Wang Xizhi: The Sage of Chinese calligraphy 书圣王羲之

Wang Xizhi (321 - 379) is reputed as the most outstanding calligrapher in Chinese history, unsurpassed over l,600 years. He has traditionally been called the ‘sage of calligraphy’.

He is remembered not only for revolutionising the art of Chinese writing, but also for his complete devotion to this traditional Chinese art form. He was also remembered as the founder of the Southern School, or Rubbing School of calligraphy.

Wang was born in a family of calligraphy, whose uncles and cousins were all famous calligraphers of their time. At the age of seven, Wang began a systematic study of calligraphy under a lady calligrapher - Wei Shuo, or Wei Furen (Madam Wei). He practised the Wei-style calligraphy for five years and later learned much from the work of other previous calligraphers, including Zhong Yao's Kaishu, Zhang Zhi's Caoshu and the calligraphy of Li Si and Cai Yong.

From then on, he digested characteristics of calligraphers from different dynasties, and innovated in the plain style of Wei and Jin to form a new style of flowing grace, emphasizing individual personality, style and mood.

Emperor Wu in Liang Dynasty praised his calligraphy as ‘the dragon jumping over Sky Gate, and the tiger lying on Phoenix Pavilion’.

In the early Tang Dynasty, Emperor Taizong loved Wang's calligraphy very much and because of his favour, most calligraphers at that time studied Wang's styles. When the official history of the Jin dynasty (265-420) was compiled, the emperor himself wrote an Imperial Postscript to the biography of Wang, in which he declared Wang the greatest calligrapher of all time, ‘I examined all calligraphy works with tiny details of ink from ancient times until now. I only find Wang as the most perfect calligrapher.’

Imperial sponsorship was largely responsible for the dominant position this stylistic lineage has long enjoyed. Emperor Tang Taizong fixed the style of Wang as the imperial signature with such finality that it was maintained as such through the Tang dynasty and beyond.

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王羲之被认为是中国书法史上最杰出的书法家，千六年来无人能出其右。传统上，他被称为书圣。

他为后世所知的不但是他改革了中国书法，还有对书法的完全投入。他也因是南派帖学书法的创始者而留名于世。

王羲之生长于书法世家，他的叔伯侄表皆为当代著名书法家。七岁时，他开始在卫夫人的指导下有系统地学习书法。他跟卫夫人学习了五年后，再学前朝其他书家的法书，包括钟繇的楷书，张芝的草书，与李斯及蔡邕的书法。

从此，他吸取了各朝书法家的特点，由魏晋之朴实而自创飘逸的新体，强调个性、风格、心境。

梁武帝赞之为‘龙跃天门，虎卧凤阙’。

初唐，唐太宗最喜爱王羲之的书法；因为他的喜好，当时书法家大都学习王体。《晋书》书学之时，太宗还亲自写了《王羲之传》，宣称王位古今最伟大的书法家：‘所以察详古今，研精篆素，尽善尽美，其惟王逸少乎！’

