Chinese Calligraphy — Scripts, Tools, Stroke Order & Beginner Drills
Chinese calligraphy (书法, shūfǎ) blends language, rhythm, and breath. With a soft brush and ink, the same character can feel calm, swift, or powerful. This page gives you the core scripts, essential tools, and a starter practice plan perfect for au pairs and students.
The Five Major Scripts (What You’re Seeing)
1) Seal Script (篆书, zhuànshū)
- Ancient, rounded lines; used on seals and logos.
- Great for understanding character structure.
2) Clerical Script (隶书, lìshū)
- Wide strokes with “silkworm head & wild goose tail.”
- Stable and decorative—nice for posters.
3) Regular Script (楷书, kǎishū)
- Standard print-like style; clear angles and pauses.
- Start here for structure and stroke order.
4) Running Script (行书, xíngshū)
- Semi-cursive; characters connect lightly.
- Everyday handwriting vibe; elegant and readable.
5) Cursive Script (草书, cǎoshū)
- Highly simplified and flowing—almost abstract.
- Advanced; study after solid kǎishū/xíngshū.
Four Treasures of the Study (Tools You Need)
Brush (笔)
- Soft (goat): smooth, big arcs; stiff (weasel): crisp edges; mixed: balanced.
- Beginners: medium size mixed hair; round tip.
Ink (墨)
- Ink stick + inkstone (砚) = meditative grinding, adjustable thickness.
- Bottled ink is fine for daily practice.
Paper (纸)
- Xuan paper absorbs; practice on grid sheets or water-writing cloth first.
Desk setup
- Mat/felt under paper; paperweights; a small dish for clean water.
How to Hold & Move (Body Before Brush)
- Posture: Sit/stand upright; shoulders relaxed, elbows free.
- Grip: “Five-finger hold”—brush vertical; wrist lifted, not resting.
- Breath & rhythm: Inhale for lift, exhale for press; pause at turns.
- Ink control: Touch the rim to remove excess; test on scrap first.
Stroke Order & The “永” (Yǒng) Principles
Basic order rules
- Top → bottom, left → right, outside → inside, close frames last.
- Practice nine basic strokes: dot, horizontal, vertical, left-fall, right-fall, hook, raise, bend, turn.
Eight Principles of 永
- The character 永 (“forever”) contains model strokes—copy it daily for balance, pressure, and angles.
Beginner-Friendly Characters (Copy These First)
- Numbers: 一 二 三 十 百 千
- Essentials: 人 大 小 山 川 日 月 水 木 火 土
- Greetings: 中 文 好 安 平 和
Paste a copybook sheet (字帖) under thin practice paper and trace slowly, then write freehand.
30-Minute Practice Plan (3× per Week)
Warm-up (5 min)
- Dry-air strokes with the brush (no ink) to feel movement.
- Dots and short horizontals—focus on start/stop.
Core (20 min)
- 10× 永 focusing on pressure changes.
- 5–8 simple characters; keep grids consistent.
Cool-down (5 min)
- Date/sign your page (small regular script).
- Circle your best two characters; note one fix for next time.
Etiquette & Display
- Studio manners: Don’t touch others’ works without asking; keep sleeves clean; cap ink bottles.
- Mounting: Let paper dry flat; press between sheets; later mount on card or scroll.
- Gifting: Short blessings are classic: 平安 (peace), 学业进步 (progress in study).
Vocabulary (EN ↔ ZH ↔ Pinyin)
- Calligraphy — 书法 — shūfǎ
- Brush — 毛笔 — máobǐ
- Ink / Inkstone — 墨 / 砚 — mò / yàn
- Xuan paper — 宣纸 — xuānzhǐ
- Regular / Running / Cursive — 楷 / 行 / 草 — kǎi / xíng / cǎo
- Stroke order — 笔顺 — bǐshùn
- Copybook — 字帖 — zìtiè
FAQ — Calligraphy
Do I need expensive tools?
No—one medium mixed-hair brush, practice paper (or water cloth), and bottled ink are enough to start.
Which script first?
Regular script (楷书). Move to running/cursive after your structures are stable.
How fast will I improve?
Little and often wins—3×30 minutes weekly shows visible progress in a month.
Learn Calligraphy the Calm Way
Masons Au Pair can set you up with beginner-friendly tools, copybooks, and a relaxed weekly circle—so practicing calligraphy in Chengdu feels meditative, social, and motivating.
Join Our Au Pair Program