Nov.5, 2014, Dr. Zheng Rui, a young scholar from the School of International Studies, Zhejiang University, gives a speech on “A Brief History of Chinese Calligraphy” at the invitation of the Department of Art and Art History, University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL).
During the one-and-a-half-hour speech, Dr. Zheng presents a brief picture of the history of Chinese calligraphy, and provides brief answers to the major questions related to Chinese calligraphy: “How to write Chinese calligraphy?”, “Who are the writers?”, “Why do they write?”, and “What do they write?”.
Scholars of Western art history as well as students present at the speech show great interest in this typical Chinese art, especially in the high popularity of the art in China today, the close relation between the Chinese elites and the art, and the positive influences Chinese calligraphy on the improvement and refinement of the personalities of the writers. The next day, therefore, the Department of Art and Art History invites Dr. Zheng to give more speeches on Chinese calligraphy, with special interests in topics like “Chinese Calligraphy: The Art for 1.3 Billion+” and “Chinese Calligraphy and Ceramics”. What’s more, they also invite Dr. Zheng to offer a studio class of Chinese calligraphy for the students and scholars interested in this Chinese art so that they can have a better understanding of the art and Chinese culture, which shows there’s great desire for Chinese culture and art in the West.
As some students show much enthusiasm for Chinese culture, Dr. Zheng gives a brief introduction to the “Institute of China Studies” in Zhejiang University.
