As if by magic, with just a few strokes of the brush, two beautiful Chinese characters appeared before the eyes of the audience at last Sunday’s calligraphy lecture. At the invitation of Andover Chinese Cultural Outreach (ACCO) and Andover Korean Outreach (AKO), Dr. Qianshen Bai, a world-renowned Chinese calligrapher, lectured at Phillips Academy about the different forms of calligraphy. In 1982, Dr. Bai won first place in the National Calligraphy Competition for University Students in Beijing, and then proceeded to earn a PhD. in History of Art at Yale University. Dr. Bai’s lecture examined various types of traditional calligraphy, such as drawings on scrolls, and wood and rock carvings. He also described the evolution of calligraphy from indecipherable symbols 4500 years ago to today’s complex characters. In his lecture, Dr. Bai explained that the simple character is a window into Chinese culture. “Calligraphy is the most important form of art in the Chinese culture, ranking even higher than drawing,” Dr. Bai said. “But it is not as visual as painting, and is therefore a subtler form of art and less known in the western world.” He explained, “Calligraphy used to be the art of the social elite in China because not many people could write. Thus it became a symbol of social status and wealth. But nowadays, everyone who wants to can practice it. It is an art for the betterment of a person mentally and spiritually.” Vincent Siu ’06 said of Dr. Bai’s lecture, “It was so interesting because I could understand [the language] myself and relate to what he was talking about.” “It was impressive; learning more about the origins of Chinese culture has given me a deeper appreciation of the art,” said Wesley Mui ’06. After his lecture, Dr. Bai showed the audience many types of materials on which the Chinese have written, including a bound scroll of bamboo sticks that weighed over 10 pounds and scrolls that were over eight meters long. Co-coordinator of ACCO Su Zhu ’05 said, “The scrolls showed the ingenuity and intelligence of Chinese people.” Faculty advisor for ACCO and AKO Elizabeth Wilkin said, “Language does make bridges between different cultures, Dr. Bai taught us that today.” This is Dr. Bai’s second visit to Phillips Academy. His first visit was arranged by the PA art department and funded by the Abbot Academy Association.
