The Four Calligraphers of the Song Dynasty
The Four Calligraphers of the Song Dynasty, Su Shi, Huang Tingjian, Mi Fu and Cai Xiang, are known as the calligraphers who best represent the achievements of calligraphy in the Song Dynasty and are called the "Four Calligraphers of the Song Dynasty" .
Su Shi (1037-1101), courtesy name Zizhan, also known as Dongpo Jushi, was a native of Meishan, Sichuan. A famous writer, calligrapher and painter in the Northern Song Dynasty. He is one of the eight great poets of the Tang and Song dynasties. Su Shi (1037-1101), courtesy name Zizhan, also known as Dongpo Jushi, was a native of Meishan (now part of Sichuan). He, his father Su Xun, and his younger brother Su Zhe are famous for their poetry and prose, and are known as the "Three Sus" in the world. Su Shi has little reputation for talent and is knowledgeable in classics and history. In the second year of Song Jiayou's reign (1057), he became a Jinshi, served as an official of the Ministry of Rites, and a bachelor of the Hanlin Academy. He had a rough life and was demoted and exiled many times. He was highly regarded during the reign of Emperor Shenzong of the Song Dynasty. However, due to the old and new party disputes, he was repeatedly demoted and served as a local official in Hangzhou, Mizhou, Xuzhou, Huzhou and other places. He was also imprisoned for writing poems that "slandered the government." After being released from prison, he was demoted to Huangzhou. After several ups and downs, he was demoted to Huizhou, Qiongzhou, and finally moved to Danzhou (now Danxian County, Hainan). From then on, he adapted to the circumstances and lived a life of reading and painting in his later years. It was not until the third year of Yuanfu (1100) that Song Huizong came to the throne that he was pardoned and returned to the north. He died in Changzhou in July of the first year of Jingguo's reign (1101). Su Shi was upright, broad-minded and talented. In addition to poetry and prose, he was also good at calligraphy and painting. His calligraphy absorbed nutrients from the "Two Kings", Yan Zhenqing, Liu Gongquan, Chu Suiliang, Xu Hao, Li Beihai and Yang Ningshi. , striving to innovate on the basis of inheriting tradition. When he talked about his calligraphy creation process, he said: "The method of writing calligraphy requires shallow knowledge and narrow learning. In the end, the three cannot be perfect. I can achieve it with my mind, eyes and hands." He also said: "I can't create the original meaning of calligraphy. "He focuses on writing "meaning" and expresses his feelings in the dot paintings written by "Xin Shou". Su Shi's calligraphy seems plain and simple, but there is a vast atmosphere, just like his profound knowledge, the dragon's changes are unpredictable. He is good at running script and regular script, and his writing style is full of flesh and bone, with natural ups and downs, giving people the artistic beauty of "the atmosphere of the sea and wind and waves" and "the shape of ancient trees and strange rocks". Su Shi's calligraphy was highly praised by later generations. Huang Tingjian said in "Valley Collection": "His writing is charming... When he is drunk and dissolute, he forgets about his craftsmanship, and his handwriting is particularly thin and strong... As for his writing style, which is round and rhyming, his articles are wonderful, and his loyalty runs through the sun and the moon. "Zi Qi, the best book in this dynasty, I should recommend (Su) as the first." Dong Qichang of the Ming Dynasty praised him highly for "using the full front, which is the Orchid Pavilion of Po Gong". The handed down calligraphy works include "Ode to Qian Chibi", "Poetry on Cold Food in Huangzhou", "Ode to Spring Scenery in Dongting", "Ode to Zhongshan Pine Mash", etc. Appreciation of works: "Ode to the Former Red Cliff". Su Shi's regular script in the Northern Song Dynasty. Ink blots on plain paper. Length 23.9 cm, M258 cm. ***Sixty-six lines of words. The first five lines and thirty-six characters are missing, and were supplemented by Wen Zhengming of the Ming Dynasty. Collection of the National Palace Museum, Taipei. On July 16, the fifth year of Shenzong Yuanfeng (1082), Su Shi and his friends took a boat trip to Red Bi outside the city. They recalled the Battle of Red Cliff where Sun Quan defeated Cao's army in the Three Kingdoms era more than 800 years ago. He wrote "Red Cliff" to express his love for the universe. and perspective on life. In October of the same year, he revisited and wrote another article, "Later Red Cliff". The two articles have been passed down from generation to generation and are famous masterpieces in the history of literature. This volume was written by my friend Fu Yaoyu (1024~1091) in front of Red Cliff. He said to himself: "I wrote this last year," so I know it was written in the sixth year of Yuanfeng, when he was forty-eight years old. This volume is written in regular script, with short, flat and tight knots, and rich and thick pen and ink. It is a rare and intentional work by Su Shi in his middle age. "Shiqu Baoji" records: the height of the scroll is seven inches and five minutes, and the width is seven feet and two inches and five minutes. There are postscripts at the back of the volume by Wen Zhengming, Dong Qichang and others. Dong's postscript says: "Mr. Dongpo's poem is a variation of Chu Sao, which is also a variation of the book "Lanting"." It is also called: "This Chibi Fu Shu is almost the so-called desire to penetrate." The one on the back of the paper uses the straight front, which is what Po Gong calls "Lanting". "The ancient and clumsy connotation of the writing in this post is extraordinary and comparable to that of Su Shi's calligraphy." "Huangzhou Cold Food Poems": "Huangzhou Cold Food Poems" written by Su Shi, ink on plain paper, 34.2 cm in width, 18.9 cm in length, 17 lines of running script, 129 words, now in the collection of the National Palace Museum in Taiwan, one version Deposited in private hands in Taiwan.
