Description
Book SynopsisIn this beautiful and extraordinary zen calligraphy book, Shozo Sato, an internationally recognized master of traditional Zen arts, teaches the art of Japanese calligraphy through the power and wisdom of Zen poetry.Single-line Zen Buddhist koan aphorisms, or
zengo, are one of the most common subjects for the traditional Japanese brush calligraphy known as
shodo. Regarded as one of the key disciplines in fostering the focused, meditative state of mind so essential to Zen,
shodo calligraphy is practiced regularly by all students of Zen Buddhism in Japan. After providing a brief history of Japanese calligraphy and its close relationship with the teachings of Zen Buddhism, Sato explains the necessary supplies and fundamental brushstroke skills that you'll need. He goes on to present thirty
zengo, each featuring:
- An example by a skilled Zen monk or master calligrapher
- An explanation of the individual characters and the Zen koan as a whole
- Step-by-step instructions on how to paint the phrase in a number of styles (Kaisho, Gyosho, Sosho)
A stunning volume on the intersection of Japanese aesthetics and Zen Buddhist thought,
Shodo: The Quiet Art of Japanese Zen Calligraphy guides both beginning and advanced students to a deeper understanding of the unique brush painting art form of
shodo calligraphy.
Shodo calligraphy topics include:
- The Art of Kanji
- The Four Treasures of Shodo
- Ideogram Zengo
- Students of Shodo
Trade Review"More than a primer on shodo, this book gives a thorough discussion of the practice of calligraphy as well as insight into the mindset and understanding required for writing zengo. Therefore, it should be seen as fitting into a long line of excellent publications that bring the often baffling teachings of Zen to a wide English-speaking audience." --
Janice Katz, Ph. D., Roger L.Weston Associate Curator of Japanese Art, Art Institute of Chicago"This book is a gift for the mind and the eyes. Thoughtful commentary provokes an ongoing consideration of the meanings of the Zen phrases, while the brilliant inclusion of calligraphic how-to educates the eyes on how to follow the lines of ink in the original free-flowing gestures of the brush. I know I will return to this book again and again." --
Christy A. Bartlett, Director, Urasenke Foundation San Francisco"An extraordinary book! Art and wisdom poised on the tip of a brush." --
Lee Gurga, Editor, Modern Haiku Press
