Free calligraphy classes pass down cultural heritage in Bashabu town

Free weekly‑Saturday calligraphy classes are running at Xixiaoyou Village, Bashabu Town, Yihe New Area, giving local rural children easy access to traditional Chinese calligraphy education rooted in the hometown of Wang Xizhi, the great ancient calligrapher.

Bashabu Town is widely known as the native home of Wang Xizhi, master calligrapher of the Eastern Jin Dynasty. Xixiaoyou Village was awarded the honorary title of “Wang Xizhi Calligraphy‑Featured Village” by Linyi Calligraphers Association in October 2024, in recognition of its rich local cultural resources for handwriting art.

The village party‑mass service center opens public‑welfare calligraphy lessons every Saturday. Professional calligraphers from Yizhi Calligraphy and Painting Institute take turns to give free tutoring. Teachers guide children on brush‑holding skills, stroke practice and character structure, helping young learners master basic handwriting techniques.

Since the public‑welfare class was launched more than one year ago, over 50 local children have taken regular part in the courses. The program sparks teenagers’ enthusiasm for traditional calligraphy art and wins wide praise among villagers. All learning materials and copybooks are provided free of charge by the village committee.

The grassroots cultural project brings classic Chinese fine arts to rural youngsters. It injects cultural vitality into village life and promotes rural cultural revitalization by inheriting precious local calligraphy heritage.

Editor：韩蒙蒙