Influence of Calligraphy on the Contemporary Graphic of Eastern Culture - Essay Example

An Examination of influence of Calligraphy in the Contemporary Graphic of Eastern Culture (Korea, Japan and China) Jan 24, 2008 Contents Chapter 1 Introduction 1.1 Study Background 1.2 Study Purpose Chapter 2 Eastern calligraphy 2.1 Definition 2.2 Historical approach to Eastern calligraphy: China & Korea 2.3 History of Eastern calligraphy Chapter 3 Influence of Calligraphy in Contemporary Graphic 3.1 Use of Technology Chapter 4 Conclusion Bibliography Appendix A Appendix B Appendic C Chapter 1 Introduction 1.1 Study Background The way of using visual language instead of character language has fast increased in communication design field. It is obvious that hand writing is general culture for human, these daily act could be an art and encouragement to form profound spirit and harmonized emotion. It can be prominent phenomenon in Chinese character cultural area, Korea, Japan and China. . Asian calligraphy has originated from calligraphy which is closely related to the Korean artistic emotion. For instance, the Eastern calligraphy has a different expressive tendency from the rational and geometrical design of the west. Eastern calligraphy has the same emotion with Korean traditional beauty possessing natural harmony and has an ordinary and tender character. Calligraphy of typography represents particular writing style using Chinese ink and brush that is showing on the current titles of film posters or stories as an influential impact. The effect of conveyable information with image instead of letter is getting greater. As individual expression that is different from mechanical printing type by development of printing is launched, that calligraphy that taking a serious view presentation and is developed. In recent, printing culture, the study for the special feeling, emotion and various ways of expression oriented from hand printed are needed for the coexistence between past and present. As it is most universal that is most nationality, think that is going to create only our peculiar culture that our colour can be better proudly defying in the world groping correct type and form in systematization. 1.2 Study Purpose Recently, Calligraphy has been used in various parts in Eastern culture. This could be one of tendency that calligraphy naturally approaches to our life; it is used film poster or personal care goods. It may say that emotional consumers delight to use those products which have difference, freshness and novel with other film or products. In contemporary, citizens have been given huge affection by computer. Moreover, it has affected to the development of design as well as time and many of efficient side. However, calligraphy has started to spotlight in different way from consumers who accustomed with similar computer font and design. As calligraphy has huge possibility to be developed in design fields, concern for design has grown in Eastern culture. Therefore, it is analyzed and contextualized meaning of calligraphy and its history, and its expression in commercial contemporary graphic like film poster, CI/BI, package design etc. Chapter 2 Eastern calligraphy 2.1 Definition There is a definition of Calligraphy by Wang (2006, p.259) stated that Eastern calligraphy is considered to be one of the most beautiful and meaningful patterns in the world. Generally, it is defined as an art of beautiful, stylized, or elegant handwriting or lettering with pen or brush and ink. It engages the accurate construction of characters, the ordering of the range of parts, and the harmony of proportions. Furthermore, there is another definition according to Martin (1984, p.8) "Calligraphy is one of the purest and most highly esteemed art forms in oriental cultures." It is based on centuries of tradition, required long and disciplined practice, and is fully integrated both with other artistic skills and with philosophical traditions. As eastern calligraphy has recognized with revered art, it is obvious that the calligraphy is the primary roll of existing Eastern design field. In the west, however, calligraphy has definitely been regarded as a minor art and fine hand writing has been seen as no more than a clerkly skill (Farrer, 1990). The reason is that hand writing has generally occupied a less lofty status and its traditions have been broken. It has been used as a day-to-day convenience, and concern with attractiveness of figure has been infrequent. Another reason is that technology changes the exceedingly root of written communications. Nowadays, children are using computers as soon as they have assimilated the most basic skills of writing by hand. It may seem that the ability to write by hand could soon be a redundant accomplishment. Nevertheless, calligraphic style has been getting popular among Eastern culture. It is because Eastern calligraphy is affected by their emotion based on rich history of writing by hand. It allows more flexible and much greater variation to express feeling as it is created by hand, not being produced by computer. 