More than a brush

For the owner of the pens, calligraphy was a hobby. So when we asked him to choose an object with a special meaning that he brought from China, this calligraphy brush was no doubt the most iconic one. As an extracurricular activity, he took calligraphy classes until roughly the age of twelve. His mother suggested that he should take on a hobby, but he was given a choice between the hobbies she herself liked the most:

"My mom said that I could choose between painting, calligraphy, or playing the erhu, known as a Chinese two-stringed fiddle. I knew that I did not like the other two, so I enrolled for calligraphy classes!

In China, calligraphy is seen as a true form of art. It traces its roots back to ancient history. Calligraphy was an important part of the scholarly tradition in China. Due to this, it has always been highly regarded as an art form in China, and still enjoys considerable interest today.

When he was young, he saw the Beijing Olympics being organized. Now, many years later and whilst studying for a doctorate degree, the impact of the Olympic opening ceremony is still persistent. During the interview for this story, he opened a laptop to take a closer look at the following fragment from the opening ceremony in 2008.

For the owner, showing the hobby he learned at the time made a significant impact as something beautiful from Chinese culture. While watching the video together, he could analyze and comment on what was happening and what was still to come. The ceremony must have left a strong impression.

The brush presented here is part of the wenfang sibao ​​文房四寶, i.e. the Four Treasures of the Study room, which can also be seen in the video. These four treasures are the brush, ink, paper, and inkstone. They were also present in his room when we asked. The ink was purchased here in the Netherlands and the paper in Düsseldorf. These objects together are crucial for anyone who wants to start to getinto Chinese calligraphy.

He has almost completed his PhD. Throughout the past four years he has been accompanied by his calligraphy tools, and in his spare time he has continued practicing the art of calligraphy. His mother must be very proud of him.