For the art lover and the general reader seeking a deeper appreciation of the Chinese culture, here is an opportunity to savor the rhythms, perspectives, philosophy, and wit inherent in the art form of Chinese calligraphy. Unlike English, Chinese has no alphabet. Instead, each word is represented by a written character - many of which were originally pictures, combined to form ideas. Products of a long tradition, Chinese written characters are distillations of centuries of experience, poetry, and wisdom.