Brushing up on culture

Hundreds of Westerners in Shanghai are discovering that learning to speak and write Chinese is not enough - they discard their preconceptions and set about studying Chinese culture. To match this trend, many of the Chinese language schools in Shanghai are now offering their students classes in calligraphy, papercutting and painting. 

One of the most popular of these classes is calligraphy. Chinese calligraphy, or brush calligraphy, dates back more than 6,000 years and is an important part of Chinese culture. The styles reflect temperament, history, tradition and aesthetic ideals.

"The ink brush, ink, paper, and ink stone are the essential implements of Chinese calligraphy," explained Helen Wang, a calligraphy teacher at the Accent Mandarin School. "Together they are known as the Four Treasures of the Study," she added.

Accent Mandarin organizes monthly calligraphy workshops. "Foreigners are very interested in Chinese calligraphy," said Wang. The workshops attract between 10 and 20 students and last about 90 minutes. Private classes are also available.

Wang starts the workshop with a short introduction. "Calligraphy is an art form, it is a combination of Chinese culture and creativity. There are different types of calligraphy that represent different dynasties and the personalities of the artists," Wang said.

Different styles

Wang introduces her students to four different styles of calligraphy and teaches them the standard script called kaishu, which was developed by the master calligrapher Wang Xizhi of the Eastern Jin Dynasty (317-420) and is one of the most common forms still in use today. "It is the easiest style of all to learn," she said.

In her classes she teaches the eight basic strokes used in creating the characters and shows her students the correct way to hold the brushes.

"Most of the foreigners are very interested and curious about learning calligraphy," Wang said. "But it is very hard for them to master although I have seen a few who are really good at it.

"I have seen some Westerners practicing calligraphy in the parks beside Chinese people. Their writing was almost as good as that of the Chinese."

She said it took between three and six months' intensive study to grasp the basic principles of calligraphy.

"At the end of our workshops, each student writes the word 'luck' and takes this home with them," said Wang. "It is a very auspicious character for Chinese and during the workshops I want them to learn a little more about Chinese culture as well," she said.

Zaynab Hasan has been living in Shanghai for almost six months. Originally from the UK, she moved here to work for the international program, Projects Abroad, which helps organize internships for volunteers from all over the world in Shanghai.

"I love traveling and learning about new cultures," Hasan said. "China in particular has a rich and fascinating culture, being one of the oldest civilizations in the world. I enjoy participating in cultural events to meet new people and particularly to learn more about local Chinese customs and traditions," she said.

Hasan has been taking classes in Chinese since she moved to Shanghai and as well, usually at least once a month, she tries other aspects of Chinese culture including dumpling making, tai chi and calligraphy, all of which have been organized through one of the language schools.

"Chinese calligraphy is a lot harder than it looks. From the way you hold your brush to the precise order and pattern in which you make your strokes, it is an art form which requires time and skill to perfect," Hasan said.

Fiona Yang is the general manager of the Mandarin Morning School and said her institution offered classes in culture to students who were more or less fluent in Chinese and wanted to learn more about Chinese culture.

She said the two most popular culture classes for foreign students were calligraphy and mahjong. "Some of the students can sit in our school all day long playing mahjong," she said.

The culture classes at Mandarin Morning usually last for a three-month term and each class lasts 45 minutes. The classes are usually one on one, but can be organized for groups of two or three people.

The school also offers classes in general Chinese culture, history, geography, politics, religion and traditions.

Joni Harrison moved to Shanghai from the US four months ago and teaches English here. Recently she started taking Chinese classes for the first time.

"When you first start learning Chinese, it's very hard work," she said. "To make it more fun, I decided to take some culture classes."

She is taking classes in Chinese painting and papercutting. "My level of Chinese is not good at all so I can't really join the calligraphy classes yet. First of all, I need to learn how to speak and then I can start learning how to write. Speaking Chinese is hard enough," she said.

Learning more

Yang said that they have two types of students taking the culture classes. "The first are those who have just arrived in China and know nothing at all about Chinese culture. We always advise them to take the general introduction classes to Chinese culture," she said.

"The second are the expats that have been living in China for a long time and are fluent in Chinese," she said. "They want to know more about China than just the language so they come to take classes like Chinese painting and calligraphy. To take the calligraphy class, you must be pretty fluent in Chinese and should be able to be writing Chinese characters," she added.

Harrison said that she thought the culture classes were a good way to pick up new words in a relaxed and fun environment. She is also hoping to meet some new friends since she is new in the city.

"Chinese painting is a really fun way to learn about Chinese history and painting," she said. "It is the oldest form of art in the world and while I practice painting, my teacher tells me a little bit about China's history," she said.

"I am not good at all at painting but I really enjoy doing it. And in the meantime I can pick up some new Chinese words and phrases," she added.

"Chinese painting is actually very hard to do," Harrison said. "I thought it was going to be much easier but it takes a lot of time and practice to master," she added.

"I would also love to learn how to play mahjong but I think I need to wait until my Chinese improves," Harrison said. "The game looks too complicated without any basic skills in Chinese."

Harrison is also taking classes in papercutting, a tradition that dates back to the sixth century in China. First used for religious rituals and now as decorations, the delicate and intricate paper cuts are an important part of Chinese festivals and holidays.

"It was quite interesting for me," she said. "In my home country I never learned about papercutting. I can't yet make very intricate paper cuts but I still enjoy it," she said.

"The classes help me understand Chinese culture more and have also got me more interested in China's history, culture and traditions," Harrison said.

"I find that organizing Chinese cultural events for volunteers helps them get a taste of Chinese culture and makes for some really enjoyable social events," Hasan said.

Hasan said that the culture classes have helped with her understanding of China. "It is fascinating to learn about local Chinese cuisine, the unique art forms in Chinese calligraphy and Chinese painting and to see how people take care of their mental and physical health through tai chi," she said. "Taking part in cultural activities like these helps you gain a better understanding of Chinese people and their way of life."

Through the culture classes she has learned several new words - "but nothing helps your language skills more than interacting with local Chinese people," Hasan said.