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This year’s Chinese calligraphy class is a diverse one, with twenty-nine students whose abilities range from fluent-Chinese-speakers to complete novices. Despite the multiplicity of backgrounds, students were able to find common ground as they hand-wrote cards for loved ones. Students chose one or two words that held special meaning to themselves or their loved ones…

Week two of Chinese calligraphy was full of exciting projects. Thursday featured a guest speaker, Yanwen Tan, who taught students the art of bamboo painting. Students had the opportunity to paint their own pieces and to practice signing their names. The painting class provided students with a glimpse into the rich history of Chinese painting…

In the first week, students studied a basic history of Chinese calligraphy and began to learn basic technical skills, such as how to hold a brush and nine of the basic strokes. Students practiced their brushwork for approximately one hour per day, and, after only 5 days, their abilities have already vastly improved!

MIT Students Explore Chinese Culture Through Calligraphy This past January in IAP, seventeen MIT students, a few of whom had no prior knowledge of Chinese language, took a daily journey through Chinese culture by learning calligraphy — the traditional artistic way of writing Chinese characters with an ink brush. “Chinese Calligraphy” is a new Global…