2.2 Historical approach to Eastern calligraphy: China & Korea In history of eastern countries, China, Korea, and Japan, the root of calligraphy started from one country, China. Therefore, the history of Chinese calligraphy is obviously important to know the background of eastern calligraphy which included Korean and Japanese style. The way of writing eastern calligraphy is generally same as they use ink brushes to write Chinese characters, but only different thing was to pronounce the name of language which called Hanji in Chinese, Hanja in Korean, and Kanji in Japanese. In Japan, Kanji has still used as calligraphy which is exactly same with Chinese characters. However, In Korea, the use of Chinese characters has decreased as they have created their own characters in the past several decades. Therefore, excepting Japanese character, it is discussed the history of Chinese calligraphy and Hanguel which is Koreans own characters. Chinese calligraphy is the most revered form of traditional Chinese art. But nowadays, it has been facing dangers from new writing instruments, improvement of typing and copying processes and different concept of education (Yuan Hsun Chuang, p. 3). The people have started using the fountain pen, ball-pen and digital writing tools that are far easier to carry and handle as compared to the traditional brush, ink-stick and ink-stone. The Chinese typewriter is also quite useful for all commercial, political and personal needs. But the modern mass education systems are now aiming to give the multifarious knowledge instead of just focusing on practicing the calligraphy art for several years. These broad changes have threatened the survival of traditional calligraphy to a large extend. Although a large number of calligraphers, scholars and artists are trying to relinquish tradition. All these devoted artists and people have used various ways to develop and modernize this ancient art in order to ensure its survival. Chinese calligraphy has now started showing modern tendencies as a result of their dedication, which in turn offers some insights into civilization today. Chinese calligraphy is dates back to about 5000 years. Chinese brush has a longer and more continuous affiliation with calligraphy (Da-Wei, 1981). The evidence of brush work could be traced back to the Shang period (14th cent. B.C.), in calligraphy considering that the initial vestige of painting can be discovered only in rubbings of pottery tiles, painted tiles, and tomb frescoes. Furthermore, Gunn (2001, p.132) reported that the earliest known form of Chinese writing is from Neolithic village of Banpo in China, more than 6,000 years ago, discovered in 1953 in Xian (see bottom row, Figure 1). The next step composes of well organized signs that contained pictographs (Figure 1, top row). These were discovered on tortoise shells from the Shang dynasty (16-11th century, B.C.). Figure 1 Four examples of pictographs taken from ritual bronzes of the Shang dynasty (c. 1300 B.C). 1. Poured wine (a tongue below), cooked meat (a hand, smoke rising) and offerings of money (a man carrying two strings of shells on a pole). 2. Offerings of money, portrayed in a stylized form that is the forerunner of characters. 3. Ritual vessel with wine and cooked meat, and a man presenting his son to his ancestors through the pillars of the temple. 4. Ritual sacrifice of wine, cooked meat and fresh meat (represented by the fish). 5. The bronze strip from which 12 signs are taken dates from c. 2000 B.C.: it is the earliest calligraphic discovery made so far. They are stylized drawings of animals killed during the hunt. The process of stylization that leads ultimately to modern writing has already begun. a) Signs found on pottery vases or shards. They date from c. 6000 B.C. and probably represent numbers and names of tribes or clans. b) Oracular incisions on the under-shell of a tortoise dating from the Shang dynasty (16th-11th century B.C.). Some of these signs are still legible today. c) Fascinating and highly imaginative characters incised on a bronze ritual wine-vessel from the Warring States period (475-221 B.C.) found in the grave of the noble Zeng at Siuxian in 1978. The seal script was also evidence. It is an ancient approach of Chinese calligraphy. Gunn (2001, p.132) states that seal script is organized and standardized by LiSi who was minister of Shihuangdi, the first Qin emperor (259-210 B.C.), who erected the Yishanbei stele (219 B.C.) shown in Figure 2a. At that time, seal script has a monumental quality. It is meant that it has sustained to be used for highly official intention long after it had been abandoned for writing. Later, it has been changed to ordinary usage with engraving of seals. Therefore, educational every person has his own seal and uses it in business or personal purpose (figure 2b). Figure 2a Yishanbei Stele (219 BC) Erected by the First Chinese Emperor Qin Shihuangdi (259-10) BC to Commemorate the Unification of China. (Inscribed in the standard script devised Li Si [ink rubbing in the possession of thar Ledderose].) Figure 2b Accordingly, based on these developments, written Chinese language