The art of calligraphy is the epitome of traditional Chinese culture. It not only transforms Chinese characters into art but also reflects and interacts with classical literature. Many take comfort in its beauty and essence. Chinese calligraphy embodies the profound spiritual core of the Chinese nation, possessing high aesthetic and social values. However, in the age of the internet, many have gradually replaced ink and brushes with keyboards. While digital characters and screens help efficiently convey information, people have distanced themselves from the beauty of Chinese characters.

        NetEase Games is committed to using contemporary methods to transform traditional culture and art, with games such as Justice Online, Eggy Party, A Dream of Jianghu, Fantasy Westward Journey, Wangchuan Dreamland, and New Ghost adhering to traditional Chinese styles. NetEase Games continues to empower traditional calligraphy through exquisite game design and diverse gameplay, incorporating Chinese cultural concepts and aesthetics, which in turn revive traditional calligraphy art in the digital era.

 

I. Replicating Each Stroke on Screens

        The beauty of calligraphy lies not only in its technique, structure, and layout, but also in the meaning expressed in the strokes. It embodies both the history of Chinese characters and the creativity of the calligrapher. NetEase Games has integrated calligraphy into its games' text and visuals, replacing commonly used digital fonts with elegant and freehand calligraphy fonts. Through high-quality graphics, the beauty of traditional Chinese culture is presented in digital form, creating an immersive experience and also allowing young players to experience the charm of the Chinese ink and brush.

　　In the game Justice Online, NetEase collaborated with the calligrapher Huang Ke to design a complete font library of calligraphy that fully reflects the spirit of ancient China while also adapting to the game's scenarios. For example, when players are guided to create an account and choose a profession, all profession names are presented in calligraphy font, creating a visually pleasing image that evokes the martial world depicted by beloved writer Jin Yong and allows players to experience the free and unrestrained tone. Another example is the logo of the game, which breaks away from the common style of animated character avatars in other mobile games. Instead, it uses the single character "Han" to function as the game's symbol. A written character is depicted in iron-like strokes on a light bamboo background, strong and powerful, balancing solidity and lightness, which instantly embodies the heroic spirit of traditional martial arts.

Justice Online: Profession Interface

　　The UCG map "Yin_" in the game Eggy Party uses traditional Chinese calligraphy as a theme and presents calligraphy art with its built-in editor. The whole map is fresh and elegant in black, white, and gray, which makes players feel like they are in an ink world. Spiral stairs surround the central character "Yin", embodying the calm and detached spirit of a sage while also combining gameplay with aesthetics. Upon reaching the end of the map, players can enter the observation platform through a portal. In the spacious virtual map, the "Tao Te Ching", written with the map editor, hangs as a long calligraphy scroll. With strokes flowing like dragons and clouds, it captures every detail of the calligraphic work. Through this relaxed and fun gameplay accompanied by beautiful background music, players can get closer to traditional culture, appreciate calligraphy, and enhance their own aesthetic senses.

Eggy Party: The UCG map "Yin_"

 

II. Incorporating Ink into Fashion

        Traditional calligraphy art was often depicted on unique objects in ancient China, most of which are no longer used in daily life and only preserved in museums. NetEase Games, however, has incorporated calligraphy art into game outfit designs, showcasing the beauty of calligraphy.

　　In 2022, the game A Dream of Jianghu introduced the outfit "Book Heart and Ink", which takes inspiration from calligraphy, which was considered one of the six gentlemanly arts in traditional Chinese culture. The outfit for male characters features a white robe with wide sleeves, revealing the elegance and restraint of a scholar. The front is designed with splashed ink landscape patterns, paired with a delicate jade belt around the waist. The sleeves are embroidered with the small seal script of Li Si, the prime minister of the Qin Dynasty, on the cuffs. Meanwhile, the outfit for female characters contains a touch of softness and elegance. With the high-waisted design, it combines free splashed ink landscapes and the same small seal script delicately drawn with silver threads on light chiffon. The combination evokes tranquility and feminine grace. The large white space on the skirt coincides with the artistic rendering of calligraphy, revealing its inner beauty. NetEase Games incorporates classical cultural elements such as calligraphy and inkwash into game fashion designs, portraying Chinese-style clothing heritage.

A Dream of Jianghu: Game outfit

　　NetEase's game Fantasy Westward Journey once collaborated with the Beilin Museum (“the forest of steles”) in Xi'an to design the "Silk Charm Painting" series of outfits.   In this series, the cloak references the "Ji Wang Sheng Jiao Xu Bei" from the Beilin Museum, with a black background and golden characters. By combining the calligraphy of Wang Xizhi with traditional Chinese fashion design, Fantasy Westward Journey created a stunning and unique piece of classical art.

Fantasy Westward Journey: Game outfit

 

III. Building Knowledge through Practice

        Self-improvement is an important principle in learning calligraphy. Ancient scholars emphasized the importance of diligent practice and cultivation in all aspects. The process of learning calligraphy involves absorbing cultural elements, self-improvement, and understanding traditional Chinese culture. While promoting calligraphy culture, Netease Games has also focused on how calligraphy can be combined with contemporary art. By launching various activities, Netease Games has inspired player enthusiasm for learning calligraphy, leading them to rediscover the cultural spirit of calligraphy.

　　In 2021, the game Wangchuan Dreamland partnered with Weibo Games, Sina Games, and Weibo Humanities and Arts to launch the "Chinese Character Handwriting Competition," encouraging players to pick up their pens and experience the joy of writing.   Players used the lines of historical figures, lyrics, and other related literary works in the game as inspiration to express themselves. With upright or flowing and elegant script, countless masterpieces emerged, enhancing cultivation and cultural heritage.

Wangchuan Dreamland: Player scripts

　　On April 20, 2022, recognized worldwide as UN Chinese Language Day, the game New Ghost collaborated with Xi'an Beilin Museum to launch the "One Word Worth A Thousand Gold" handwriting activity, advocating for players to participate in calligraphy practice. Through each stroke of their handwriting, players not only depicted their love and hope for the game but also showcased the beauty of traditional calligraphy. This activity brought paper and pen back into people's lives, depicting strong emotions and interpreting the significance of culture through the act of writing. To help spread the charm of traditional calligraphy culture, New Ghost produced rubbing kits with Xi'an Beilin Museum and asked players to visit the museum and make rubbings of steles to help promote calligraphy and reach the younger generation.

New Ghost: Handwriting Activity

　　Brilliant like a painting, harmonious like music. The thousands of years of creation, usage, evolution, and development of Chinese characters have contributed to the splendid and colorful art of Chinese calligraphy. With just a plain sheet of paper and ink, Chinese culture transcends consciousness.NetEase Games has promoted the best aspects of gaming to play a positive role in innovating and inheriting traditional culture. By highlighting each stroke of Chinese calligraphy and integrating it into the lives of every player, NetEase helps people rediscover the traditional cultural spirit in each detail.