Tracing expertise to beginning

Skill of transferring images onto paper is an art form steeped in history, Zhao Xu reports.

Rubbing, the tracing of characters onto a piece of paper, came into its own during the Song Dynasty (960-1279). Woodblock printing had been invented two centuries earlier and even movable type printing using metal typefaces had appeared. Yet for those who were aiming not just for the content but the display of calligraphic art of a particular piece of writing, rubbing seemed the best option.

For any rubbing to take place, a particular piece of calligraphy must first be transcribed from paper to stone — or wood on rarer occasions — by a master engraver at a 1:1 ratio.

This was no easy task, but the ultimate goal was not to let the characters stay there, but instead, to transfer their vitality to the paper.