

In the days when I had nothing to do, I started learning Chinese calligraphy. However, I feel I lack perseverance and do not achieve much result after these few years of learning. After reading the posting by an English educated person on his learning of Chinese calligraphy (click here to read), I am full of all sorts of feelings well up in my minds. I am Chinese educated and yet I do not devote enough attention to Chinese traditional culture.

Recently I participated in the 12th National Teochew Artists Calligraphy and Painting Exhibition held at the Ngee Ann Cultural Centre. With a lot of encouragement from my teacher and classmates, I have also participated in a number of exhibitions held locally and overseas. I always think that I would have given up learning calligraphy long ago if not because of these activities. I am grateful to the organizations that give me the opportunities to exhibit my calligraphic works.

In the process of learning and reading the model calligraphic works, we always spend much time to continuously reflect and think about the writing flow, brush techniques and the compositional structure. When we find the ‘correct answers’, or enlighten suddenly after pointing out by teachers or seniors, the joy is really beyond words. Perhaps this is how it makes learning calligraphy fun. In the process of creating a piece of calligraphic work, there is yet another bittersweet brought about by this process of artistic creation.

For a new learner of Chinese calligraphy, perhaps it is this type of joy that encourages me along this learning journey. What I have mentioned here is just an expression of my own mental state. My knowledge on calligraphy is so limited that I beg your understanding.

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萧雅悟今天与我们分享他学习书法的感想。以下是他的感想。

无所事事的日子里，开始学习书法，总自觉没有一股毅力，所以，数年下来，自己还是写不出什么成绩来。在阅读了有关受英文者学习书法的文章後（点击这里阅读），身为受传统华文教育者，对华人传统文化的热忱却没有那么强烈，真是感慨万千。

最近，参加了义安文化中心举办的第十二届全国潮人书画展，这几年里了也参加过一些国内外的书法展览，都是老师和同学的鼓励与协助下参加的，我私下经常在想，要不是这样，可能早已经放弃了，对给我鼓励与鞭策的人，给我机会参与展出的机构都心存感恩。

写字的过程中，读帖的时候，往往为了笔顺、笔法、结构而反复思量推敲，在找出“答案”时；或经老师或前辈指点後，恍然大悟时，那种喜悦的心情，真是难以言喻，我想学书法的乐趣也就在此吧。到创作作品时，那又是艺术创作过程的另一种苦乐了。

一个书法的初学者，或许就是这种乐趣，支持着我继续学习书法，在此只是一己心境的抒发，对书法的领略就是这般浅薄，希望方家大雅包涵。