Chalkboard calligraphy (w/ heroic music)
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I asked Diana Shuheng Zhang whether she thought the video was shot at natural speed or was speeded up. Her reply:
Given the movement of the hand, I think it was filmed at real time. Actually, the faster the hand moves, the easier it is to write the strokes well, especially the big strokes.
Together it says: guófù mínqiáng, zìqiáng bùxī 国富民强，自强不息 (“Prosperous nation, strong people; unceasing self-improvement”). The biggest character is qiáng 强 "strength", and there are also two small fú 福s ("auspicious") on the left and right.
Play, art, exercise….
Selected readings
- "The transformative power of translation" (7/25/24) — from Bill Benzon
- "Cutting edge calligraphy" (1/3/25)
- "Calligraphic license" (8/24/23)
- "Chaotic calligraphy" (8/6/18)
[Thanks to Bill Benzon]
Victor Mair said,
May 2, 2026 @ 9:13 am
Same guy:
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/72VXzUe_te4
David Marjanović said,
May 2, 2026 @ 9:53 am
Impressive!
The music strikes me as a mix of Chinese tradition and spaghetti westerns – though I don't know if the music in the latter is influenced by whatever music there may be in Kurosawa films; the films themselves show such influence.
Calvin said,
May 2, 2026 @ 10:40 am
@David, the music is drawn from the theme song of the popular Hong Kong TV series The Legend of the Condor Heroes, an adaptation of Jin Yong’s classic wuxia novel of the same name.The story is set in 12th-century China, during the final years of the Northern Song dynasty, as it struggles against the Jin–Song Wars.
Michael Vnuk said,
May 2, 2026 @ 6:42 pm
My first impression is that the video is speeded up, as is the second one linked to in the first comment. The body movements seem too jerky and abrupt, especially between writing phases in the second video. I wondered if there are easy ways to determine if a video is speeded up, but a quick search of the internet didn't turn up anything useful for me.
In the second video, I was surprised at how much ink the calligrapher got from his brush without repeated dipping. Again, a quick search of the internet was unable to tell me how this is possible.
Victor Mair said,
May 3, 2026 @ 6:13 pm
I have a Chinese writing brush, the shaft of which is hollow and filled with ink. I could write characters all day with it.
Michael Vnuk said,
May 3, 2026 @ 7:49 pm
A hollow shaft explains it. Thanks.
Peter W said,
May 4, 2026 @ 2:44 pm
Impressive calligraphy skill!
It looks to me that the first part reads '国强民富' ('strong nation, prosperous people'), rather than '国富民强' ('prosperous nation, strong people')? And there are four (not two) instances of 福 scattered around the edges?
Calvin said,
May 5, 2026 @ 12:41 am
@Peter, good catch!
Both phrases are from ancient texts: Spring and Autumn Annals of Wu and Yue and I Ching.
《吴越春秋·勾践归国外传》：“越主内实府库，垦其田畴，民富国强，众安道泰。”
《易經·乾卦·象曰》：“天行健，君子以自強不息。”
Over time, 民富国强 evolved into 国富民强 in modern usage.
Yes, there are four 福 characters around.
aktif karbon said,
May 5, 2026 @ 3:04 pm
I think this isn't just an act of writing, but a combination of several things at once: art, body control, and cultural meaning. The idea that the hand movements are at a natural pace also makes sense; because in calligraphy, fluidity often comes from rhythm, not slowness. The fact that the lines become more confident and uninterrupted as the speed increases supports this.
I also think the written expression is very meaningful: the idea of "a strong nation, a strong people, and constant self-improvement" carries not only an aesthetic but also an ideological message. The fact that the character "power" is written in the largest font clearly shows where the emphasis is. The "luck/good fortune" symbols on the sides also suggest that this power is not only physical but also associated with good fortune.