BruSHŪ: Cross-Modal Translation of Implicit Micro-Actions in Chinese Calligraphy

Abstract

Artworks are often encountered as finished artifacts; Chinese calligraphy is a clear example. The implicit micro-actions that shape a trace, including boundaries, transitions, and timing, are fleeting and often underdetermined by the final work. This gap constrains how practitioners reflect on embodied decisions in everyday practice. We ask how to make these micro-actions perceptible to expert calligraphy artists without turning practice into instruction, assessment, or stroke-faithful reconstruction. We present BruSHŪ, a perceptual lens that translates aspects of the writing process into interpretable cross-modal cues to support in-the-moment noticing and post-hoc reflection. We also articulate a brush-as-lens framework that treats interpretability, adjustability, and non-normative feedback as prerequisites for reflective practice. We examine BruSHŪ through a studio co-creation session with an expert calligrapher and a subsequent live performance deployment, followed by reflection-based inquiry. Our findings suggest that lightweight, tunable cues can surface tacit process structure and support reflection and conversation, provided they preserve established technique and artistic autonomy.