Mongolian calligraphy
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Mongolian calligraphy is a form of calligraphy or artistic writing of the
Mongolian language Mongolian is the official language of Mongolia and both the most widely spoken and best-known member of the Mongolic language family. The number of speakers across all its dialects may be 5.2 million, including the vast majority of the residen ...
. Although Mongolia uses the
Cyrillic script The Cyrillic script ( ), Slavonic script or the Slavic script, is a writing system used for various languages across Eurasia. It is the designated national script in various Slavic, Turkic, Mongolic, Uralic, Caucasian and Iranic-speaking co ...
which was adopted during the Communist era, Mongolian calligraphy is written in the traditional
Mongolian script The classical or traditional Mongolian script, also known as the , was the first writing system created specifically for the Mongolian language, and was the most widespread until the introduction of Cyrillic in 1946. It is traditionally written ...
. In 2013, Mongolian calligraphy was inscribed on the UNESCO List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding. At present, only three middle-aged scholars voluntarily train the small community of just over twenty young calligraphers. Traditionally, mentors select the best students and train them to be calligraphers over a period of five to eight years. Students and teachers bond for life and continue to stimulate each other’s artistic endeavours. The rate of social transformation, urbanization and globalization have led to a significant drop in the number of young calligraphers.


Implements

The
reed pen A reed pen ( grc-gre, κάλαμοι '; singular ') is a writing implement made by cutting and shaping a single reed straw or length of bamboo. History and manufacture Reed pens with regular features such as a split nib have been found in Anci ...
was the writing instrument of choice until the 18th century, when the brush took its place under Chinese influence. Pens were also historically made of wood, reed,
bamboo Bamboos are a diverse group of evergreen perennial flowering plants making up the subfamily Bambusoideae of the grass family Poaceae. Giant bamboos are the largest members of the grass family. The origin of the word "bamboo" is uncertain, ...
, bone, bronze, or iron. Ink used was black or
cinnabar Cinnabar (), or cinnabarite (), from the grc, κιννάβαρι (), is the bright scarlet to brick-red form of mercury(II) sulfide (HgS). It is the most common source ore for refining elemental mercury and is the historic source for the bri ...
red, and written with on
birch bark Birch bark or birchbark is the bark of several Eurasian and North American birch trees of the genus ''Betula''. The strong and water-resistant cardboard-like bark can be easily cut, bent, and sewn, which has made it a valuable building, craftin ...
, paper, cloths made of
silk Silk is a natural protein fiber, some forms of which can be woven into textiles. The protein fiber of silk is composed mainly of fibroin and is produced by certain insect larvae to form cocoons. The best-known silk is obtained from the ...
or cotton, and wooden or
silver Silver is a chemical element with the symbol Ag (from the Latin ', derived from the Proto-Indo-European ''h₂erǵ'': "shiny" or "white") and atomic number 47. A soft, white, lustrous transition metal, it exhibits the highest electrical ...
plates. File:Mongolian Calligraphy (1).jpg File:Mongolian Calligraphy (4).jpg File:Mongolian Calligraphy (3).jpg File:Mongolian Calligraphy (8).jpg File:Mongolian Calligraphy (5).jpg File:Mongolian Calligraphy 1 (11).jpg File:Mongolian Calligraphy 1 (7).jpg File:Modern Mongol calligraphy.jpg File:Mongolian Calligraphy (2).jpg File:Mongolian Calligraphy 1 (9).jpg File:Mongolian Calligraphy 1 (10).jpg


References

East Asian calligraphy Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding {{Calligraphy-stub