古時中國,兒童上課的第一天,不單是學習如何吸收知識的一天,也是學習如何自我表達的一天。讀書時搖頭擺腦如是,學習書法亦如是。如果中國文字的創造反映了中國人對自然的看法,那書法則代表了中國人對生命的態度。學習的目的在於建立一個自我的世界觀,書法則在乎創造一個自我的性格表現。"字如其人"就是這個意思。兩者混合就是宇宙與自我生命的結合。中國人稱爲"天人合一"。從這個角度看,中國人從來就沒有藝術教育的問題。
文字,本是圖畫,但既可以搖頭擺腦的誦唱,也可以通過毛筆字這樣的造型藝術表現出來。文字藝術最輝煌的年代——唐朝的詩歌,就是最好的證明。它是文學,卻可以歌唱,也可以書寫。因此,文字既可以衍生出一種混合了文學、音樂、造型藝術、可能還包括表演藝術共融一體的終極表現,也引證了"一生二,二生三,三生萬物"這種一以貫之的哲學,實在不可思議!但今天中國的美術教育不但不提倡書法,反而把資源押在一些二流的所謂西方藝術之上,這種舍近求遠的態度,亦甚可悲矣!
In ancient China, the children's first day of school was the moment for gaining knowledge, and also the moment for learning to express themselves. It is the case when they moved their heads while reciting; it is also true when they learned calligraphy. If the creation of Chinese characters has reflected the way Chinese view nature, calligraphy has reflected how they view life. The aim of learning is to build up one's perspective of the world; calligraphy aims at creating expressions of one's character. "The person is manifested in his writing style" well explains this idea. The integration of calligraphy and its writer is the integration of the world and ego. That is what Chinese called "unity of heaven and men". In that sense, the Chinese have never had a problem with art education.
Words are initially pictures, but they can also be sung with rhythms, or be shown via visual arts like calligraphy. Tang poetry, which represents the golden era of the art of words, is the best proof. It is literature, but can also be sung or written. Therefore, the art of words can evolve to an ultimate combination of literature, music, visual arts, or maybe also performing art. However, Chinese art education nowadays neither invests nor advocates Chinese art, such as calligraphy, but the second-class western art. It is a shame to abandon something valuable near at hand but have an illusion on something remote.



































































































