Quote Originally Posted by 冠木侍 View Post
Most contemporary Americans don't really care about calligraphy. They only learn Kung Fu for it's fighting principles, its external values. The physical aspect of Martial Arts is only a part of the whole equation.

It is refreshing to know that value is still placed on such things. Gives me hope for the future of martial arts.
Not looking at the writing, or the words, but the way you feel the individual strokes. Being firm at first, how much pressure is placed at the beginning of the stroke, to drawing the stroke, allowing the energy to lighten, making the line thinner, then thicker, the grace of the line, the end of the stroke, etc. These are all dealing with "extending your energy and intent into the brush and through the line." Not really mumbo-jumbo, but ways of describing qualities of energy, and sensitivity-body control. This transfers to your bridge as well as your strikes.
I cannot do calligraphy, but my Chinese student does. She "gets it."
I studied Sumi-e with Yukio Tashiro in the 80's, and he explained it the same way.
He was also a Master of the sword, as well as the brush.