1 Introduction

“Fú zhōu cānghǎi，lì mǎ Kūnlún.” (Float on the vast sea, stand firmly on Kunlun Mountains) - There Should be Sufficient Confidence to Promote Chinese Calligraphy.

Today, with the vigorous development of international Chinese education, it is still extremely difficult for learners outside the Chinese character cultural circle to truly understand and appreciate Chinese calligraphy. Regarding international Chinese education, there have been quite a lot of relevant studies. When searching for the theme of “international Chinese education” on “CNKI”, there are more than 4,300 search results, but when we search for the theme of “international communication of calligraphy”, there are only 21 results. It can be seen that the research on the international communication of Chinese calligraphy is very scarce, and this topic has not received sufficient attention. Professor Wang Yuechuan from Peking University once proposed to export Chinese calligraphy as a symbol of Eastern culture and discourse representation to the West regarding the issue of calligraphy and cultural reconstruction; Professor Zhou Bin from East China Normal University regarded calligraphy as the carrier of the international communication of Chinese culture; Professor Li Yifeng from Zhengzhou University believes that the international communication of Chinese calligraphy can be divided into three dimensions: cultural dimension, artistic dimension and written character dimension.

Undoubtedly, all the above studies are of great value. At the same time, we should also clearly realize that in order to substantially promote the extraterritorial spread of Chinese calligraphy, the following several problems should also be well resolved: First, organize the corresponding institutions and specialized talents for the international communication of Chinese calligraphy. These specialized talents should be able to skillfully use foreign languages to explain Chinese calligraphy and the aesthetic value behind it, and this requirement is very high. Second, clarify the communication path and communication carrier, and there can be two ways; the first is to go out and give lectures and exhibitions around the world to promote Chinese calligraphy; the second is to cultivate local calligraphers overseas and let them become the main force in the overseas spread of Chinese calligraphy. Third, compile textbooks and teaching reference books suitable for the extraterritorial spread of Chinese calligraphy. Fourth, all sectors of society strongly support and fully cooperate. Art colleges and universities, scientific research institutions, non-governmental organizations, as well as overseas Confucius Institutes, Chinese cultural centers, and overseas calligraphy communication institutions can cooperate to hold lectures, forums, exhibitions, train teachers, compile textbooks, etc., and implement the international communication of Chinese calligraphy.

Chinese calligraphy is closely related to international Chinese education. Chinese character teaching is a difficult issue in international Chinese education. For those learners who are accustomed to using alphabetic writing from an early age, learning Chinese characters is extremely difficult. There are always some learners who give up when encountering difficulties and quit halfway. But if they learn Chinese calligraphy while learning Chinese characters, some learners will increase their motivation to learn because they love calligraphy, which is a very good thing. Therefore, we should make good use of the platform of international Chinese education to let more calligraphy enthusiasts understand, appreciate and learn Chinese calligraphy. On the contrary, the international communication of Chinese calligraphy can also promote the development of international Chinese education, facilitate the learning of Chinese characters, and boost China’s aspiration of “sailing on the vast sea and standing firmly on Kunlun Mountains”. We should take the international communication of Chinese calligraphy as an integral part of international Chinese education. Chinese calligraphy is not merely a formative art. There is the code of Chinese culture hidden behind Chinese characters, and Chinese characters bear many conceptual categories of Chinese culture, including the etymological basis for the Chinese people to create characters, value orientation, life philosophy, aesthetic taste, the supreme realm of Chinese art, and so on. For instance, when we write the four characters “Cheng Huai Guan Dao” (purify the mind and observe the Dao), it will involve such significant life issues as “what is Cheng Huai”, “what is Guan Dao”, “what is the Dao”, and “why only by purifying the mind can one observe the Dao”. International Chinese education cannot avoid these contents. Hence, we can say that the international communication of Chinese calligraphy is also an inherent part of international Chinese education.

2 “Qiāngdí hé xū yuàn yángliǔ，chūnfēng bù dù Yùmén Guān.”(Why should the Qiang flute complain about the willow? The spring breeze does not reach the Yumen Pass.) - The Overseas Dissemination of Chinese Calligraphy Needs to be Strengthened.