was basically completed and remained relatively unchanged through to the present day. Chinese have relied on a single brush which over the centuries has proved its broad capacity and versatility. The flexible Chinese brush with its black ink can produce unlimited variations in the shape of lines and dots, as many as the calligraphers can possibly handle (figure 2c). Figure 2c - 2.3.1 Ancient China The oldest Chinese characters existing in ancient China are Jigwn characters which were carved on ox scapula and tortoise plastrons. The characters written by brush have decayed over time. During the divination ceremony, soon after the cracks were made, the characters were written with a brush on the shell or bone to be later carved (Keightley, 1978). With the development of Jnwn i.e. the Bronzeware script and Dzhun i.e. Large Seal Script cursive signs continued. Every archaic kingdom of China had its own entire set of characters. This is one of the unique features about china which played an important role in the development of Asian calligraphy. - 2.3.2 Imperial China The graphs on old steles which are from somewhere around 200 BC and in Xiaozhuan style are still accessible in Imperial China. In 220 BC, the emperor Qin Shi Huang, who was the first to conquer all Chinese basins, imposed several reforms. The reforms imposed by the emperor included Li Si's character uniformisation, this created a set of around 3300 standardized Xiozhun characters (Edoardo Fazzioli, 14) Although, the main writing implement of the time was already the brush but few papers survive from this period and the primary examples of this unique style are available on steles. Later, a more regularized style, the Lsh style (clerical script) was developed. This is very much similar to the modern text. Kish style (traditional regular script) which is still in use today is comparatively more regularized even than the Lishu Style. It has been observed that the Kaishu shape of characters 1000 years ago was mostly similar as those were in practice at the end of Imperial China. But tiny slides have to be made like in the shape of '', which were different from the Kangxi dictionary of 1716. The Kangxi and current shapes have very minor differences where as the current stroke order is still the same i.e. according to old style (Kangxi Zidian, 41). Kish simplified Chinese script was created by the Chinese communist government after the Second World War in order to promote the simplification of writing and to enhance the literacy rate. But unfortunately, simplified script is usually considered as a corrupted general Hanzi text and hence hardly used in calligraphy. - 2.3.3 Cursive styles and hand-written styles Cursive styles such as Xngsh i.e. semi-cursive or running script and Cosh i.e. cursive or grass script are high-speed calligraphic styles in which each move made by the writing tool is visible. These styles like to play with stroke order rules and as a result, creating new visual effects. Native writers sometimes create their own style and stroke order rules to make it easier and increase the speed for their own use. This result in wide variations in the resulting character shapes from one word and one writer to the same word by another writer. Korean calligraphy Koreans have largely used Chinese characters since the 2nd or 3rd century AD as per the research estimations. Chinese was used as the official script by the Koreans until the 19th century although the Koreans invented their own set of alphabets in 1447. Some inscribed stone monuments remain from the Three Kingdoms period i.e. c. 57 BC-AD 668. Ancient Koreans who were really keen to adopt Chinese culture intensively developed a calligraphy style reflecting Chinese styles. In Unified Silla dynasty (668-935), as a result of devotion and adherence to the T'ang culture of China, there existed great masters of calligraphy in Korea as Kim Saing and Choi Ch'i-won. Their writing style basically followed the Chinese calligraphers Ou-yang Hsn and Y Shih-nan. The angular i.e. squares style of Ou-yang Hsn, Y Shih-nan, and Yen Chen-ch'ing, was adapted from the Silla dynasty, continued in the Koryo period (918-1392). Around 1350, the rounded i.e. fluent style of the Chinese calligrapher Chao Meng-fu of the Yan dynasty was entered the picture and became the vogue. Until that era, the chao style has remained the basic under-current1. Initially, the calligraphy during the Yi dynasty (1392-1910) followed the chao style, but later on, early in the 16th century, a mannered way i.e. vulgar style aroused. The 19th century witnessed the emergence of individual styles related to the styles of Chinese calligraphers. This new trend of Korea was the result of its close cultural contacts with China. Kim Chong Hi was the greatest master of Yi period. He established the ch'usa style of calligraphy. This style of calligraphy was derived from the lishu script of China. But it became his own style due to the sense of pictorial composition, harmony within asymmetry and animation by unmatched forceful strokes (Encyclopaedia Britannica). Around the year 1920, the