Stone Carving and Chinese Calligraphy

Since primary school, I have been exposed to calligraphy and stone carving. To others, stone carving might just be a skill of carving characters on stones. However, it embodies the essence of Chinese culture, symbolizing the ancient people's way of recording and passing down knowledge; it also reflects my own understanding of stone carving and the continuous practice and improvement behind it.

When I first started learning stone carving, I had to practice holding and moving the engraving knife to create lines. The force, angle, and technique all affect the depth and width of the line. When attempting to carve a complete seal, I often made mistakes due to momentary distraction or improper control of the angle or force, causing the knife to slip and ruin all my previous efforts. This experience honed my patience, from initial frustration to accepting my mistakes and seeing them as opportunities to improve my skills.

During this period, I also realized that the content of stone carving is not limited to name seals; it can also include mottos and animal totems, endowing inanimate objects with meaning.

During the practice, the sharpness of the knife and the hardness of the stone also determine the difficulty of stone carving. I often experienced cramps in my hands and sometimes even cut myself, but this also strengthened my perseverance and concentration, enabling me to focus on one thing at a time more effectively.