Chinese calligraphy has a long history in China, with some renowned calligraphers being household names and revered and loved by a vast number of calligraphy enthusiasts, such as Wang Xizhi, Wang Xianzhi, Yan Zhenqing, Ouyang Xun, Liu Gongquan, Zhang Xu, Su Shi, Huang Tingjian, Mi Fu, Zhao Mengfu, Zhong Yao, Wen Zhengming, Dong Qichang, and so on. In the past two to three decades, with the development of Chinese society and culture, people who have become economically affluent have begun to pursue cultural enrichment. The art of Chinese calligraphy has encountered the best opportunity for development, akin to a long-awaited rainfall in a drought-stricken land. Excellent calligraphers are respected and admired wherever they go, while calligraphy enthusiasts have sprung up like bamboo shoots after spring rain. Since the Ministry of Education proposed the integration of calligraphy instruction into primary and secondary school curricula, a nationwide craze for learning Chinese calligraphy has been sparked. A portion of international students in China have also developed an interest in Chinese calligraphy and started seeking apprenticeship to learn the art, while studying Chinese language and culture. The number of candidates applying for the Chinese calligraphy major is astonishing. For example, at the School of Arts of Beijing Language and Culture University, the first undergraduate calligraphy program only admitted 10 students, yet over 800 candidates participated in the entrance examination. In addition to full-time universities, private academies, institutions, and studios for calligraphy education in China are blooming everywhere, attracting a multitude of learners. Such situation exists not only in Chinese Mainland but also in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau.

What is the situation overseas? Chinese calligraphy still has a considerable influence in the Chinese-character cultural sphere, such as Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, and also in Singapore, which has a predominantly Chinese population, and Malaysia, where there is a high proportion of Chinese people, the presence of calligraphy can still be seen. However, the understanding of Chinese calligraphy is quite limited in Europe, North America, Latin America, Australia, Africa, Arab countries, the South Asian subcontinent, Western Asian countries, and other countries and regions. The spring breeze of Chinese calligraphy cannot blow over the Yumen Pass, the main reason being that people in those regions are relatively unfamiliar with Chinese characters, an ancient system of writing. The number of letters in their phonetic alphabets is limited, with relatively few variations, and apart from some stylized letters considered as an art form (such as artistic Arabic scripts), they generally do not regard writing as an art. Chinese characters, on the other hand, are different. The variations in Chinese characters are not only due to the complexity and diversity of their forms but also include changes in various calligraphic scripts such as seal script, clerical script, regular script, and cursive script. Chinese characters can stand alone as compositions or integrate seamlessly with Chinese paintings as inscriptions. What is directly observable in calligraphy are its external forms, such as the strength of the strokes, ink tones, dryness and wetness, composition, contrast, density, harmony, and correspondence. There are also aspects that are more intuitive and difficult to articulate, such as artistic conception, charm, vital energy flow, temperament, Zen interest, and artistic appeal. The external forms are relatively easy to understand. We can even use Western aesthetics psychology to explain the formal beauty of calligraphy, but the intrinsic temperament of calligraphy is difficult to express in words, which requires specialized training and a specific discourse system. The “LiJin Shuo” proposed by Wei Furen (272-349), a famous female calligrapher of the Eastern Jin Dynasty, in Bizhen Tu is full of metaphors, which is difficult for laymen to understand. For example, she described, “Héng rú qiānlǐ zhī zhènyǔn(一[横 héng]The horizontal stroke is like formations stretching a thousand miles)、Diǎn sì gāoshān zhī zhùishí(丶[点 diǎn] The dot is like boulders falling from high mountains)、Piě rú lùduàn xīxiàng zhī jiǎo(丿[撇 piě] The slanting stroke is like the horn of a severed rhinoceros)、Shù rú wànsuì kūténg(丨[竖 shù] The vertical is like ancient vine that has lasted for eons) 、Nà rú pēnglàng bēnléi(乀[捺nà] The downward stroke is like crashing wave and thundering lightning)、Zhé rú bǎi jùn nǔ fā(��[折 zhé] The break is like the release of a hundred-catty crossbow)、Goū rú jìngnǔ jīngjié(�� [钩 gōu] The hook is like the tight joint of a powerful crossbow).” “Shàn bǐlì zhě duō gǔ，bù shàn bǐlì zhě duō ròu. duō gǔ wēi ròu zhě，wèi zhī jīn shū；duō ròu wēi gǔ zhě, wèi zhī mò zhū. Duō lì fēng jīn zhě shèng，wú lì wú jīn zhě bìng. (The character forms of those skilled in brush strength are lean and profound. The character forms of those unskilled are smooth and superficial. The former is called ‘Jin Shu’, the latter ‘Ink Pig’. Those with abundant strength and sinew are saintly, while those without strength or sinew are diseased).” These expressions carry a strong Chinese cultural essence, easily comprehended by Chinese readers who can grasp the intended meaning intuitively. However, for Western readers, it may be challenging to fully grasp the intended meaning and feel as if lost in a dense fog, unable to discern the true essence.  Wang Xizhi has been honored as the “The Sage of Calligraphy”.  When later generations evaluated his Preface to the Poems Composed at the Orchid Pavilion, they said that his composition “bǐ yì gù pàn，cháo xiàng yǎn yǎng，shū lǎng tōng tòu，xíng duàn yì lián，qì yùn shēng dòng，fēng shén xiāo sǎ. (brushstrokes that glance about, with orientations that rise and fall, that are open and clear, with form that is disconnected yet meaning that continues, with a lively spirit and careless grace).” These evaluations, though readily intelligible to Chinese readers, pose a significant challenge when translated into other languages. This is precisely the barrier to the international dissemination of Chinese calligraphy. Without removing these barriers, the spreading of Chinese calligraphy remains merely an aspiration. How to remove these barriers? This is a subject that requires our serious study.

