中国书法是一门古老的汉字的书写艺术，从甲骨文、石鼓文、金文（钟鼎文）演变而为大篆、小篆、隶书，至定型于东汉、魏、晋的草书、楷书、行书等，书法一直散发着艺术的魅力。中国书法是一种很独特的视觉艺术，汉字是中国书法中的重要因素，因为中国书法是在中国文化里产生、发展起来的，而汉字是中国文化的基本要素之一。以汉字为依托，是中国书法区别于其他种类书法的主要标志。

Calligraphy is the quintessence of Chinese culture. When the ancient Orientals carved the earliest abstract symbols on the walls of their cave houses and on animal bones and tortoise shells, their symbolic action marked the beginning of the Chinese written language and civilization. At the same time it indicated the beginning of the splendor of Chinese calligraphy. Why has Chinese calligraphy been able to survive several thousand years? How could it become a rare art independent of its functions for writing and recording events? What kind of close relations has it developed with the aesthetic standards, value concepts and cultural spirit of the Chinese People? How can we enter into this mysterious black-and-white world?

Foreword: A Cultural Treasure of China

Chinese Characters

  Unique Chinese Characters

  Oracle Bone Inscriptions and Inscriptions on Bronze Objects

  Official Script and Later Scripts

Four Treasures of the Study

Beauty of Calligraphy

  Beauty of the Strokes

  Beauty of Composition

  Beauty of Intergration

Creativity of Calligraphy Art

  Diligent Practice

  Conveying the Emotion of the Calligrapher

  Expressing Talents of the Calligrapher

  Emotion, Bacchus and Running Style

Calligraphy and Chinese Culture

Calligraphy Masters

  Father and Son: Leaders of the Time

  Masters oftheTang Dynasty

  Three Masters Focusing on Temperament and Taste

  Modern Reforms

Renascence of Calligraphy

  The Splendor of Calligraphy Today

  Chinese Calligraphy Spreads Worldwide

Appendix: Chronological Table of the Chinese Dynasties