Fading Fast

I have a neighbor, whom I’ll call Mr. Lee. A few mornings a week, I see him outside with a really long stick and a bucket of water. The first time I saw him, it took me a couple of minutes before I realized what he wass doing. Mr. Lee practices water calligraphy aka temporary calligraphy.  

Water calligraphy is exactly what it sounds like. A person, typically a retired man, makes a homemade calligraphy brush from a sponge and a pole. This is then dipped into a bucket of water to write on the ground. The person typically writes on the pavement or sidewalk. Mr. Lee writes on the parking lots and roads of our apartment complex.

Water calligraphy is a cross between a really polite form of graffiti, calligraphy practice, and mental exercise. Practitioners write a variety of things on the ground. Some write criticisms of the government and society. Hence, the label of polite graffiti. Others write lines of poetry. Often, it is passages from famous poems. Other times, it is original poetry. This is where the mental exercises come into play. The calligraphers often memorize the poetry to write it. Also, they practice writing quickly, before the water evaporates, without mistakes. In a character based language, this is harder than it sounds since a missing or extra stroke can change a word.

Water calligraphy is considered a temporary art form. The practitioners know their work is going to evaporate and disappear in a few minutes but, it doesn’t matter to them. They do their calligraphy for themselves, not for others.

I can’t read what Mr. Lee writes on our parking lots. So, I don’t know if he’s writing an angry rant or beautiful poetry but, I do enjoy seeing his calligraphy on my way to work. It’s a nice way to start my day.

Mr. Lee - My Friendly Neighborhood Water Calligrapher

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One of His Characters

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