Korean calligraphy is just not about artistic letters, it tells stories of moral values. At an ongoing exhibition at the Korean Cultural Center Shrabasti Mallik learns about the history of Korean Calligraphy and the tools that are used
How would you relate calligraphy with the flow of lifeIJ Korean artist and calligrapher Park Won-Je explained to us that when you concentrate in life and do things at their own pace, the results are good and rewarding. He pointed to a piece of calligraphy artwork titled Angels & Demons in Mind by Jeon Myung Ok at the exhibition Calligraphy Tells the Beauty organised at the Korean Cultural Centre.
It looked similar to a scroll roll with Korean character running from top to bottom. Won-Jo showed us one letter which is bold and dark and another letter which had white patches as if the brush was rushed. He elaborated, “When you take time to complete a task, it comes out beautifully, otherwise if you rush it, something is bound to be missed in the process. In the second letter, the painter has used the brush in quick movements and that is why it is not bold and looks incomplete.”
Calligraphy is more than just the art of writing in a different hand, it is closely related to history, tradition and meditation. We come to know that Chinese characters were introduced to Korea as early as the second or third century AD, probably with the spread of Buddhism. Admiration for Tang Dynasty culture, including Chinese calligraphy, grew during the Unified Silla period, and in the eighth century Kim Saeng became recognised as the earliest Korean calligraphic master
The angular styles of the early Tang masters, Yu Shinan, Ouyang Xun and Yan Zhenqing, persisted until the 14th century, when the more rounded style of Zhao Mengfu came into vogue. Korean calligraphy became increasingly formalistic in the years that followed. Kim Jung-hee revolutionised Korean calligraphy in the early 19th century.
In Asia, the act of giving a work of calligraphy created by one’s hand to someone symbolises the great respect the artist has for that individual, and is considered a true gift of the heart. “This is because in Asian cultures, calligraphy is not merely a technical exercise in handwriting, but an act of training and disciplining the mind. Eastern calligraphy, a visual art form in which writing is designed and executed with a brush, is distinct from its Western counterpart. While Western calligraphy also regards letters as objects of aesthetic beauty, it focusses more on forming letters on paper in a clear and beautiful way — a purely artistic endeavor.
The calligraphy of various Eastern countries including Korea is a meaningful, exquisite art form that utilises the shapes and meanings of characters to express the calligrapher’s emotions. “This is why all Asian calligraphic works clearly reveal the personalities of the artists who created them. And with the long years of practice needed to perfect this art form, calligraphy in Asia is so much more than just a technical exercise — it is a form of mental training. That is why it is called the ‘way of the world,” said an official from the Korean Cultural Centre.
There are four main tools that are required for the practice of calligraphy—paper, brush, ink stick, and ink stone. These ‘four friends,’ known as Munbangsawoo in Korean, were commonly found objects in the studies of pre-modern Korean homes. “It is mandatory that we use the traditional Hanji paper for calligraphic works. It is Korean mulberry paper and it is used because of its absorbing qualities which reflects the colours very beautifully,” said artist Song Dong-Ok.
The brush that is used is straight and has a sharply pointed tip made of animal hair of the same length. The ink is special and is made mixing soot from burned tree branches and firm. An official from the center said, “The particles of a good ink stick are extremely fine and firm. The ink stone onto which the ink stick is ground must be made from a firm stone that does not absorb water, or jade. In addition to these four tools, several other items are needed for calligraphy, including the yeonjeok (which holds the water needed to grind the ink stone), boot tong (which holds the brushes), munjin (long and flat paperweights), and pilse (a bowl for washing the brush).”
Calligraphy expresses the structural beauty of Chinese (or Korean) characters with a brush and black ink on a white page. The aesthetics of each calligraphic work depend on its composition: for example, the balance and proportion of dots and lines — large or small, long or short — and the positioning of empty space.
Also, depending on the rhythm and flow of the writing — strong or weak, fast or slow — the beauty of movement is created. It is this movement and the various shades of black that result from it that express the calligrapher’s mood. All of these aspects combined — the aesthetic of space created by the ink’s color, the positioning of the characters, and the magnificence of movement of the written characters — allow the personality of the calligrapher to shine through the work. Calligraphy artists usually express classic citations or well-wishing sentences in their pieces, and in the process of creation engrave the words not only on the paper but into their hearts.
Contrary to Chinese character calligraphy, which possesses a variety of fonts developed over several millennia, Hangeul (Korean) calligraphy is only about 500 years old. Despite its relatively short history, Hangeul calligraphy is beloved by many calligraphy enthusiasts for its simple and restrained beauty, and unexpected strength. Hangeul calligraphy is constantly being developed, with increasingly more attempts to create new fonts and writing styles.
Apart from the 34 participating Korean calligraphers the exhibition also displays artworks of a few Indian artists. Of them, Nikheel Aphale told us that of late, there are many institutions in India which are taking up the initiative to generate interest in this art. “Art colleges are giving importance to typography. There are still calligraphers who are willing to impart it to the present generation. Calligraphy is still a niche area but people are taking interest,” he said.