influence of Japanese calligraphy started to be felt. Calligraphy in both North and South Korea has been profoundly influenced since the Second World War by governmental decisions to replace all Chinese characters with the words written in native alphabet. Therefore, as a result modern Korean calligraphy started developing along new lines. As mentioned above, for many centuries, Koreans used logographic characters called 'Hanja' borrowed from the Chinese writing. Hanja characters typically have the same shape as the original Chinese characters and have similar meanings; they are still used by the Koreans. However, the use of Hanja in Korea has decreased in the past several decades, with about 1800 Hanja currently used for educational purposes. Children begin to learn Chinese Hanja only in middle school. In the 15th century, King Sejong created unique alphabet called Hangul. It consists of at least two of the 24 letters, each is a phonemic alphabet organized into syllabic blocks. It is divided into 14 consonants and 10 vowels (figure 4). Each letter is visually distinctive and is composed of one to four strokes (i.e., mostly straight lines, vertical or horizontal and one circle character) with vowels and consonants having distinct shapes (Kim-Renaud, 1997). Several years ago, Hangul was only defined as a language of Korea or cultural tradition that they should inherit and develop. However, as the language has started to create calligraphic design using Chinese ink, brush and graphic design, the graphic style has rapidly developed and is spreads out most design fields in Korea. Figure 4 Hangul calligraphy with contemporary graphic design Nowadays, in Korea, Hangul calligraphic style can be found everywhere, such as film poster, Corporate Identity/Brand Identity, package design, book design as so on. Merely 10 years ago, calligraphy had no popularity in design field. It was only old fashionable, nothing was special. Koreans did not admit the calligraphy as a part of an art, which means that even it had long history of eastern culture, it was ignored and unconcerned from commercial industries. However, after calligraphic design has come into commercial design fields, it has been getting popular among Koreans. One of Korean calligrapher, Lee (2006) defines that calligraphy is a traditional digilog which combines analogical hand writing with digital technology. In 1990, the trial of mackintosh design suddenly came into their culture and took place. At that time, most visual graphic design was affected by Mac software. It was because of its novel image and expression of typography, all of designers were attracted. However, the tendency of digital was not that long due to their outcomes that were very similar. It was not based on individual creativeness, only created forms using software. It could follow as a logical consequence because of only instrumental curiosity. This is the point that their visual image and typography played with content separately without the relation. The note printed only James Dean would be the most typical example. However, the book is different with the note. The book has existence reason that each content different for every book. The image made by computer was difficult to represent the content. At that time, the Hangul calligraphy has entered to the design field. This typographic style based on character of Hangul was notable tendency. To spotlight this phenomenon will The first example here is one of Korean film poster; 'Die or bad' (figure 5). The poster is showed the first calligraphic design of film poster in 2000. The hand writing concept focused on the actor who is bleeding which seems related with the hand writing style. The type of ghastly impression was the try to be magnificently epochal at that time. Figure 5 (Die or bad, 2000) After that, many of commercial design field prefer to use the calligraphic style; hence, calligraphers have designed their work with computer graphic. The next example is clearly shown in book design. Book cover design is used to design with only computer font type Chapter 3 Influence of Calligraphy in Contemporary Graphic 3.1 Use of Technology The flexibility associated with the technology has enabled the new concept of traditional calligraphy where the user can manipulate a calligraphic character into a large number of variable changes. This wide range of manipulation and experimentation has resulted in the breaking of some ancient calligraphy rules giving birth to few new calligraphy constraints. As an example, traditional calligraphy emphasized the balance and harmony between the parts of the whole within a character as well as a piece of work. Where as new calligraphy along with the flexibility of digital technology, often deliberately breaks the balance or uses anti-harmony ways to structure characters with an objective to stress the power images of conflicts or avant-garde aesthetic thinking (Yuan Hsun Chuang, p. 15). This difference has originally entered the scenario by using different tools and materials. There is a possibility that this might annoy some traditionally minded