书法

Why this place

In China, calligraphy is the senior visual art — painting and writing share the same brush, the same ink and the same strokes, and a person's handwriting has historically been taken as a sign of character. The tradition runs from oracle-bone script through the great Tang and Song masters, and it is still taught to schoolchildren.

What to see

• Xi'an's Forest of Steles, the greatest collection of inscribed stones
• Lanting at Shaoxing, where Wang Xizhi wrote the most famous calligraphic work
• Beijing's Palace Museum and Shanghai Museum, for the original masterpieces
• A working brush and ink workshop — Huzhou for brushes, Shexian for ink
• Public parks on weekend mornings, where retired practitioners write on the paving with water

What to eat

• Nothing specific — but the calligraphy districts are usually near good local food streets
• Tea, which is how a calligraphy session is normally accompanied

How to plan

One afternoon: a museum collection plus one workshop where you can try the brush yourself.

Best time

Any time; good paper and ink work better in dry weather

Practical tips

• You can buy a beginner's set (brush, ink stick, inkstone, paper) for very little — it is a good souvenir that is genuinely usable