Ki 氣 Energy and Flow at Shodō calligraphy

For our last Japanese Shodō calligraphy classes before summer, both in person and online, we brushed the characters kiryoku 氣力, meaning – vitality or energy, or willpower ✨. Ki 氣 is the same character as qi in Chinese such as in Qigong 氣功and is a fascinating one to discover the visual background of (with visuals related to steam and rice), and brush. We worked on the traditional version 氣 rather than the standard Japanese version of the kanji character 気.

We found a balance of calm and ‘genki’ energy in the kaisho standard script and the soshо̄ fully cursive ‘grass’ style. We brushed on both hanshi Japanese paper as well as small shikishi gold rimmed calligraphy boards.

For some inspiration, Blair shared two short poetic fragments expressing something of the energetic aspect of 氣..

Energy – ki – rides the wind and scatters,
but is retained when encountering water.

Guo Po

The void has collapsed upon the earth,
Stars, burning, shoot across iron mountain.
Turning a somersault, I brush past.

Zekkai Chushin

Many thanks to everyone for taking part through spring and into summer, and to those for kindly sharing some pictures here of their calligraphy practice.