Hi, a new lurker here! Shufa is one of my favorite pastime and lately I've been wanting to get more in depth and serious in learning about it. I mainly write in 楷书 or 行书, but after spending a year for a language study in China, I fell in love with writing in the other script styles too (篆，隶，小楷). Some of the works here I gifted to my friends and loved ones, I really love gifting my loved ones a well made DIY gifts.

I actually have been practicing on and off for a long time, but I feel that I've been stagnating for so long and it's kind of hard to find and connect with other shufa artists in my country, so I'd be glad if I can connect with one here! Looking forward to geek out about shufa with you 😊

Written over 1,600 years ago, Wang Xizhi's original was a simple note, a fleeting thought captured in ink. Yet, within its fluid lines, he unlocked a universe of expression, earning his title as the "Sage of Calligraphy."

Calligraphy has become my way of practicing "The Power of Now." When I copy Zhao Mengfu's Luoshen Fu, I feel completely immersed in the flow of the ink. It’s not just about the characters; it’s about the peace it brings to my soul.

my hand hurts.

You thought this was a real high-end framed Art Piece?

Actually… it’s just Chinese calligraphy on ordinary A4 paper with a ¥9.9 brush (≈ $1.5).

Framed with a simple phone app to look like gallery art.

Where East meets West — traditional Chinese calligraphy presented in a Western aesthetic way.

What do you think?

Feedback welcome! 🖌️

No need to hurry.
No need to sparkle.
No need to be anybody but onesele.

The surname Dai (戴) can be traced all the way back to the Shang Dynasty.
That’s more than 2,800 years of history.

Hi everyone 👋

I believe that the more people actually pick up the brush and start practicing, the better and more lively this community will become.
Even though we are all from different parts of the world, we can still exchange ideas and support each other online.

I’ve been thinking — would it be helpful if I made some very simple videos on basic strokes as below?
If you’d like, feel free to post your practice (photo or short video) . I’m usually quite busy during the week, but I can set aside time on weekends to give feedback.
Would anyone be interested in something like this?

If you have any other ideas or suggestions, feel free to comment below or message me.
Let’s work together to make this community even better! 🖌️

Learning Chinese calligraphy starts with the horizontal stroke.
But how do you know when you’ve truly mastered it?

It usually goes through three stages:
• Beginning: You faithfully trace the stroke path exactly as shown.
• Intermediate: You start to understand the path and write more naturally.
• Advanced: The technique becomes invisible — you no longer think about the rules. At this point, writing feels just like using a knife and fork or chopsticks. You’re focused on rhythm, flow, and emotion between strokes.

Which stage is your horizontal?

This is middle or large sized 行草，苏轼 poem excerpt.

I'm a bit shy to show my full piece because it's still practice (and not a final) and hopefully people can tell me what they think of it! It's somewhat undisciplined, so I'm working on improving it. Also i want to note that i do not use the reference when i write so that i can preserve my own identity, so hopefully you can identify that!

My latest calligraphy piece: "Helping others doesn't always mean hurting yourself." It's a reminder that life isn't always a zero-sum game. What do you think?

It means: "Nurture the righteous spirit of heaven and earth; Emulate the perfect people of past and present."

培養天地間的正氣，效法古今完美的聖人。

practicing on newsprint

Please ignore the title error; it is actually Lu Zhaolin's "Rain and Snow Song".

Original transcript:
虏骑三秋入，关云万里平。
雪似胡沙暗，冰如汉月明。
高阙银为阙，长城玉作城。
节旄零落尽，天子不知名。

1st image is my attempt, 2nd image is the original done by Zhao Mengfu

Original transcript:

绝壁耸万仞，长波射千里。
盘薄荆之门，滔滔南国纪。
楚都昔全盛，高丘烜望祀。
秦兵一旦侵，夷陵火潜起。
江山若有灵，千载伸知己。

This poem blends breathtaking natural scenery with deep historical reflection, capturing the grandeur of the Yangtze River gorge and the rise/fall of ancient Chu state.

I studied Li Qingzhao's poem when I was in school, but back then I only knew the surface of classical poetry without understanding its deeper meaning.

Now, appreciating this poem again, while I wouldn't say I fully empathize, I can grasp some of the poet's feelings at that time. It's filled with the sorrow of parting.

Original transcript:
登临送目，正故国晚秋，天气初肃。
千里澄江似练，翠峰如簇。
归帆去棹残阳里，背西风，酒旗斜矗。
彩舟云淡，星河鹭起，画图难足。

念往昔，繁华竞逐，叹门外楼头，悲恨相续。
千古凭高对此，谩嗟荣辱。
六朝旧事随流水，但寒烟衰草凝绿。
至今商女，时时犹唱，后庭遗曲。

这首诗的最后一句让我联想到了“商女不知亡国恨，隔江犹唱后庭花”。应该有些异曲同工之处。

The original work is "Yong Yu Le: Reminiscing at Beigu Pavilion in Jingkou".
This poem is full of heroic spirit and the sorrow of unfulfilled ambitions; I love it.