Revealing characters

Wu was born and raised in Gaotang county, Liaocheng city in Shandong province, which is also home to Li Kuchan (1899-1983), a famous Chinese painter, calligrapher and art educator. Gaotang county is renowned as a center of art and calligraphy.

Wu's grandparents were both teachers and her grandfather practiced calligraphy at home. This inspired Wu to learn the art as a child. She had a close bond with her grandfather, she says, who suggested her name at birth. Dichen literally means washing away the dust, to have a "pure soul". Wu recalls that during childhood she loved playing a writing game with her fingers in the air, mimicking the style and strokes of Chinese characters she saw on the streets and on TV.

About four years ago, Wu attended a calligraphy class, catering to adult learners. She learned how to write in the style of xingshu (running script) and kaishu (regular script). Wu, who worked in a local internet company, practiced calligraphy for about four hours every day after work.

"The more I practiced, the more I loved calligraphy," Wu says. Besides using ink and brush, Wu also uses a pen to write.

"The process of writing helps me to focus my thoughts and relax my mind. Usually I write Chinese poems, which is a great way to learn about traditional culture."

Unlike many of her peers, who are "addicted" to their mobile phones for playing video games or watching TV shows, Wu is self-disciplined and focuses on her calligraphic writing. She also loves reading books about calligraphy and drawing with colored pencils.