Square clligraphy is a new type of calligraphy. It is a very economic way to exercise and does not pollute the environment. It is also a good way to help people make new friends.
Every morning, when sun rises from the horizon with its brilliant color, Beijing slowly wakes up from its slumber. In various parks in Beijing, there are a lot of people, some running, some walking, some singing, some dancing, some practicing their swords and other practicing Taiji … People come here to relax and welcome the new day.
On a stone path in the park, there was an old man, who was holding a wood stick about one meter long and painting something on the ground. His movements were quieter and less noticeable but nevertheless constituted a unique scene. I was so curious that I came near to him and found out that a sponge tip was attached at the end of the stick, making it a brush. That man dipped his giant brush in water and started writing on the ground. The characters he wrote had a very elegant style. What was more surprising was that he could write with both hands at the same time, which really impressed me. The characters of a poem written on the ground slowly disappeared as water evaporated, while the old man continued to write a new one.
Later, I found that there were many people who practice calligraphy on the ground in parks. After inquiring, I got to know that this way of writing is called “square calligraphy” (the Chinese pronunciation is “dishu”), meaning calligraphy on the ground. Square calligraphy started in the 1990s. People take the ground as paper and the clear water as ink; it is a very economic way to exercise and does not pollute the environment. Many senior citizens tried to write themselves and gained a lot of fun in doing so. Square calligraphy is not only a relaxing exercise for movements by the entire body, but also a good way to cultivate nature and improve health. Another advantage is that it can help people make new friends through practicing square calligraphy.
Key words: 地平线dìpínɡxiàn: horizon 地书dìshū: square calligraphy 木杆mùɡǎn: wood stick 诗句shījù: the characters of a poem 经济的jīnɡjì de: economic