Japanese Calligraphic Technique and Design

Kōetsu Sanjūrokkasen is a horizontal scroll collaboration between a painter and a calligrapher that depicts thirty-six canonical poets. Most collaborations regarding this theme avoided literal depictions of the poets; however, this design showcases a more didactic approach. Woodblock printing reproduced these scrolls, with type blocks meticulously carved to represent the calligrapher's distinctive style. 

Kōetsu Sanjūrokkasen represents Japanese calligraphy, which originated in China during the Han dynasty and is, in modern times, admired globally. Li Si, the Chinese prime minister, created it in 208 A.D. Unlike the right-to-left, left-to-right standard of writing in historical Western writing, calligraphy was meant to be written bottom to top, left to right. While Western languages prioritized convenience and speed through changes in technique, resulting in fast flicks resembling serifs, calligraphy adopted ink brushes to write more smoothly. As calligraphy grew in use, it moved beyond rigid standards of communication and became an art form. Not only the technique, but the materials used, became symbols of Zen practices, including harmony and wisdom.