写字的艺术 The Art of Writing: Calligraphy

在zài中国人Zhōngguórén眼里yǎnli，写xiě字zì不bù只是zhǐshì记录jìlù语言yǔyán，更gèng是shì一yì门mén艺术yìshù，它tā叫jiào书法shūfǎ。

In the eyes of Chinese people, writing characters is not merely recording language; it is, even more, an art, called calligraphy.

书法家shūfǎjiā用yòng毛笔máobǐ和hé墨mò，在zài纸zhǐ上shang写出xiěchū各种gèzhǒng风格fēnggé的de字zì：有的yǒude像xiàng大山dàshān一样yíyàng安静ānjìng，有的yǒude像xiàng流水liúshuǐ一样yíyàng自由zìyóu。

Calligraphers use a brush and ink to write characters in all kinds of styles on paper: some are as calm as a great mountain, others as free as flowing water.

古代gǔdài的de孩子háizi一yí进jìn学校xuéxiào，首先shǒuxiān要yào学xué的de就jiù是shì怎么zěnme握wò笔bǐ。

In ancient times, as soon as children entered school, the first thing they had to learn was how to hold the brush.

人们rénmen相信xiāngxìn“字如其人zì rú qí rén”：看kàn一yí个gè人rén的de字zì，就jiù能néng看出kànchū他tā的de性格xìnggé。

People believe that "the writing is like the person": by looking at someone's handwriting, you can tell their personality.

最zuì有名yǒumíng的de书法家shūfǎjiā，是shì一千六百yìqiān liùbǎi多duō年nián前qián的de王羲之Wáng Xīzhī。

The most famous calligrapher is Wang Xizhi, who lived more than one thousand six hundred years ago.

传说chuánshuō他tā练liàn字zì练liàn得de太tài认真rènzhēn，洗xǐ毛笔máobǐ的de水shuǐ，把bǎ家jiā门口ménkǒu的de一yì池chí水shuǐ都dōu变biàn黑hēi了le。

Legend says he practiced so diligently that the water from washing his brushes turned a whole pool by his door black.

今天jīntiān，虽然suīrán大家dàjiā都dōu用yòng电脑diànnǎo和hé手机shǒujī打字dǎzì，但是dànshì学xué书法shūfǎ的de人rén不但búdàn没有méiyǒu减少jiǎnshǎo，反而fǎn'ér越来越yuèláiyuè多duō。

Today, although everyone types on computers and phones, the number of people learning calligraphy has not decreased; on the contrary, it keeps growing.

很多hěn duō外国wàiguó朋友péngyou也yě开始kāishǐ学xué书法shūfǎ，他们tāmen说shuō，写xiě字zì的de时候shíhou，心xīn会huì慢慢mànmàn安静ānjìng下来xiàlai。

Many foreign friends have also begun learning calligraphy; they say that while writing, the mind slowly calms down.

一yì支zhī笔bǐ、一yì张zhāng纸zhǐ，就jiù能néng让ràng人rén放下fàngxià手机shǒujī，享受xiǎngshòu一yí段duàn安静ānjìng的de时间shíjiān。

Just one brush and one sheet of paper can make a person put down the phone and enjoy a stretch of quiet time.

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Key words 生词

书法shūfǎcalligraphy

毛笔máobǐwriting brush

墨mòink; ink stick

字如其人zì rú qí rénthe writing is like the person (idiom)

王羲之Wáng XīzhīWang Xizhi (the most famous calligrapher)

池chípool; pond

Grammar note 语法点

不但没有…反而… (not only did not…, on the contrary…)

States that something not only failed to happen, but the opposite happened: 学书法的人不但没有减少，反而越来越多。

吃了药，他的病不但没有好，反而更重了。 — After taking the medicine, his illness not only did not improve; on the contrary, it got worse.

像…一样 + adj. (as… as…)

Compares the subject to something vivid, with the adjective after 一样: 有的像大山一样安静，有的像流水一样自由。

她的声音像音乐一样好听。 — Her voice is as pleasant as music.

Adj. + 下来 (to settle into a state)

下来 after certain adjectives or verbs shows a gradual change into a calmer or lower state: 心会慢慢安静下来。

听了他的话，大家都安静了下来。 — After hearing his words, everyone quieted down.

Check yourself 小测验

1. According to legend, what happened because Wang Xizhi practiced so diligently?

2. What does "the writing is like the person" mean in the text?

3. In the age of typing, what has happened to the number of people learning calligraphy?

After this reading

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写字的艺术Xiězì de yìshùThe Art of Writing: Calligraphy

Key words 生词

Grammar note 语法点

Check yourself 小测验

Reading is the easy part. Speaking is where you get stuck.

More HSK 5 reading practice