'Besides being the highest form of Chinese art, calligraphy is in a sense the chief and most fundamental element in every branch of it. Chinese characters not only convey thought but also express in a peculiar visual way the beauty of the thought. If a student can understand the literal meaning of the words, so much the better, but one of my incentives in writing this book is to encourage an enjoyment of Chinese calligraphy without the labour of learning the language. I hope to share with my readers a simple appreciation of the beauty in the movement of the strokes and the patterns of the structures.' Chiang Yee