people. It will not be wrong to state that every age has its unique aesthetics. In order to understand the influence of Calligraphy in the commercial Contemporary Graphic, i.e. film poster, CI/BI or package design, of Eastern Culture compromising Korea, Japan and China; let us consider the following examples (Yuan Hsun Chuang, p. 15): Exhibition Poster, Katsumi Asaba, 1998 Source: Yuan Hsun Chuang, Digital Calligraphy in Asia: New Approaches to Chinese calligraphy It can be easily observed in the above picture that by the structure of the characters, the signature and the seal stamp, this poster is composed in traditional Chinese calligraphic form. This whole image gives an Eastern aesthetic and feeling i.e. neat, clean and simple. Where as, in the traditional image, the characters do not convey the essential meaning. Only strokes are produced using calligraphic methods without any meaning. As per the application methods, the calligraphy is used by the designer as an abstract and illegible element. The main concept behind the design is humour but it also explains a concept; calligraphic word forms could be a sample of Eastern culture and tradition still they do not convey any literally meaning. People can still understand the message possessed by the image. The designers also prefer to use the methods of combination as used in this work. It can be noticed that the interpretation on the bottom left-hand side is composed of modern-style forms and structured vertically. The way the small illustration located on the right side is in such a way that it reflects that it is not of the commonly used traditional method. This poster possesses traditional as well as modern aesthetics due to these design manners, along with some contemporary and creative thinking. Poster in Korea, Kan Tai-Keung Source: Yuan Hsun Chuang, Digital Calligraphy in Asia: New Approaches to Chinese calligraphy. This poster can be viewed in two ways, one by turning it upside down. It will reveal the two Chinese characters "han" and "chao". It depicts the unification of Korea, which is the theme of this paper due to the fact that Both "han"(means South Korea) and "chao xian"(means North Korea) are the Chinese names of Korea (Cao 2001). The designer has utilized the special characteristic of Chinese characters like some words with the same radicals or shapes but having entirely different meanings. Like in this poster, the designer found the same shape of these two characters i.e. "South Korea" and "North Korea" and combined them within one word but in the opposite direction. It conveys the message that both South Korea and North Korea are an un-detached whole. This is the main idea in this design. Thus, the combination method has been used here in this poster. For this two-word combination, the designer has chosen two different type forms of boldface and calligraphic form with ink variation. It provides a sharp contrast and creates a strong impression on the observer. While using calligraphic forms in order to create this piece for sure conveys more cultural tone instead of political. Kan, the designer of this poster said, "I regard Chinese characters not only as language signs, but also as an art language" (Cao 2001, 15). He demonstrated the interesting characteristic of Chinese language in this design and successfully used the art of calligraphy to highlight his ideas. Sapporo Beer Can (1988) Source: Yuan Hsun Chuang, Digital Calligraphy in Asia: New Approaches to Chinese calligraphy. Sapporo is the oldest Japanese beer available in the market. The beer can was launched in the UK in the year 1988 and became the primary choice of the design-conscious consumers (McDermott 2001, 307) without any delay. The designer has used the method of reproduction and simply placed a big character written in xing shu on the beer can. It is not having a complex manner but still its effect is significant. The complete image, the neat black and limited graphics on a waist-shaped can, reflects the minimal aesthetics of Japanese culture. Report says that this well-designed image transformed this can from a simple functional container to a product which has now evoked more style and elegance in drinking tastes (McDermott 2001, 307). Calligraphic character stresses the cultural image in this packaging design and cooperates with the package shape, colour and graphics to create vivid minimalist aesthetics and this how it became successful. Newspaper Title, Kan Tai-Keung Source: Yuan Hsun Chuang, Digital Calligraphy in Asia: New Approaches to Chinese calligraphy. This logo belongs to a Sunday supplement containing the art of living and traditional art. It also contains calligraphic combination. The designer has utilized xing shu as well as modern type form in one single character, this Chinese character compose three parts, along with using different colours. The entire image of this logo is quite vivid and reflects a harmonic fusion of old as well as contemporary style typography. Chapter 4 Conclusion With the introduction of computers generated digits and digitalization in many areas of daily life, from digital