Book excerpt: Throughout the East, writing is held to be a gift from the gods, and the divinely inspired letters and characters are objects of the highest veneration. The religious significance of calligraphy has thus led to a unique development of the art of brush and ink in Japan, China, India, and Tibet. This beautifully illustrated book covers such topics as the history and spirit of Eastern calligraphy, the art of copying religious texts, the biographies of important Zen calligraphers, and practical instructions on materials and techniques for the contemporary student. No knowledge of the languages discussed is required for the reader to appreciate the study of this ancient practice. John Stevens lived in Japan for thirty-five years, where he was a professor of Buddhist studies at Tohoku Fukushi University in Sendai. Stevens is a widely respected translator, an ordained Buddhist priest, a curator of several major exhibitions of Zen art, and an aikido instructor. He has authored over thirty books and is one of the foremost Western experts on Aikido, holding a ranking of 7th dan Aikikai. Stevens has also studied calligraphy for decades, authoring this classic Sacred Calligraphy of the East. Other John Stevens titles that are likely to be of interest include The Philosophy of Aikido, Extraordinary Zen Masters, and The Marathon Monks of Mount Hiei. Readers interested in related titles from John Stevens will also want to see: Abundant Peace (ISBN: 9781626543232), Aikido: The Way of Harmony (ISBN: 9781626543270), Secrets of Aikido (ISBN: 9781626543256), The Marathon Monks of Mount Hiei (ISBN: 9781626549951), The Philosophy of Aikido (ISBN: 9781626549937), Extraordinary Zen Masters (ISBN: 9781626549920).