Calligraphy is a defining feature of China's culture. Both a means of communication and a revered form of art, the dividing line is often vague, and this ambiguity has given it an important role in shaping the history of modern China since the creation of the People's Republic of China in 1949. After the Revolution the traditional art of calligraphy was quickly transformed into an instrument of political power and protest, wielded on an unprecedented scale, while over the last two decades a new modern genre of the traditional art form has also emerged. The author has personally interviewed many prominent calligraphers to focus on twenty-five individuals who have been key figures in this process and exemplify its main trends, bringing their distinct voices to a Western audience for the first time.