In its four-thousand-year history, Chinese calligraphy has evolved from a collection of symbols to an art form that is highly respected. As an art form, Chinese calligraphy is mostly seen on scrolls, frames, fans and silk.
Scroll
A scroll used for Chinese calligraphy usually has a wooden core painted in deep red or black, with rice paper or thin silk of different designs mounted on the surface. As an ideal medium for both Chinese calligraphy and Chinese painting, Chinese scroll embodies the style that is unique to oriental art.
Frame
China has a long history of using frames to decorate Chinese calligraphy. Though the value of a piece of artwork depends mostly on the quality of the Chinese calligraphy and the reputation of the calligrapher, the type of frame that is used is of crucial importance as well. Materials like wood, copper, iron and gold have all been used for making frames.
Fan
Fans became to catch the attention of ancient Chinese artists unknowingly. Thereafter, a unique fine art gradually took shape in the history of Chinese fine art. Fan art usually includes Chinese calligraphy on the sectors. Special skills are needed to write or paint on them subject to different types of fans and different materials used. It’s much more difficult than doing the same thing on a piece of smooth paper. One of the most favorite types among calligraphers is the folded fan with paper sectors.
Silk
The Silk Road is famous for the ancient trade between China and the Mediterranean, and silk is the most famous merchandise. Before the invention of the paper, silk was one of the major materials to practice Chinese calligraphy with.