A：Look，you are practicing Chinese ancient calligraphy？That's awesome！
B：Yes，I picked it up when I was in primary school，but I didn't keep on practicing。
A：It is really a sophisticated art！Is it the ink stone，one of the Four Treasures of the Study？
B：You're right。The paper，ink，brush and ink stone are essential implements of Chinese calligraphy：they are known together as the Four Treasures of the Study。
A：What is so special about them？
B：Xuanzhi（宣纸），traditionally made in Anhui province，is the preferred type of paper。It is made from the Tartar wingceltis（Pteroceltis tatarinowii），as well as other materials including rice，the paper mulberry（Broussonetia papyrifera），bamboo，hemp，etc。
A：It feels much softer than the usual paper。
B：Can you rub the ink for me？
A：Sure，I can have a try。
B：A stone or ceramic ink stone is used to rub the solid ink stick into liquid ink and to contain the ink once it is liquid。
A：How do you hold the brush？
B：The brush is held vertically straight gripped between the thumb and middle finger。The index finger lightly touches the upper part of the shaft of the brush（stabilizing it）while the ring and little fingers tuck under the bottom of the shaft。The palm is hollow，and you should be able to hold an egg within that space。
A：It's too difficult to hold for a long time。
B：You feel comfortable when you are used to it。
A：What genre are you practicing now？
B：It's called Xing genre and Wang Xizhi is very proficient in this genre。
A：I know what gifts I can give to my family in the US now，a scroll of Chinese calligraphy！
A：你在练习书法吗？太酷了！
B：我小学的时候学了一点皮毛，但没有继续学下去。
A：真是一门优雅的艺术啊！这是中国书法的文房四宝之一砚台吗？
B：是的。笔墨纸砚是中国书法的四项基本配备，也被称作文房四宝。
A：它们都有些什么特别的呢？
B：原产地为安徽的宣纸，是书法用纸。它的主要原料是青檀树皮，也有其它的原料例如水稻的稻草、纸浆、竹子和大麻纤维等等。
A：感觉上比一般的纸张更柔软。
B：你可以帮我磨墨吗？
A：当然，我可以尝试一下。
B：用固体的墨锭在石制或陶瓷制的砚台上磨出液体的墨汁，液体墨汁流出来时就用砚台盛着。
A：那你怎样握笔呢？
B：用拇指和中指垂直紧握毛笔，食指轻轻触碰笔杆上部，而无名指和小指则握住笔杆的下半部。掌心的空间应该可以足够放下一个鸡蛋。
A：那很难长时间地握笔。
B：习惯了就会觉得舒服。
A：你现在练的是什么字体呢？
B：我现在练习的是行书。王羲之就是著名的行书书法家。
A：我终于知道该给我美国的家人带什么礼物回去了，那就是一卷中国书法！
Tartar wingceltis 青檀树
Four Treasures of the Study 文房四宝
Ceramic adj。陶瓷的
Rub v。摩擦
Ink stone 砚台
Ink stick 磨砚石
Shaft n。杆
Genre n。字体
背景知识——中国的汉字和书法
Chinese characters evolved from pictures and signs，and the Chinese art of calligraphy developed naturally from its unique writing system。Through the ages，great calligraphers developed representative calligraphic styles of their times。The love of calligraphy is deeply ingrained in Chinese scholars，and has been handed down to the present day。
Calligraphy takes many years of dedicated practice。Correct stroke order，proper balance and rhythm of characters are essential in calligraphy。Skilled handling of the brush produces a pleasing balance of characters on the paper，thick and thin lines，and heavy and light inking。In most cases，a calligrapher will practice writing the Chinese character Yong（永）many，many times in order to perfect the eight basic essential strokes contained within the character。Those who can correctly write the Character Yong beautifully can potentially write all characters with beauty。
中国汉字是从图画、符号逐渐演变形成的，汉字的书写和发展过程导致了书法艺术的产生。中国历代都有大书法家，其书法艺术和风格成为所在朝代书法的典型代表。人们对书法的喜爱一直流传到今天。
中国的书法经过多年的演变。正确的笔画顺序、书写汉字的平衡和韵律都是书法的精髓。纯熟的握笔方式可以在宣纸上描绘出深、浅、轻、重平衡的笔画。一个书法家练习最多的是汉字“永”，因为“永”的比划包含了汉字最基本的八个比划。掌握了“永”字的书法，就等于精通了所有的汉字的书法。
中国历史上著名的大书法家
初唐四大书法家：欧阳询、诸遂良、虞世南、薛稷。
中国四大书法家，一般的是指颜柳欧赵楷书四体的创始人：颜真卿、柳公权、欧阳询和赵孟頫。
元代四大书法家：倪瓒、黄公望、吴镇、王蒙。
清初四大书法家：汪士宏、何焯、姜宸英、陈亦禧。
康熙间四大书法家：笪重光、姜宸英、汪士鋐、何焯。
清四大书法家：刘墉、翁方纲、王文治、梁同书。
清末民初，天津四大书法家：严、华、孟、赵。即严修、华世奎、孟广慧、赵元礼。
民国四大书法家：吴稚晖、胡汉民、于右任、谭延凯。
