Huaisu's ( ) in the Tang Dynasty is a masterpiece of calligraphy about tea affairs: cursive script.
Tang Dynasty
Huaisu (737-799), whose common surname was Qian and whose courtesy name was Zangzhen, was from Lingling, Yongzhou (now Lingling, Hunan). A calligrapher of the Tang Dynasty, he was famous for his "crazy grass" and was known as the "Sage of Grass" in history. He became a monk since he was a child. In his spare time, he practiced Zen and loved calligraphy. He was as famous as Zhang Xu and was collectively known as "Dian Zhang Kuang Su". This formed a situation where the two peaks of calligraphy in the Tang Dynasty coexisted and were also two peaks in the history of Chinese cursive calligraphy. Huaisu's cursive calligraphy is thin and vigorous, with natural flying movements, like a sudden rain and whirlwind, changing at any time. Calligraphy is straightforward, ever-changing, and full of rules.
Extended information:
Huaisu's cursive calligraphy is called "Kangcao". The pen is round and powerful, making the turns like a circle, unrestrained and smooth, and done in one go. He is as famous as Zhang Xu. In later generations, he was known as "Zhang Diansu Kuang" or "Dian Zhang Zuisu", which had a profound influence on future generations.
He can also write poetry and has contacts with poets such as Li Bai, Du Fu, and Su Huan. He liked to drink. Whenever he started drinking, he would write on walls, clothes, and utensils at will. People at that time called him a "drunken monk." His cursive script comes from Zhang Zhi and Zhang Xu. "The Story of the Golden Pot" said that he was "drunk nine times a day". Probably the drunkard's intention is not to drink, "a mad monk is not for wine, his mad pen reaches the sky", he only aims at "crazy grass".