Highlights Of Vietnamese Calligraphy

A QUICK LOOK INTO VIETNAMESE CALLIGRAPHY

Vietnamese calligraphy is referred to as "Thu Phap”; "Thu” stands for script and "Phap” for rule. The phrase signifies "the rule of writing" when used collectively. Vietnamese calligraphy has developed through time beyond its initial function as a standard for writing eloquently to become an art of infusing beauty into each individual letter.

Vietnamese calligraphers solely utilize brushes and black ink to accomplish the beauty of philosophy buried therein, as opposed to Western calligraphers who employ a variety of drawing tools, such as pen nibs, rubber, rulers, compasses, and squares, to satisfy the requirements for exact word proportion.

SO WHAT IS VIETNAMESE CALLIGRAPHY?

Vietnamese calligraphy is known as "Thu Phap”, which roughly translates to "the law of writing”. However, the artist must put his emotions and sentiments into the work while also ensuring that each character is attractive. He cannot merely write down words. Because of this, calligraphy has been valued since it was invented.

The "four treasures of the study”—ink brushes, black ink, sheets, and an inkstone — are required in order to master calligraphy. The artist will create freehand with these basic tools, guided only by his skill and imagination. Here is where Vietnamese calligraphy skills diverge from its Western counterparts, who use a variety of measurement instruments.

Some claim that Vietnamese calligraphy is akin to Chinese calligraphy. This is true since calligraphy originated in China and we still use the Sino-Vietnamese letters (Han Nom), which are still utilized by many skilled calligraphers today. However, since the contemporary Vietnamese alphabet became our country's official writing system, calligraphy is now a peaceful union of East and West, modernity and heritage, in Vietnam.

WHAT IS THE REAL MEANING OF VIETNAMESE CALLIGRAPHY?

Calligraphy is one of the most prized artistic disciplines in Vietnam. According to popular belief, each character reflects the calligrapher's emotions and inner voice. It is frequently linked to qualities like intelligence and patience.

The Vietnamese Tet tradition of presenting calligraphy makes it particularly popular during the Tet festival. Obtaining calligraphy from a scholar is said to bring good fortune and reveal the owner's love of learning.

Tet is a prime opportunity for people to go to these experts and request parallel sentences, which are said to bring good fortune and part of the academics' knowledge to the family and the children.

People may desire certain characters to represent their hopes and aspirations for the next year, such as Phuc (happiness), Loc (wealth), Tho (to live a long life), Duc (virtue), Tri (knowledge), or Tai (Talent). Then, those figures are displayed on walls as objectives and motivational reminders for individuals to work hard that year.

Veteran calligrapher Nguyen Van Thanh stated, "It makes me happy when clients who have previously received calligraphy return and tell me that their desires have come true because of the hung characters and ask me for further ones”.

When those connotative letters are used to create new meanings, Vietnamese calligraphy becomes even more complex and nuanced. To give an example, the words "Phuc” and "Duc” frequently combine to make the phrase "Phuc Duc”. In Vietnamese, Phuc refers to happiness that results from acts of generosity or altruism. One person's activities are referred to as "Duc," while "Phuc” is the outcome of those actions.

According to legend, a person who passes by without showing any interest in calligraphy but is still noticed and given a piece of calligraphy by a scribe is said to be a good person with extraordinary abilities. The recipient's family and she herself would be granted an exclusive godsend for the entire year, in addition to having their desires come true.

WHY IS CALLIGRAPHY IMPORTANT?

The resurgence of calligraphy: beautiful handwriting that promotes physical and mental well-being. Calligraphy increases neural activity, which aids in the expansion of our vocabulary and the creation of more thorough writings.

How does Vietnamese calligraphy affect the culture of arts in Vietnam?

Vietnamese calligraphy is one of the most prized artistic disciplines. According to popular belief, each character reflects the calligrapher's emotions and inner voice. It is frequently linked to qualities like intelligence and patience.

THE IMMORTAL VALUE OF CALLIGRAPHY GIVING

Due to the fall of the Vietnamese feudal order and two successive wars against French and American invaders, calligraphy in general and calligraphy gifting endured a long, tough time being forgotten. The introduction of the contemporary Vietnamese script, which is based on Latin characters, was also welcomed and replaced Han and Nom scripts practically right away. As a result, people rapidly stopped noticing the traditional calligraphy and writing methods.

Although calligraphy has long since lost its popularity and is no longer a common practice, the image of an elderly scholar patiently creating exquisite black calligraphy on red pages has remained in the hearts of Vietnamese people for decades.

Even the official literary textbook features that image beside the well-known poem "Ong Do” (The Old Scholar) by the eminent scholar Nguyen Dinh Lien, who knew what it was like to be forgotten.

"When you go into a typical Vietnamese home, the parallel phrases, laudatory calligraphy, and horizontal lacquered boards that remind us of our predecessors' customs are the first things you notice. Why is writing rather than beautiful buildings and palaces the representation of Vietnamese culture? That's because it's ingrained in people's hearts and makes up a significant portion of Vietnam's soul, according to poet Phan Ngoc.

