Water Calligraphy Device: Decorate The Streets With Water

There is an ancient Chinese custom of writing messages on the streets with water. Although it creates a beautiful and natural decoration, there is a little more behind this tradition than that. The reason water is used is not only to make the messages temporary, but also because in Chinese Fung shui, water helps to bring a flow of balance, prosperity and harmony into a person’s life. Nicholas Hanna, a graduate of Yale University who is now living in Beijing, unveiled a device he created which was inspired by this Chinese tradition a few days ago at Beijing Design Week.

He created a tricycle type of contraption with two huge jugs of water on the back. The computer attached to the handlebars allows the rider to spell out whatever Chinese characters he or she wants to leave behind on the road, in water. As you can see in the video below, there are a lot of people zipping around on bicycles, but this innovative bike, if you can call it that (I suppose it’s a trike), seems like waaaaay more fun than the rest.

In China, writing in public spaces with water is considered a poetic act, and the designs he leaves on the street are a lovely and welcomed addition to the scenery. I wonder how long the impression lasts until it completely evaporates. Is it a few minutes maybe, or an hour? This is something I would definitely like to try for myself.

Via: [Dezeen]