道德經 Female Script Font Series 005

道德經小扇 005

【众妙之门】

I love the essential idea of Tao Te Ching. It says the nature is the closest thing to the “way”—the universal truth. It is impossible for us to speak about the truth because it is always changing and evolving, yet there is also one thing that is lasting for time “the understanding and acceptance of the changes”. It really builds up my knowledge of the world.

That’s why the final line of the first chapter ends with “玄之又玄，眾妙之門” （The abstruse within the abstruse, The gateway to infinite wonders.）

Historically, round fans adorned with philosophical texts symbolized scholarly refinement in imperial China. Qing Dynasty painters like Zheng Xie (Dao De Jing’s 1740 manuscript) fused bold “bamboo-stroke” calligraphy with fan designs, while European aristocrats prized such fans as “magical objects” during the 18th-century Chinoiserie trend. Today, Nüshu calligraphers reclaim this legacy by inscribing Chapter 1 on fans as feminist art. For instance, the Nüshu Ballad project merges the script with phrases like “玄之又玄” (The mystery within mystery) on embroidered silk, transforming ancient wisdom into contemporary symbols of gender equality.

材質：

·國畫顏料

·墨水

·小楷、女书、草书、隶书、篆书

·传统中式宣纸团扇

Materials: 

• White Chinese painting pigment

• Black ink

• Small script, female script, cursive script, clerical script, seal script font

• Traditional Chinese fan