3 “Yèyuè yī lián yōumèng ，chūnfēng shí lǐ róuqíng.” (A curtain of secluded dream in the night moon, ten miles of tender feelings in the spring breeze.) -Chinese Calligraphy Must Not Overvalue Its Own Worth

“On October 1st, Beijing time, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization(UNESCO) reviewed and approved the ‘Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity’ for 2009. 22 projects submitted by our country were selected, with Chinese calligraphy among them. ”This is a report from the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference News(CPPCC Daily) on October 22, 2009. The successful application of Chinese calligraphy for inclusion in the UNESCO list was met with evident joy from the reporter. This signifies that Chinese calligraphy not only belongs to China but also to the world.

Chinese calligraphy has been transmitted to Japan, the Korean Peninsula, and Vietnam at an early stage, exerting a relatively widespread influence within the Chinese-character cultural sphere. Japan’s “Shodo” and Korea’s “The Art of Calligraphy” have undergone changes over time. Despite Korea abandoned Chinese characters, many people still appreciate calligraphy art. Japan even regards calligraphy as part of “the national spirit of education”. The Western world’s understanding of calligraphy owes partly to Japan’s “The Moxiang School” calligraphy. However, the influence of China, the “suzerain” of calligraphy, on the world remains insufficient, which is regrettable. With China’s reform and opening up, a group of Chinese people have gone abroad and settled around the world. They brought this ancient art of Chinese calligraphy to everywhere. However, we are also keenly aware that while calligraphy is a widely cherished art form in China. The landscape in China is beyond compare, but it remains a niche art in other countries. In Western countries, people have an episteme of Chinese calligraphy that is as rare as phoenix feathers and unicorn horns. Recently, the wave of innovation in Chinese calligraphy has been surging. The so-called “Ugly Calligraphy” has found its resonance in the Western world, where it is sometimes regarded as “performance art.” Whether this is a blessing or a curse for the international dissemination of Chinese calligraphy remains to be seen. Nevertheless, the fact that Chinese calligraphy’s international spread has finally stirred some ripples is a heartening development.

Chinese culture is inclusive and integrative, but as Lin Yutang discussed in My Country and My People, it is fundamentally characterized by its gentleness and resilience, emphasizing “gentleness and sincerity”, and “strength hidden within softness”. An aggressive and fierce art form cannot fully represent the essential characteristics of Chinese culture. In Chinese history, there are bold and unrestrained school and frontier poetry, there are great momentum like “Majestic army with golden spears and iron steeds” and “Eastward flows the Yangtze River”, but there are also graceful and restrained ones, like “willows by the riverside in the morning breeze under the waning moon”. Especially in the Song Dynasty, poetry and painting both they have reached the extreme of softness and the culmination of refinement. This softness and refinement may benefit the arts but not necessarily for the overall cultural fabric of the nation. Like Chinese culture, Chinese calligraphy requires an infusion of virile style. The tradition of the “two Wangs” (Wang Xizhi and Wang Xianzhi) in Chinese calligraphy is soft and gorgeous, while the “stele school” of calligraphy prefers simplicity and toughness. Both the scripts from model calligraphy works and steles are considered the orthodox of Chinese calligraphy and are part of the world’s cultural heritage, deserving to be understood by people from all over the world. The “preferred simplicity over gaudiness” of Chinese calligraphy is a reaction against the tradition of softness and refinement of Chinese culture. For Chinese calligraphy, we must not overvalue its own worth but need to share it with people from all over the world, especially to let the world understand the humanistic spirit in Chinese calligraphy.

