Writing is an important part of world culture, and calligraphy is an exciting art combining the beauty of a language's style with the elegance of its written symbols. The light movement of the writing brush can reveal national traditions, history, culture, everything. We talked about the art and science of beautiful writing with calligrapher D.Batbayar.

What can you tell us about the historical development of calligraphy?

Calligraphy has a very long history. The rock inscriptions from the time of Genghis Khan are calligraphy. These inscriptions are about a thousand years old. Even today, we haven't been able yet to determine the exact date when The Secret History of the Mongols', a work belonging to the cultural world heritage, was written. This monumental epic is itself a part of calligraphy. Talking about the history of calligraphy means talking about the history of a nation's writing and culture.

So you can tell the history of Mongolian writing and culture by looking at how Mongolian calligraphy developed?

Yes. The Mongolian script has always been vertical, from top to bottom. We've been reading and writing like this for thousands of years. In the entire world, there is nothing similar to our elegant Mongolian writing, which doesn't tear its letters apart. So, we may say that we've been writing in calligraphy from ancient times until this day. Of course, every nation is different. Japanese, Chinese, and others write in Chinese characters. Of course, they have all developed their own calligraphy in their own way. Actually, a nation's character and culture can be immediately discovered by looking at its calligraphy. The characteristic of the Mongolian language consists in its melodious sound rich in vowels. Therefore, the Mongolian script is harmonious and attractive, too.

Can you tell us which other nations has been developing calligraphy since the distant past?

Every nation has developed calligraphy in its own way. There are India, the Arabs, China, and Japan. Calligraphy is an art involving thought and feeling. Mongolian calligraphy has always been a wonder of the world. When we write from top to bottom, we make people go, 'Wow, how interesting!' We've written half of the world's history, we have a calligraphic culture. We are the major representatives of this art form. I think we can rival even the Chinese. We should be proud of it.

The heritage of calligraphy consists of inscription on stone and manuscripts. In order to take photos for my book about the history of calligraphy, I had to roam about twenty countries, taking stock. This should give you a notion of how old the origin of calligraphy really is.

No, no, of course not. Calligraphy is an art of the future. It's no! Only beautiful hand writing. The calligrapher hears an inner music in different keys, major and minor. The spectators don't just get a pleasant feeling while looking at a calligraphic writing. They hear music in their minds, so people with a keen sense for art will enjoy looking at it. Once, a man from Austria wanted to buy one of my works right away, he just wouldn't quit. 'No, please buy something else', I said, but he insisted, 'No way, I'll buy none other than this!' Actually, he didn't have the slightest idea of what was written there. But when he looked at the writing, he was captured by the music behind it, because he was a very sensitive and alert person?

Now if some people get it and others don't, aren't we in need of some sort of development?

Japan is a truly developed country today. But they are establishing an academy for the development of the calligraphic arts over there. And people take a great deal of interest in it. Calligraphy is concerned not only with beauty but with ideas. It's what you're calling 'design' nowadays. In the new century, nothing goes without ideas. As our society develops materially and mentally, we'll be increasingly drawn towards calligraphy.

A work of art is a product of pure mind. Beauty, how you see the world, this all reflects your philosophy. The Italians and the French usually can't read the Mongolian script. But, surprisingly, they are enthusiastic about Mongolian calligraphy. How do they understand it? The language of art acts as a translator. Art has this surprising ability. When a woman from Chicago saw one of my works, she exclaimed, 'I'm a collector of books, how beautiful this is. Please write the word 'book' for me.' She was genuinely delighted. Talking about calligraphy is always intellectually stimulating. The more you study calligraphy, the more you'll be drawn towards it.

For calligraphy only a few. But there are some promising young people. I have even some foreign students, Japanese and Korean. Studying calligraphy takes a lot of time and effort.

I think they're worth very much, because the right mood can't be repeated. But people who understand them, who know how to take pleasure in them, don't find them too expensive. And I'm not interested in copying and reproducing, either.

Italian and French people buy a lot. But these last few years, Mongolians have begun to buy, and they order a great deal, too. Today, the major companies are using calligraphic signboards and logos. This means that they are beginning to appreciate the rich inheritance of our national arts. With time, more and more people will acquire the artistic feeling and knowledge to love and appreciate calligraphy. Then, the young people will be attracted towards calligraphy and become acquainted with the art of the writing brush, I believe.