The photo taken on July 23, 2025 shows people learning Nushu calligraphy in a hotel conference room repurposed as a temporary classroom in Jiangyong county, southern China's Hunan province. Nushu, "female script", was created around 400 years ago when women were still barred from attending school. They secretly learned Chinese characters and adapted them into Nushu, using the script to communicate with each other through letters, songs, and embroidery. (Photo by Jade GAO / AFP) / To go with AFP story China-culture-history, FOCUS by Isabel Kua with Emily Wang in Shanghai
At a studio in central Hunan province, a teacher grips an ink brush, gently writing characters of a secret script created by women centuries ago and now being embraced by a new generation.
Nushu, meaning “women’s script”, emerged around 400 years ago.