Our love for Chinese calligraphy comes more from the inheritance of Chinese character culture, which ingrained in our blood. The ancient script of Chinese characters, with a history of several thousand years, contains countless cultural codes and humanistic spirits, which remain a mystery to this day. This enigma is not only sought by linguists, but also by many historians, sociologists, and even cognitive scientists. We should view Chinese characters and calligraphy from a global perspective, rather than just from the standpoint of China. There have been many ancient scripts in the world: for example, the civilization of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers originating in Central Asia, which is the oldest civilization with historical records, dating back to 4000 BC, and formally forming a civilization around 3500 BC. The Sumerians who lived in these river valleys left behind ancient Sumerian script (cuneiform). The ancient Egyptian civilization that originated in the Nile River valley can be traced back to 4245 BC, covering a vast area from the first cataract of the Nile to the Nile Delta, until it was conquered by the Arabs in 641 AD, and along with it, the ancient Egyptian language also vanished, leaving behind only the mysterious Great Pyramids, crumbling temples, obelisks, the Sphinx, Pharaoh’s tombs, and ancient hieroglyphs.  The Indus civilization originating in the Indus and Ganges River valleys in Asia can also be traced back to 3000 BC and finally formed around 2500 BC. Who created the Indus civilization? And how was it destroyed? These remain unsolved mysteries. We also don’t know about their language, and no written records have been left. The Aegean civilization originating in the Aegean Sea region of Greece formed around 3000 BC. The Cretan civilization originating in Crete in the Mediterranean Sea in Europe left behind the Cretan script, which remains undeciphered to this day.  The Olmec civilization in America from 1200 BC to 400 BC was the progenitor of the Mayan and Toltec civilizations. The Mayan hieroglyphs left behind have not been fully deciphered. The Chinese civilization is currently the only ancient civilization in the world that has lasted uninterrupted for over 4000 years, and along with it, the Chinese script has endured. This is undoubtedly a miracle, connecting the modern world with the ancient one. What role does Chinese calligraphy play in this miracle? So many ancient civilizations and scripts have vanished into the mists of history, yet only the Chinese script has remained vibrant. What is the reason for this? Among the many writing systems in the world, only Chinese calligraphy has evolved into an art form. What is the reason for this? There are different forms of civilization in the world, and can people raised in other cultural traditions truly understand the essence of Chinese calligraphy? These are all subjects that require our research.

4 “Děng xián shí de dōngfēng miàn，wànzǐqiānhóng zǒng shì chūn.”(It is easy to recognize the face of the east wind, and all the colors of thousands of reds and purples always make it spring.) - Chinese Calligraphy Should Embrace the Opportunities of International Chinese Language Education to Go Abroad

Chinese has the largest number of speakers in the world, but it is not the most influential one. In contrast, English has a wider range of application including geographic and domain scope.  Competition persists among languages of the world, while Chinese is at a disadvantage in this competition. There are multiple factors involved, and the writing system is one of them. Currently, the world’s dominant languages are mostly from the Indo-European language family, such as the Romance languages: French, Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese; the Germanic languages: German and Dutch; and the Slavic language: Russian, all of which are nurtured from the same cultural matrix. Arabic, on the other hand, belongs to the Semitic branch of the Afro-Asiatic language family, but due to historical and religious reasons, it is intricately linked with the Indo-European languages. This kind of connection can still be seen in today’s Jerusalem. The three major religions—Christianity, Judaism, and Islam all originated in this place, which is also a miracle of human history. Apart from Chinese and Japanese, all the dominant languages in the world use alphabetic writing systems, which are relatively easy to learn. Scholars have also considered the impact of Chinese characters on the development of science and technology and even contemplated the adoption of romanization. There are many reasons why we haven’t abandoned Chinese characters: first, Chinese civilization has a long history, and numerous ancient literatures are recorded in Chinese characters. Abolishing Chinese characters would risk the loss of our civilization; second, China has a vast territory and a huge population which lead to tremendous dialectal differences. If the alphabetic writing was adopted, many dialects are unable to be used for mutual communication, posing a great threat to national unity; third, the striking pictographic and ideographic attributes of Chinese characters are conducive to the development of visual thinking. Studies have found cognitive advantages in reading Chinese characters compared to phonetic reading, yet this strength has not been fully disclosed; fourth, Chinese calligraphy is a very unique form of formative arts and an art of expressing emotions. Without Chinese characters, this type of art would lose its foundation for existence.

