In China, a Debate Over What Makes Calligraphy ‘Good’

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Tian Yingzhang may have been contemporary China’s best-known calligrapher. But was he any good? On Sept. 28, the famed calligrapher and educator Tian Yingzhang died at the age of 74. Arguably the best-known calligrapher in contemporary China, millions of Chinese learned Tian’s calligraphy style through his tutorials, workbooks, videodiscs, and online courses. After his passing, Tian’s fans showered him with praise, calling him “the sole master of our time,” “a true calligrapher,” and an unmatched artistic giant. But others — including many artists, critics, and connoisseurs — were more measured. Despite acknowledging Tian’s contributions to the field of calligraphy education, few professional calligraphers see him as a true master of the art, or even place him in the field’s upper echelons. What explains this gap in perception? The answer lies in the ambiguity of the word calligraphy itself. The Chinese word for calligraphy, shufa , or “way of writing,” can ………………………………