The allure of Xiamen is no secret. Travelers flock to its car-free Gulangyu Island, stroll the vibrant Zhongshan Road, and savor the oceanic delights of a bustling seafood market. Yet, beyond the postcard-perfect views and the famous shacha noodles lies a quieter, more profound cultural current. For the curious traveler, Xiamen offers a unique and accessible gateway into one of China's most revered arts: calligraphy. This isn't just about observing history behind glass; it's about rolling up your sleeves, dipping a brush in ink, and discovering why this ancient practice makes Xiamen a true beginner's paradise.
Unlike the intimidating masters of Beijing or the commercial whirlwinds of Shanghai, Xiamen’s cultural scene carries a gentle, welcoming pace. The art here is lived-in, part of the daily fabric, making it the perfect environment to take your first stroke.
To understand why calligraphy thrives here, you must feel the soul of the city, often called "Amoy" in the local Minnan dialect. Xiamen is a city of poets and scholars, of arched bridges in gardens and slow sips of Tieguanyin tea. This contemplative atmosphere is the very bedrock of calligraphy, or shufa (the art of writing). In the shaded courtyards of the centuries-old Nanputuo Temple, you’ll see elderly practitioners using giant brushes and water on stone, their ephemeral characters a meditation in motion. Along the tree-lined paths of Xiamen University, one of China's most beautiful campuses, the spirit of scholarly pursuit is palpable. This environment doesn't judge the novice; it invites participation. The city itself feels like a graceful piece of calligraphy—where the mountains and sea are the bold strokes, and the winding alleys of the old town are the delicate, linking lines.
Embarking on your calligraphy journey in Xiamen is delightfully straightforward. Your first stop should be a traditional stationery shop, often tucked away near cultural streets or university districts. Here, you can assemble the "Four Treasures of the Study": * The Brush (Mao Bi): For beginners, a medium-sized brush made from a blend of goat and weasel hair offers good control. * The Ink (Mo): Skip the messy grinding for your first try and opt for a bottle of ready-made liquid ink. * The Paper (Xuan Zhi): Look for cheap, absorbent practice paper. Its slight texture helps guide your brush. * The Inkstone (Yan): While traditionally for grinding ink, a simple ceramic dish will suffice to hold your liquid ink.
A friendly shopkeeper will gladly help you find a beginner’s set without breaking the bank. This simple act of gathering your tools is the first step in connecting with a tradition over two millennia old.
Xiamen has brilliantly woven its calligraphy heritage into the modern travel experience, creating opportunities far beyond passive sightseeing.
Seek out the cultural centers in the Hulishan Fortress area or the Kulangsu Gallery of Foreign Artifacts on Gulangyu. They frequently host short, 90-minute workshops for travelers. Imagine learning the basic strokes—the steady horizontal, the sharp dot, the powerful downward sweep—while the sea breeze floats through an open window. These sessions are taught in simple, demonstrative English or through the universal language of mimicry, focusing on the feel of the brush and the joy of creation rather than linguistic perfection.
A uniquely Xiamen trend is the proliferation of serene cafés and teahouses that double as informal cultural salons. In spaces like those in Shapowei or along Heping Wharf, you can find tables equipped with basic brushes, ink, and paper. Order a pot of fragrant oolong tea, and you’re welcome to practice. Often, a local enthusiast might lean over to adjust your grip or demonstrate a character. It’s a low-pressure, highly atmospheric way to spend an afternoon, blending the city’s famous café culture with hands-on art.
Turn your exploration of Xiamen into a calligraphy scavenger hunt. As you visit the intricate Kaiyuan Temple in nearby Quanzhou (a short trip away), the elegant Jimei School Village, or even the bustling Tong'an Ancient City, actively look at the plaques, couplets, and stone inscriptions. You’ll start to recognize the power in different scripts: the formal, structured kaishu (regular script) perfect for beginners, the more flowing xingshu (running script) on shop signs, and the ancient, seal-like zhuanshu. This transforms architectural details into a living textbook.
The beauty of beginning calligraphy in Xiamen is the tangible connection you create. Instead of just buying a mass-produced trinket, you create your own artifact.
A primary goal for most beginners is to learn to write their own name. A workshop teacher will help you find the closest phonetic equivalents in Chinese characters and then guide you in painting them. The moment you successfully complete your name on that delicate xuan paper is a moment of genuine triumph—a personalized souvenir with a story no other tourist possesses.
Another profoundly satisfying project is choosing a single, meaningful character to master. Perhaps it’s 福 (Fu) for good fortune, often seen upside-down on doors during Chinese New Year. Or 海 (Hai) for sea, representing Xiamen’s essence. Maybe it’s 安 (An) for peace, capturing the feeling of the city. Focusing on one character allows you to appreciate the balance, structure, and energy required in every line. A framed sheet of your repeated attempts at a single character is a beautiful abstract record of your journey.
Ultimately, the greatest souvenir you’ll take from Xiamen’s calligraphy scene isn’t physical. It’s the understanding of this practice as a form of moving meditation. In the focused silence of guiding the brush, the world narrows to the tip, the ink, and the paper. The chatter of tourist crowds fades. You experience the same mindful calm found in a quiet corner of a tulou roundhouse or during a sunrise on Zengcuoan Beach. It teaches patience, presence, and the acceptance of imperfection—a wobbly line is not a failure, but a record of a moment in time.
So, when you plan your trip to this coastal gem, leave space in your itinerary between the ferry ride to Gulangyu and the visit to the UNESCO-listed tulou. Pack a shirt you don’t mind getting a little ink on. Seek out that quiet café or cultural workshop. Let Xiamen, with its gentle pace and deep scholarly roots, guide your hand. You may not leave as a master, but you will undoubtedly leave with a deeper, more intimate connection to the heart of Chinese culture, written in your own hand. The city doesn’t just show you its art; it lets you touch it, feel its flow, and become, however briefly, a part of its timeless story.
Copyright Statement:
Author: Xiamen Travel
Link: https://xiamentravel.github.io/travel-blog/xiamen-calligraphy-a-beginners-paradise.htm
Source: Xiamen Travel
The copyright of this article belongs to the author. Reproduction is not allowed without permission.