This is totally brilliant. I am finishing writing my book about calligraphy, which is a mix of poetry, philosophical essay, history and autobiography, and I would love to use this comparison.

reading the sea metaphor i think you have enough of soul or perhaps more, the thing we both need is time to fill it all up with experience. You know, my teacher is 72, and once we set and talked about works of some older masters. He said "I am too young to write like that, but in 10 years I should be able to". First I thought that it was hilarious, as he is studying calligraphy for 60+ years. Then I realized that I cannot write the way I wrote last year as well as the way i will be writing next year. It makes calligraphy or sumi-e even more unique. Technique is something we gain with practice, and style fullness is something we are offered when we worthy. It grows together with purity of our soul which cannot be "trained".

By all means, go right ahead. *amused*



Ah, I never thought of that. They say that writing is a profession that never retires, it simply matures- I suppose that applies to all creative activities. A lot of people seem to think that nurturing your soul is some vague intangible endeavor, or something reeking of mysticism or religion. But really, isn't it just natural to want to improve yourself even a little. I enjoy seeing how my works change over time; it really highlights how my experiences in life have altered me.

oh thats great, i will quote you then. I really like that comparison, it's very "airy" and "spacey".

As promised I am posting few pictures from huge calligraphy exhibition in Tokyo Central Art Gallery of Fine Arts. To give you the idea of the scope of the event, in one of the halls there was a V. van Gogh exhibition held on the ground floor. It was a 60th anniversary of　All Japan Calligraphy Art and Literature Organization, to which I belong.

There were around 1000 works displayed, so it would be impossible to show them all here. I have chosen few that were standing out.

First pic. is a collection of calligraphy of grand masters that are no longer among us. My friend is gazing at a work of grand master Hidai Tenrai who was the initiator of avant-garde style in calligraphy, that later was appreciated in China and all over the world. He is n known today as father of modern calligraphy.

close up



some works were huge, here is one 6x10尺 (180x300cm). I am standing aside it so you can have a size reference.
魂　たましい dusza






here is one of the works that won a price, if you look close the blured characters stand out and the smaller ones are sort of hidden, which gives a 3D effect.

here is one of my favourite works, it is a copy (rinsho) of one of the works of grand master Huai Su who lived during Tang dynasty in China (8th century A.D.) Huai Su and Zhang Zhi were two geniuses of cursive script.


Here is the original. Rinsho is a bread and butter of every calligrapher, Learning by copying masterpieces is a proper way of studying calligraphy, which is cultivated for thousands of years.


another rinsho of one of the famous works of grand master Yan Zhenging, also Tang dynasty. It is a standard script style that requires special brush technique


if I am not mistaken it is a fragment of stelae Yan Qing Li


Wel perhaps one day i will be able to decipher entirte text haha, but i just wanted to show here how insane some cursive style can be.
i think left line from the top goes: 青雲梅雨 (about clouds and rainy season), and then I a not sure. Text starts with 寒 (cold), but the rest is difficult to comprehend. This work is interesting as the sig. is on the right side. I need to ask my teacher why is that so. It is very unusual as the text goes from right to left, therefore natual thing is to sign it at the left bottom of the work.


If I am not mistaken the text goes: 露気清、it is a abbreviation of 露下天高秋気清　czyli　露(つゆ)下り天高くして秋気(し� ��うき)清し. (露- dew, 気 - spirit, 清 pure)


closeup 気

飛龍 flying dragon


master Esshu (my teacher) explaining some works, but in a background you can see a insane kaisho (standard script) work. Thats a one taxing work there.


here is his work


and its details




one of the many corridors covered with works


wall on which my humble work was displayed

closeup 嶺上雲 - mountain peak above the clouds


one of instructors i know with her friend wearing kimono, admiring calligraphy. I thought it was a very interesting scene.


kids calligraphy contest


seal closeups




walls and walls of calligraphies

oracle bone script, 3500 years old








here are pics from an exhibition that was near ours, on the same floor

you guys have to scroll all the way up to see all pictures. I have posted nearly 40 of them. Enjoy!