王体持久垄断书坛，自然与皇帝赞赏有关。唐太宗裁定王体为正统，以致王体得以由唐代起持续不衰。

Suo Jing 索靖

In the history of Chinese calligraphy, the works of calligraphy are generally classified into the Southern or North schools. The calligraphers of both schools practiced the calligraphy of Zhong Yao and Wei Guan. Suo Jing was the founder of the Northern school, and Wang Xizhi and his son Xianzhi founded the Southern school.
As a person who was named the founder of Northern school or the School of Stele Calligraphy, Suo Jing naturally occupied an important place in the Chinese calligraphy history.
Suo Jing (239-303) was a calligrapher lived in the Western Jin period. He was the grandson of the sister of the famous calligrapher Zhang Zhi of Eastern Han dynasty. Therefore, his calligraphy was greatly influenced by Zhang Zhi. He was famous for his Caoshu, or the running/cursive script, especially Zhangcao (a kind of Caoshu which was evolved from Lishu, or the Clerical script).
During the time of Emperor Wu of Jin, both Suo and Wei worked in the same State office. Wei was the Chief State Secretary and Suo the State Undersecretary. As both were good in calligraphy and each had his own style, they were known as ‘Two Wonders in One Office’. This is to say that both had inherited the calligraphy tradition of Zhang Zhi. Someone commented later, ‘Wei has mastered Zhang’s quality of muscle and Suo has mastered Zhang’s quality of flesh.’ (The Chinese traditional aesthetic theory has valuated individual brush strokes according to four qualities, namely, bone, flesh, muscle and blood.)
Suo’s calligraphy available today include ‘Chushi Song’ (Eulogy of Launching the Campaign), ‘Yueyi Tie’, and ‘Jijiu Zhang’ (Hurriedly Written Essay).  Suo’s works were included in the famous Chunhuage Tie (a collection of model calligraphic works) produced in Song dynasty. Suo’s calligraphy influenced greatly the later calligraphers. The famous calligraphy Ouyang Xun of Tang dynasty was well known for his paying attention to calligraphic techniques and he seldom praised ancient calligraphers. Once, he saw the calligraphy of Suo carved on a slab stone, he was so attracted to it that he couldn’t bear to leave the place. So he stayed there for a few days so that he can appreciate and study the calligraphy in details.
‘Chushi Song’ was collected by Wang Shimao of Song dynasty. During Qing dynasty, it was first collected by An Yizhou and later became part of the collection of the Qing Court. On 9 November 1922, Fu Yi brought it out of Qing Court, on the pretext that it was to be given to Fu Jie. Since 1945, it disappeared among the people and in 2003, it miraculously re-appeared.
In Jul 2003, the China Guardian Auctions Co., Ltd announced its plan to auction it, claiming that it was the only authentic work of Suo Jing and classified it as ‘the oldest Chinese calligraphic work available’, ‘amazing re-appearance of calligraphic masterpiece of Western Jin’ and ‘currently the only discovered authentic work of Suo Jing’. On 10 July 2003, the Palace Museum in Beijing shocked the world by buying the ancient calligraphy work for 22 million Chinese yuan.
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在中国书法史上，向有南北书派之说。一般上认为，南北两派书法皆出于钟繇、卫瓘，而索靖为北派之祖，王羲之、王献之父子则为南派之祖。
因为被视为北派，或碑学之祖，索靖在书法史上就自然而然的占了一个重要的地位。
索靖（239一303年），西晋书法家。他是东汉著名书法家张芝姊之孙，书法上受张芝影响很深。以善写草书知名于世，尤精章草（章草是隶书草化后的书体）。晋武帝时，他和另一大书法家卫瓘同在尚书台供职。卫瓘为尚书令，索靖为尚书郎。由于二人在书法艺术上独具风格，当时被人们誉为“一台二妙”。他们二人的书法与张芝有很深的师承关系。后人评价道：“瓘得伯英（张芝字）筋，靖得伯英肉”。（中国传统美学欣赏书法线条的四种品质：骨、肉、筋、血。）

索靖流传后世的书法作品有《出师表》、《月仪帖》、《急就章》等。宋代著名的《淳化阁帖》也收集了索靖的墨迹。他的书法对后世影响很大。唐代书法家欧阳询平生最重法度，不肯轻易推许古人。一次，他路见索靖书写的碑石后，竟卧于碑下，朝夕摩掌，不忍离去。

《出师表》墨迹本，在明代归王世懋，清归安仪周，后入清宫石渠宝笈收藏。民国十一年（1922）十一月初九日溥仪以赏赐溥杰名义携出宫外。一九四五年散落民间，于2003年奇迹般地出现。

2003年7月，嘉德拍卖行宣布将拍卖索靖惟一真迹《出师颂》，并将此作品定性为“中国现存最早的书法作品”、“西晋书法珍宝惊现”、“迄今为止发现的索靖惟一墨迹”等等。2003年7月10日北京故宫博物院以人民币两千二百万天价购买该作，轰动一时。