telephone lines, digital printings to digital television, many areas involved in information, communication and design have been digitalized (Gordon 2002, 307; Skopec 2003). The data is digitalized and can be stored, recorded, transmitted and utilized through a broad range of technologies very efficiently, no matter whether it is in the form of words, numbers or images. In the field of design, a large number of designers have discovered this irresistible trend and computerized their design work in order to survive in this cutting edge competition. Calligraphy is also digitalized in 2-dimensional graphics, web sites and other design media. This type of digital calligraphy which is defined as creating using computer technology or using such means like software and digital panels or brushes and recording or transferring by using a scanner or other devices. These ancient calligraphy works into this modern digital data are quite closer to modern life as compared to the traditional calligraphy that nowadays exists only in museums. These new applications do not just transfer the calligraphy art from paper to screen without any change but also involves all traditional values, contemporary thinking and modern technology. Designers should dedicate themselves to an intense fundamental understanding of calligraphy to adapt the traditional aesthetics and skills effectively in order to meet the requirements of this modern technology. Bibliography Fazzioli, Edoardo. Charactres Chinois. ISBN2-08-112004-6. Page 14 Zidian, Kangxi. 1716. Page 41 Chuang, Yuan Hsun. Digital Calligraphy in Asia: New Approaches to Chinese calligraphy (2004). 15th Biennial Conference of the Asian Studies Association of Australia in Canberra (29 June-2 July 2004). "calligraphy." Encyclopaedia Britannica. 2008. Encyclopaedia Britannica Online. 23 Jan. 2008 . "Calligraphy". Wikipedia. 23 Jan 2008. < http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calligraphy> Skopec, D. (2003). Digital Layout. Switzerland, AVA Publishing SA. Gordon, B. G., Maggie (2002). Digital graphic design. London, Thames & Hudson Ltd. Cao, F. (2001). Contemporary Designers' Chinese Characters Art. McDermott, C. (2001). 20th Design. London, Carlton Books. Appendix A Brush calligraphy (source: http://www.asiawind.com/art/callig/) Chinese calligraphy (Brush calligraphy) is an art unique to Asian cultures. Shu (calligraphy), Hua (painting), Qin (a string musical instrument), and Qi (a strategic boardgame) are the four basic skills and disciplines of the Chinese literati. Regarded as the most abstract and sublime form of art in Chinese culture, "Shu Fa" (calligraphy) is often thought to be most revealing of one's personality. During the imperial era, calligraphy was used as an important criterion for selection of executives to the Imperial court. Unlike other visual art techniques, all calligraphy strokes are permanent and incorrigible, demanding careful planning and confident execution. Such are the skills required for an administrator / executive. While one has to conform to the defined structure of words, the expression can be extremely creative. To exercise humanistic imagination and touch under the faceless laws and regulations is also a virtue well appreciated. By controlling the concentration of ink, the thickness and adsorptivity of the paper, and the flexibility of the brush, the artist is free to produce an infinite variety of styles and forms. In contrast to western calligraphy, diffusing ink blots and dry brush strokes are viewed as a natural impromptu expression rather than a fault. While western calligraphy often pursue font-like uniformity, homogeneity of characters in one size is only a craft. To the artist, calligraphy is a mental exercise that coordinates the mind and the body to choose the best styling in expressing the content of the passage. It is a most relaxing yet highly disciplined exercise indeed for one's physical and spiritual well being. Historically, many calligraphy artists were well-known for their longevity. Brush calligraphy is not only loved and practiced by Chinese. Koreans and Japanese equally adore calligraphy as an important treasure of their heritage. Many Japanese schools still have the tradition of having a student contest of writing big characters during beginning of a new school year. A biannual gathering commemorating the Lanting Xu by Wang Xi Zhi (The most famous Chinese calligrapher in Jin dynasty, ) is said to be held ceremonially in Japan. There is a national award of Wang Xi Zhi prize for the best calligraphy artist. Not too long ago, Korean government officials were required to excel in calligraphy. The office of Okinawa governor still displays a large screen of Chinese calligraphy as a dominating decor. In the West, Picasso and Matisse are two artists who openly declared the influence by Chinese calligraphy on their works. Source: http://www.asiawind.com/art/callig/ Appendix B Source: http://art-zoo.tripod.com/artgallery/id16.html retrieved on 23, Jan, 2008. Appendix C Source: http://art-zoo.tripod.com/artgallery/id16.html. Retrieved on 23 Jan, 2008. Read More