中國書法為何成為藝術

世界各國，從小孩進學校認識字開始，家長或教師，都會教他怎樣寫字，並且隨年齡和學級的上升，也要求他們把字寫好，主要是要求迅速、美觀、容易辨識就可以了，因為大部分國家的文字是用字母拼成，字母只是圓形的點和長形的線條轉環屈折而成，同時所用的筆，大都是金屬等硬質材料製成，寫起來沒有很大的變化，而中國書法卻不是這樣，中國的毛筆，是用獸類的毛製成的，並且長短大小不同，用時凡剛與柔、舖與歛、收與縱都可操縱自如，筆畫的方圓、輕重、轉合可以變化無窮外，並可表現字的體勢、骨力與意態等等，所以中國的書法，不單是作為記載或傳遞的符號，並且可以和圖書雕刻並列為一種藝術，供千萬人的欣賞與給千百年後的研究，文字能包括這雙重意義的，全世界只有中國書法才有。

Why is Chinese Calligraphy a form of Art?

Everywhere in the world, ever since a child goes to school and learns how to recognise characters, the mother or the teacher would teach them how to write. With the increase of the child's age and grade, the emphasis is usually put on efficiency, good overal appearance, and easy recognition.

The written language of most cultures is made up of alphabets, and since alphabets are made up mainly of dots and straight and curved lines, and with their writing tools constructed of metals or other hard materials, not a great deal of variety can be achieved.

Chinese calligraphy however is different. The Chinese bruch is made of animal hair. The length and size of the brush can vary dramatically, allowing all kinds of strokes to be possible. It can be used hard or soft, stretched or confined, free or restricted, and by using the brush to write there is an endless list of possibilities in the shape, weight, and the turning and closing of characters. Moreover the brush allows each character's form, skeleton, and implied meaning to be portrayed.

Therefore Chinese calligraphy is not only a series of recorded symbols, it can be compared with painting and sculpture and be regarded as a form of art to be admired by thousands of people and to be studied over thousands of years, the written language that has a dual function of communication and art, has not been seen anywhere else in the world but in the Chinese language.