Shi Xiangtuo 施香沱

Shi Xiangtuo (1906-1990) was a pioneer artist in the history of calligraphy and paintings of Singapore. As he had taught many students in fine arts and therefore can be considered to be one of the most influential masters of epigraphy, calligraphy and painting in Singapore and Malaysia. He was well known as an art educator in Southeast Asian countries such as Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia and Philippines.
Shi Xiangtuo was born into a noble literati family in Zhangzhou of Fujian in 1906. His father was a famous master of calligraphy and seal cutting. In his home town of Longxi (now known as Longhai) in Zhangzhou, the family had a collection of several thousand books. Their study was known as ‘House of Lychee Fragrance’.
During the Japanese war with China, Shi came to Singapore alone in 1938 and was appointed as Principal of Heng A School. 1938 was also the year in which the Nanyang Fine Arts College (currently known as the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, NAFA) was established. Shi joined the staff of NAFA in 1941 and taught Chinese ink and brush paintings during weekends for 36 years. After Singapore fell into Japanese hands, Shi escaped to Sumatra, spending 3 years and 8 months there before returned to Singapore.
He was actively involved in the arts groups. He was a former President of the Singapore Society of Chinese Artists and advisor of Molan Art Association, Siaw-Tao Chinese Seal-Carving Calligraphy & Painting Society, San Yi Finger Painting Society. He also gave talks to schools, art societies and radio talks on art subjects.
Shi passed away on 25 April 1990, at the age of 85.
Shi excelled in calligraphy, painting, seal cutting, poetry and essay writing. In the area of painting, after many years of hard work, he had evolved a new art style with distinctive Nanyang characteristics. In this respect, he can be said to be in a league of his own. Generally, it is commented that he was best in calligraphy, followed by painting and seal cutting.
In calligraphy, Shi advocated the learning of Stone Drum inscription (inscriptions on drum-shaped stone blocks) of Qin and Bronze inscription (inscriptions on ancient bronze objects). The former must be written with Qi (vital spirit) and the latter should contain rhythmic momentum. Shi paid much attention to Qi, and as he was driven by Qi and over a period of time, he had achieved a unique grandeur of his own in calligraphy. He also put emphasis on Clerical script, which he thought was the connecting link between the Seal script and other scripts developed later.
His student Lim Buan Chay (Lin Wanjing) thinks that the style of his calligraphy is imposing and bold, and yet is tinged with an air of simplicity.
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施香沱（1906－1990）是新加坡书画史上的一位先驱人物，在书画界中拥有最多学生，故成为影响新加坡、马来西亚最深远的一位金石书画家，并以美术教育工作者驰誉新马、汶莱、印尼及菲律宾等地。
施香沱在1906年出生于福建漳州一户书香世家。他的父亲施拱南是福建有名的书法家和篆刻家。施家在中国故乡漳州龙溪县(今称龙海市)拥有许多藏书，达数千券之多，书房叫‘荔香楼’。
日本攻打中国时，施香沱于1938年独自南来新加坡，任兴亚小学校长。当时正逢南洋美术专科学校（南洋艺术学院的前身）创立，他于1941年加入美专师资阵容，周末任水墨画科老师，达36年之久。新加坡沦陷后，到苏门达腊避难，三年零八个月过后才回返新加坡。
施香沱活跃于艺术团体，曾任新加坡中华美术研究会会长，并应邀担任墨澜社和啸涛篆刻书画研究会顾问，三一指画会名誉顾问。施香沱也常到学校，画会，电台讲解美术。
1990年4月25日，施香沱与世长辞，享年85岁。
施香沱书，画，印，诗，文样样皆通。在绘画的领域，它多年来努力于南洋风的创建，在南洋画坛上不能不说是独树一帜。一般论者对他的评价是：书法第一，画作第二，印张第三。
在书法上，施香沱力倡临学石鼓文和钟鼎文。石鼓文必须是写气，而金文还有势在内。故施香沱时时重气，以气作书，其书法渐渐具备了无所依傍的大家气魄。除了篆书，施香沱特别重视隶书，认为隶书有承上启下的作用。
他的学生林万菁认为“他的书法风格以雄迈浑厚，古朴苍劲取胜。”

