My First Book of Chinese Calligraphy

My First Book of Chinese Calligraphy

<i>My First Book of Chinese Calligraphy</i> is a fun and engaging introduction to one of China's most celebrated arts and crafts for kids. Calligraphy—the art of producing decorative handwriting or lettering with a pen or brush—has been around for thousands of years. In this fun calligraphy-for-kids book, readers will follow along with Mimi, an eigh- year-old, who takes her first steps towards learning this magical art. Dive in, and explore:<ul><li>The Evolution of Chinese Writing—how Chinese characters first began, thousands of years ago, and how they have evolved</li><li>The Order of the Strokes—learn how to write the strokes in the correct order</li><li>The Radicals—what are they, and how to unlock their secrets</li><li>The Four Treasures of Calligraphy— the four essential tools to get started</li><li>Movements and Position—how to master your mind's focus, your breathing and even how to move</li><li>The Five Styles of Calligraphy—<i>Zhuan Shu</i> (seal), <i>Li Shu</i> (clerical), <i>Kai Shu</i> (regular), <i>Cao Shu</i> (cursive), and <i>Xing Shu</i> (running)</li><li>The Eight Strokes— how to draw the eight strokes; with them, you can write anything</li><li>Writing a Character in Calligraphy—create an entire character in calligraphy</li></ul><br>The included interactive CD-ROM enables learners to play creative games to see, hear and try Chinese writing; listen to the pronunciation of the Chinese characters; observe calligraphers in action and print the characters to create practice pages.