NYZ: Eight Basic Strokes – Calligraphy & Tea Workshop Series

Fridays | September 26th – October 17th, 2025 | 6:30 – 8:30pm

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Self – What is Self?

Join Ines Sun at New York Zendo for a four-week exploration of the foundation of Chinese calligraphy, the eight basic strokes. The foundation of the Eight Strokes is based on how Madam Wei (Weifuren, 272–349 AD) taught the 7-year old Wang Xizhi (303–361 AD), a young boy who later became the most renowned calligrapher in Chinese history. His style continues to be emulated to this day.

Each session begins with a welcome tea in the garden and a reading of the Daodejing (Tao Te Ching), and is followed by time for focused practice, allowing students to deepen their understanding through direct experience. Come join us as we build community, making friends with ourselves and others through this meditative practice. No prior experience is necessary, all are welcome to these sweet and special Friday nights!

Ines Sun began studying calligraphy as a child and later deepened her practice through painting. She weaves together her training in tea ceremony and calligraphy in her installation Heaven Earth Tea Hut (天地茶屋), an intimate, silent performance where she invites a participant to engage in calligraphy and tea ceremony together.

The schedule will be as follows:

• Friday, September 26th
• Friday, October 3rd
• Friday, October 10th
• Friday, October 17th

To keep the rhythm going, there will also be sutra copying in October and November.

The fee for this course is $40 for a single class or $150 for the full 4-week series. All materials provided. To make a payment and register, please use Venmo: Ines Sun @pencilnyc or Zelle: inesthsun@gmail.com. ZSS Health Protocols apply.