Xuan ShiBiao：The Masterpiece from Heaven 天下神品《宣示表》

Zhong Yao (151-230) is an important calligrapher in the history of Chinese calligraphy as he has great influence on Wang Xizhi, who is considered to be the sage of Chinese calligraphy. Zhong’s calligraphic works are said to be elegant and yet plain, orderly and artistic. His handwritings definitely improved the transition from clerical script (lishu) to a new look standard script (kaishu), and he was the forerunner of Wang Xizhi’s style of regular script.
However, very few of his authentic works left, and most of the works attributed to him were actually the works of calligraphers of later generations. Among Zhong Yao’s works handed down from ancient times, only two of them are authentic in style. One is the memorial to the throne of Emperor Wendi, which was written in the second year of Wei Wendi in 221. The script is now known as Xuan Shi Biao.
It is said that the calligraphy was collected by Wang Dao at the end of the Western Jin dynasty. In chaos caused by war, he hid the book in his cloths and fled to the south. Later he passed the calligraphic technique to Lady Wei, who passed it to Wang Xizhi, Wang Xianzhi and Yang Xin successively. Zhong’s writing technique thus became the criterion when studying calligraphy.
It had been collected successively by courts and folk connoisseurs of the Tang, Song and Qing dynasties. Unfortunately, the memorial was plundered by a British marine during the invasion the Eight-power Allied Forces; then it was bought back at a very high price by Huo Qiu and Pei Jingfu. But it was stolen unexpectedly later. The thief, afraid of being discovered, buried the work in the ground. Thereafter nobody knows where it has been. The script we see today is a photo-offset copy.
Although it was written in small regular script, the strokes and ways of writing come clearly into view. The calligraphy, with square form and curved turnings, is steady, slightly flat, and well-structured. It is highly valued by late generations as ‘masterpiece from heaven’ or ‘best calligraphy in China’.
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在中国书法史上，钟繇（151-230）是一个重要的书法家。他影响了书圣王羲之。他的书法高雅而简洁，平正而有艺术感；是由隶书过渡到新面貌的楷书的改进，也是王羲之楷体的前身。
钟繇真正的传世作品不多，很多都是后代书家的作品。传世作品中，就风格而言有两部比较可信。其中一部是三国魏黄初二年（221）上表魏文帝的奏章的《宣示表》。
据说此帖在西晋末为王导收藏，在战乱中藏在衣袖中南逃。后来他把所得笔法传给卫夫人，连接传给了王羲之，王献之，羊欣。钟繇的笔法就成为学习书法的规范。
此帖曾先后被唐、宋、清等朝内宫及民间鉴赏家收藏，不幸于八国联军入侵时被一个英国水军掠得，后被霍丘与裴景福以重金购得，不料又被盗去，盗者怕被人发现，将其藏在土中，从此不见了踪迹。现在我们所见到的墨迹，是根据照片影印的。
虽为小楷，但笔画清楚，笔法意态历历在目。其笔法已转化方为圆，八面沉稳，字形略扁，结构严密而出之自然，所以被后人推崇为‘天下神品’，‘天下第一妙迹’。
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Zhong Yao Stole Calligraphy Essay from Grave 钟繇开墓盗书

Zhong Yao (151－230) was thought highly as the originator of kaishu, or the standard script. He is also famous for holding the view that brush techniques are the key to good calligraphy. It is said that in order to obtain the handwriting of the famous calligrapher Cai Yong, he even resorted to stealing it from another famous calligrapher’s grave.
Below is the story of Zhong Yao recorded in Selected Essays on Chinese Calligraphy by Chen Si of Song dynasty.
When he was young, Zhong followed Liu Sheng to study calligraphy at Mount Niudu for three years. He also discussed brush techniques with Cao Cao (Emperor of the Wei State during the Three Kingdoms Period), Han Danchun, Wei Dan, Sun Zijing and Guan Pi. Once, he found the handwriting of Cai Yong (a famous calligrapher of the Han dynasty) on Brush Techniques in Wei Dan's possession. He begged Wei to let him borrow it but was refused. Zhong became so angry that he beat his chest and stamped his feet for three days, until he finally vomited blood. Cao Cao took out his panacea and saved Zhong from death. Later, after Wei Dan died, Zhong ordered people to open his grave and he finally got the essay of Cai Yong, from which he appreciated the meaning of the theory that ‘calligraphy with much strength and rich in sinew is of sage-like quality; that with neither strength nor sinew is sick. One must discover the secret and comprehend the essence of calligraphy, and it is best to apply the principles appropriately.’
On his death bed, he took out the essay from his pocket and said to his son, ‘I have been studying calligraphy for more than 30 years. I have learnt so many methods without success, until I learned Cai’s brush techniques. Whenever I meet a friend, we will discuss calligraphy by writing on the ground. My bedclothes were lacerated due to my practice on them with my hand. I would stay in the toilet the whole day thinking of calligraphy, and forget that I am in the toilet. I also imitated the living things in nature from the calligraphic point of view.’
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钟繇（151-230）被誉为楷书之祖。他以笔法为重的观点闻名于世。据说他为了要得到著名书法家蔡邕的笔法论文还得从另一个著名书法家的坟墓中偷来。
以下是宋陈思在《书苑菁华》记录有关魏钟繇的故事。
魏钟繇少时，随刘胜入抱犊山学书三年，还与太祖、邯郸淳、韦诞、孙子荆、关枇杷等议用笔法。繇忽见蔡伯喈笔法于韦诞坐上，繇苦求不与。自捶胸三日，其胸尽青，因呕血。太祖以五灵丹救之，乃活。及诞死，繇阴令人盗开其墓，遂得之，故知?多力丰筋者圣，无力无筋者病，一一从其消息而用之，由是更妙。?
临死，乃从囊中出以授其子会，谕曰：“吾精思学书三十年，读他法未终尽，后学其用笔。若与人居，画地广数步，卧画被穿过表，如厕终日忘归。每见万类，皆画象之。”