Enter the Dragon but DON'T touch my canvas, baby

Don't touch my canvas, baby
Originally uploaded by shodoboy.

I bought this hanging decoration in Taipei, Taiwan in 1999.

The artist was also a calligrapher and wrote my name and the location and date in fine flowing burning chinese characters down the left hand side of this. I have a photo of him doing this. As i was watching him do this, a group of Japanese people appeared remarking, in Japanese, on his fine skill. I could understand a little, and turned to them and said 'Watashi mo ima shuji no benkyo o ste - imasu' (I am also studying calligraphy too). The group went silent and then laughed.

It must have been a bit strange, being in Taiwan and being encountered by a Nihongo speaking English trainee calligrapher.

Then we went off to drink snakes blood.

Don't touch my canvas baby (That's another story)

This photo is posted by kind permission of Hannah Little, Japan.