Chinese Calligraphy (四藝：琴、棋、書、畫四種技藝也)

The “four arts”(si yi) can also be called the “four leisure time pleasures”. However, these seem to be rather late expressions (Ming dynasty), and neither is as common as the expression “qin qi shu hua“, which names them: qin-chess-calligraphy-painting. Qin qi shu hua is also apparently a quite ancient Chinese expression, with references dating from the Tang dynasty, while the earliest reference for si yi is the following quote from Sketches of Idle Pleasures (Xianqing Ouji) by Li Yu (1611-1680), who was known as an advocate of education for women, “In order for young maidens to have self-confidence their activities should often include the four arts: qin, chess, painting and calligraphy.” Over the past few hundred years, si yi had become a sign of a well educated gentleman.

Calligraphy is one of the four arts, which has its artistically appealing as visual art, and its content, literally are language art in its own writes be it a poem or a short paragraph.

We teach beginning, intermediate and advanced level of calligraphy to students globally.