He who knows does not (care to) speak (about it)

As I had previously posted here, I am running out of time to reach my goal of sho-dan in Japanese calligraphy.  Well, my test paper from June came back and…
I did it!  I moved up to the sho-dan ranking!

Mission: accomplished.

I got a phone call from my sensei— only the second time he’s called me in the past two years– to let me know as soon as the results came back.  I could sense the excitement in his voice as well; he was very proud of what I had done.  He wants to get a story in the local newspaper (hopefully this pans out).  What a great feeling it is.  There is nothing more rewarding than the feeling you get when accomplishing one of your goals.

As part of earning the sho-dan ranking I got a certificate verifying that I have completed this level as well as a license to teach primary Japanese calligraphy.  Now it is time to think of where to go from here.  I have come this far and I would like to continue practicing shuji when I return to America next month.  I must find a teacher or perhaps a long-distance education program where I can do monthly tests on my own and mail them in.  It would also be fun to teach American children shuji.  These are just a few ideas I’ve had about what to do after I return to the U.S.  For now though, I shall bask in this feeling.

My sho-dan certificate

My teaching license

"The tall, cloud-covered mountains stretch out far into the distance"

What is 習字 (shuji)?

Shuji (Japanese calligraphy) is the skillful writing of kanji characters in a way that gives them balance and expression.  It is not just writing a character on a piece of paper though.  It is much more than that.  Each stroke has a a proper way to begin and end and there is a correct order and path to follow.  It takes lots of time and practice to master, and it’s essential to focus.  The slightest lapse in concentration will show in one’s work.

Calligraphy was introduced in Japan around 600 AD, but dates back to the BC era in China.  It is now a required subject in elementary and junior high school in Japan, as part of the Japanese language curriculum.  In high school it is offered as an art course.  It can be difficult for the untrained eye to appreciate the delicate curves of each stroke or the intricacies and subtle beauty of the perfect stop, both of which contribute to the proper balance of each character.

The following are the few items needed to practice shuji:

1. calligraphy brush (筆, fude)
2. calligraphy ink, available already in liquid form or as a stick (墨, sumi)
3. inkstone, to grind the ink stick on (硯, suzuri)
4. Japanese washi paper, not rice paper (和紙, washi)
5. felt mat (下敷, shitajiki)
6. paperweight (文鎮, bunchin)

There are three styles to Japanese calligraphy writing: block printed style (楷書, kaisho), semi-cursive style (行書, gyosho), and cursive style (草書, sosho).  All learners of shuji begin with the block printed style and work their way up toward the more difficult styles.

What I’ve Been Doing

I wanted to learn one of Japan’s traditional art forms while I was here, and shuji seemed like the perfect fit.  I’ve always had an interest in the arts (it runs in the family), but I’ve never had the patience or time to fully develop this interest.  Shuji combines my interests in Japan along with fine art excellently.

Since November of 2008 I have been studying shuji from one of my neighbors, a level 8 shuji master (the highest rank), Continue reading →