If you decide to spend this Lunar New Year in Vietnam, join in on the lively mood by visiting the calligraphers there in Van Mieu, Hanoi, asking for the script you like, and then waiting to see if your wishes come true or not.

VIETNAMESE CALLIGRAPHY FONT WITH DIFFERENT TYPES AS UNIQUE LETTERING

Han-Nom Calligraphy - The Classical Calligraphic Stream

People frequently envision a work of Chinese art when the word "calligraphy” is mentioned. Since China is where this art originated, it makes sense. Despite this, Chinese calligraphy has had a significant influence on Vietnamese calligraphy because of historical cultural exchanges and current physical proximity. As a result, many of the inscriptions in Vietnamese calligraphy employ Han script (Chinese language), which is the norm for Chinese calligraphy.

Nom script eventually replaced Han script in Vietnamese calligraphy because Han could not adequately convey the richness of the Vietnamese language. This is another difference between Chinese and Vietnamese calligraphy. The traditional calligraphic stream is another name for Han-Nom calligraphy.

In terms of writing technique, character shape, and requirements for equipment and paper size and type, Han and Nom calligraphy are essentially similar to one another. Nom calligraphy was created with the intention of serving Vietnamese civilians, focusing on the virtue, the right, the beauty, and the dreams of people or perhaps an inspiration of the writer. Instead of expressing supernatural scholarly ideas of polyhistors that require strict criterions like Han, however, Nom calligraphy goes into people's hearts by plain inspiration rooted from simple feelings about life as well as natural dreams of people.

Modern Vietnamese Calligraphy

During the past ten years, Vietnamese calligraphy has emerged and prospered, inheriting the majority of the essential elements of Han-Nom calligraphy. This is a very respectful invention that adheres closely to the classical model and maintains an important Vietnamese traditional art.

The use of brushes and Chinese ink, writing on white and red paper, letters organized inside a circular or square block, the location of the seal, and the meaning of the calligraphy are only a few of the similarities between Han-Nom calligraphy and Vietnamese script calligraphy. The follower, however, has a more varied writing style.

Tien ve calligraphy is the third and most recent calligraphic stream in Vietnam. The avant-garde calligrapher Le Quoc Viet introduced this new stream to Vietnam for the first time in 2006 after falling in love with it while visiting an art show in China. Since then, Vit and his group of five calligraphy masters known as "The Zenei Gang of Five" have been working extremely hard to promote this new stream and have attracted a lot of attention.

Interestingly, because this art form didn't attempt to communicate concepts by cerebral comprehension but rather through feeling, one need not comprehend the meaning of Han and Nom to appreciate it. Tien ve calligraphy is a blend of painting and calligraphy, thus various viewers may have different perspectives on the same writing. It is more like abstract painting than a writing method.

This new fashion does not adhere to any traditional ones' established foundation. Han, Nom, or Roman scripts are all acceptable for usage in a single piece of calligraphy by Tien Ve calligraphers. They also don't have to worry about how the writing is organized, which may include several levels and sizes of script. In addition, a range of materials, including paper, glass, wood, and even human bodies, can be used to write in Tien Ve calligraphy. Even more unique writing implements allow calligraphers to add new aspects like spraying water, splattering ink, or printing bamboo leaves on their pieces to make charming flowers.

Le Quoc Viet claimed that if he continued writing traditional calligraphy, his final destination would be nothing more than what the pioneers had accomplished. He brought this new calligraphic stream into Vietnam with the intention of developing a new definition and method for approaching this lofty art. As a result, it's time for him to breathe new life into the outdated art of Vietnamese calligraphy.

WHERE TO GET VIETNAMESE CALLIGRAPHY ARTS?

Vietnamese calligraphy is a common option among tourists as a present for family and friends. You may find it in large markets or at the stores and activities listed below:

Calligraphy Shop

Thu Phap Viet

Address: 85/27, Tran Ke Xuong Street, Ward 7, Phu Nhuan Dis., HCMC

Thu Phap Chu Viet

Address: 

- 38, Ngoc Hoi Street, Hoang Mai District, Hanoi

- 68/13, Ut Tich Street, Ward 4, Tan Binh District, Ho Chi Minh City

Truong Thinh Art

Address: 137, 223B Alley, Chien Thang Street, Ha Dong Dis., Hanoi

Calligraphy Event

Two of the major calligraphy fairs in the nation are held annually in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City around the end of January or beginning of February. Although there is no admission charge, you may see both new and veteran calligraphy experts at work. You may purchase calligraphy that has been created there or one that has already been done and is as lovely.

It takes place either in the Labor - Culture Palace or the Cultural House of Youth in Ho Chi Minh City (4, Pham Ngoc Thach Street, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1) - (55B, Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Street, Ben Thanh Ward, District 1).