Tsao Chiu-Pu

TAIWAN, Taipei

Tsao Chiu-Pu, originally named Tsao A-Dan, was a Taiwanese calligrapher who lived and taught in Japan for many years. After his return to Taiwan, he continued to engage enthusiastically in teaching calligraphy, and in 1929, he established the Danlu Calligraphy Society. In his late years, he studied Buddhism and practiced meditation.
Tsao served as the executive director and supervisor of the Chinese Calligraphy Society, and was a member of review boards for art and calligraphy exhibitions all over Taiwan. He won the National Literary Award in 1987 and is regarded as a model figure for calligraphy education in Taiwan. Written works compiled by Tsao include Danlu Calligraphy Collection, Tsao Chiu-Pu Calligraphy Collection, and Anthology of Poetry and Calligraphy by Tsao Chiu-Pu.
Adept in seal, regular, clerical, and cursive scripts, Tsao’s calligraphy was both unique and unconventional, and integrated the practice of Chan. He focused, in particular, on cultivating good nature by reading and writing, and his ultimate goal was to advocate the use of Chan calligraphy.
Works by Tsao include the stele carving of Words of Wisdom by Tsao Chiu-Pu on the Stele Wall at Fo Guang Shan Monastery in Kaohsiung; and Buddha, a calligraphic piece written when he was over 95 years old.