The development of international Chinese education has brought excellent opportunities for the international dissemination of Chinese calligraphy. In recent years, the number of Confucius Institutes and Confucius Classrooms around the globe has been increasing. Chinese has been incorporated into national education systems of some countries, and there are also private language education institutions offering Chinese courses. The workforce in this field is continuously growing. As of December 31, 2017, a total of 525 Confucius Institutes and 1,113 Confucius Classrooms have been established in 146 countries (regions) worldwide. Confucius Institutes are located in 138 countries or regions, with 118 in 33 Asian countries (regions), 54 in 39 African countries, 173 in 41 European countries, 161 in 21 American countries, and 19 in 4 Oceanic countries. Confucius Classrooms are distributed across 79 countries or regions, with 101 in 21 Asian countries, 30 in 15 African countries, 307 in 30 European countries, 574 in 9 American countries, and 101 in 4 Oceanic countries. This constitutes a vast network for Chinese language teaching. Each Confucius Institute and Confucius Classroom is required to teach Chinese calligraphy, serving as an entity for the international communication of Chinese calligraphy. Currently, we are in dire need of qualified calligraphy teachers. A good calligraphy teacher can inspire a group of learners, who deepen their understanding of Chinese culture through the study of calligraphy. Chinese calligraphy is spreading abroad with the help of Confucius Institutes, which is a positive development. However, there is also a concern that the effectiveness of teaching Chinese calligraphy by teachers who have not received proper training in it is worrisome.

5 Cháo píng liǎng àn kuò，fēng zhèng yī fān xuán.” (The tide is level and the banks are wide on both sides, and the wind is fair and a sail hangs straight.) - The Prospect of the International Communication of Chinese Calligraphy.

The international dissemination of Chinese calligraphy has begun, and whether it can proceed steadily and swiftly depends on how we perceive the value of Chinese calligraphy and how we act. It is a very encouraging phenomenon that some  colleges and universities and research organizations have successively established corresponding research institutions. We need to study the related issues of the international dissemination of Chinese calligraphy. The spread of language has various driving forces, and the dissemination of Chinese calligraphy also requires such forces. These forces include both pushing and pulling factors. The pushing factor involves capitalizing on the trend and actively introducing Chinese calligraphy to the world, including organizing exhibitions worldwide, cultivating local calligraphy enthusiasts, compiling introductory textbooks in different languages, hosting academic forums, and publishing professional research results. The immediate priority is to train Chinese teachers and volunteers at Confucius Institutes, as they are the spark for the international dissemination of Chinese calligraphy. We currently train a large number of Chinese teachers annually, including domestic and overseas teachers, and calligraphy should be included in the training content. Our experts’ overseas lectures should also incorporate Chinese calligraphy into the curriculum, which can attract more local teachers abroad to participate in the training and allow them to truly enter the spiritual world of Chinese calligraphy. From the moment they pick up the brush, they begin to experience the unique aspects of Chinese culture. Of course, there are still various issues in the current international Chinese education, but the development trend of China moving towards the world and the world approaching China is unstoppable.

With the increasingly strong comprehensive national strength of China, its international influence is growing, to the extent that some countries feel their status is being “threatened.” Chinese products have already been sold worldwide, and Chinese tourists have reached every corner of the globe. However, the international dissemination of Chinese culture has not been entirely satisfactory. Chinese calligraphy is one of the symbols of Chinese culture, easy to start with, requiring simple tools, and once one falls in love with it, it can become quite addictive. The four treasures of the study, brush, ink, paper, and inkstone, are adaptable to one’s means. Chinese seals are an indispensable part of Chinese calligraphy, and the international dissemination of calligraphy will inevitably drive the international dissemination of seal carving. Certainly, calligraphy and seal carving are elegant art forms, and true artists are definitely a minority. However, compared to other art forms, calligraphy is the easiest to begin with. Therefore, using the international dissemination of language as a bridge for cultural exchange and calligraphy as a boat to promote Chinese culture globally is undoubtedly a very wise choice.

References

[1] Cui Shuqiang (2014). The cultural characteristics and international communication of calligraphy - Taking the international communication of Zhou Bin’s calligraphy as an example. “Culture & Communication”, Issue 3.

[2] Cui Xiliang (2018). Several issues in international education of Chinese. “Language Teaching and Linguistic Studies”, Issue 1.

[3] Li Yifeng (2015). Chinese calligraphy: Three dimensions of international communication. “Calligraphy”, Issue 11.

[4] Wang Yuechuan (2013a). Sustainable development of Chinese calligraphy and international cultural communication. “China Investment”, Issue 10.

[5] Wang Yuechuan (2013b). Calligraphy culture output and international communication of calligraphy. “Chinese Calligraphy”, Issue 3.

[6] Wang Wei (2013). Research on Chinese character calligraphy education under the background of international dissemination of Chinese. Master’s thesis of Central Minzu University.

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[8] Zhou Bin, Yan Yilin (2018). The international communication and practical system of calligraphy. “Chinese Calligraphy”, Issue 3.