Three Year Old Boy and His Eight Year Old Cousin Have Become Chinese Calligraphy Prodigies

A three-year-old named Gao Yubo and his eight-year-old cousin Gao Yuxuan who live in Heilongjiang, northeastern China, have become skilled calligraphy prodigies after watching the adults around them practicing the ancient craft. At one point, Yuxuan helped to guide Yubo’s hand in the shape of a word.

Two calligraphers in China, just three and eight years old, have astounded people with their mastery of the ancient and highly skilled art form.

According to Yubo’s mother Miao, the toddler wrote his first word at the age of one.

Gao Yubo picked up the skills by observing his mother. He wrote his first word when he was just one. …The youngsters learned how to write calligraphy by mimicking us adults because both Yuxuan’s parents and my husband and I are calligraphers…To them, it might feel like playing a game.

Young Calligraphers
Lori Dorn
Lori Dorn

Lori is a Laughing Squid Contributing Editor based in New York City who has been writing blog posts for over a decade. She also enjoys making jewelry, playing guitar, taking photos and mixing craft cocktails.