There is no title and date, but it was actually written in the fifth year of Yuanfeng of Emperor Shenzong of the Song Dynasty (AD 1082). At that time, Su Shi was ostracized by the New Party due to the "Wutai Poetry Case", the largest literary prison in the Song Dynasty, and was demoted to the deputy envoy of Huangzhou Tuanlian. Mentally, Feeling lonely, depressed and frustrated in life, he wrote two five-character poems on the Cold Food Festival in the third year after being demoted to Huangzhou: It has been three days since I came to Huangzhou. I want to cherish spring every year, but I don’t want to regret it when it is gone. This year it rained hard again, and autumn was bleak in two months. I lie down and smell the begonia flowers, the muddy swallows are covered with snow. I secretly carried it away. I was really weak in the middle of the night. He was a sick young man. His illness had already begun to turn white. Spring River is about to enter the house, but the rain keeps coming. The hut is like a fishing boat in the misty water and clouds. The empty kitchen is used to cook cold vegetables, and the broken stove is used to burn wet reeds. I didn't know it was cold food, but I saw a bird holding a piece of paper. The king's gate is nine levels deep, and his tomb is thousands of miles away. I also want to cry that I have no way out and can't afford to die. "Huangzhou Cold Food Poems" shows the momentum and is filled with ups and downs of emotions. The poem is desolate and melancholy, and the calligraphy was inspired by this mood and situation. The whole article is full of ups and downs, fast and steady, full of joy, and completed in one go. Su Shi embodies the changes in mood and emotion in the poems in the changes of pointillism lines, either front or side, changing and disconnecting smoothly, making it natural. The characters are also strange, big or small, sparse or dense, light or heavy, wide or narrow, staggered and scattered, random and strange, and ever-changing. No wonder Huang Tingjian bowed down because of it and sighed: "Dongpo's poems are like Li Taibai's, but I'm afraid Taibai is not everywhere. This book combines the writing styles of Yan Lugong, Yang Shaoshi, and Li Xitai. Trying to reproduce it by Dongpo may not be as good as this." "("Huangzhou Cold Food Poetry Postscript") Dong Qichang also wrote a postscript praising: "I have seen no less than thirty volumes of Mr. Dongpo's original works in my life, and I must take this as my first impression." "Huangzhou Cold Food Poems" is the best of Su Shi's calligraphy works and has a great influence on the history of calligraphy. Yu Shu of the Yuan Dynasty called it "the third running script in the world" after Wang Xizhi's "Lanting Preface" and Yan Zhenqing's "Nephew Memorial Manuscript" ".
Huang Tingjian Huang Tingjian (1045-1105), whose courtesy name was Lu Zhi, was also known as Shangu Daoren. Later generations called him Huang Shangu, later known as Fu Weng. He was a native of Fenning, Hongzhou (now Xiushui, Jiangxi). Poet and calligrapher of the Northern Song Dynasty. In the fourth year of Emperor Yingzong's reign (1067), he became a Jinshi. In the third year of Xining reign of Shenzong (1070), Wang Anshi became prime minister. The implementation of the new law was fiercely opposed by the conservatives headed by Sima Guang. Later, the struggle between the old and new parties intensified and lasted until the fall of the Northern Song Dynasty. In this struggle, Huang Tingjian stood on the side of the old party. Although he did not actively participate in this struggle, he was always involved in the vortex of struggle throughout his life. Huang Tingjian came from the sect of Su Shi, and together with Zhang Lai, Qin Guan, and Chao Buzhi, he was known as the "Four Scholars of the Su School". Later, he was as famous as Su Shi and was known as "Su Huang" in the world. His most important achievement was poetry. The poetry theory praises Du Fu, but it emphasizes reading and checking evidence, and using the past to make it new. The theory of "no word has its origin" and "reborn, turning iron into gold". He had great influence in the Song Dynasty and founded the Jiangxi School of Poetry. He is also good at poetry, writing and cursive writing. At the beginning, Zhou Yue was his master in calligraphy, and later he was taught by Yan Zhenqing and Huai Su. He was influenced by Yang Ningshi, and was particularly effective in the "Stork Inscription". His brushwork is dangerous and bold, his writing style is open, his brushwork is thin and vigorous, and he is self-contained. style. "History of the Song Dynasty? Wenyuan Biography" said of him: "Ting Jian's knowledge and writings are innate. Chen Shidao said that his poems were inspired by Du Fu's style. He was good at cursive calligraphy and had his own style of regular script. He visited Su Shi's gate with Zhang Lei, Chao Buzhi and Qin Guan. He himself said: "I have studied cursive calligraphy for more than thirty years. I first took Zhou Yue as my teacher, so I kept up my vulgarity for twenty years. Later I got Su Caiweng and learned about it." The writing style of the ancients. Later, Zhang Xu, Huai Su and Gao Xian's calligraphy gave a glimpse of the wonderfulness of the calligraphy. "His famous calligraphy includes "Poems of Songfeng Pavilion", "Postscript of Huangzhou Cold Food Poems" and "Hua Qi Xun Ren". "Posts", "Hongxian Poems", etc. Appreciation of works: "Songfengge Poems": "Songfengge Poems" is a seven-character poem written by Huang Tingjian in running script, ink on paper, 32.8 cm in length and 219.2 cm in width. The full text has 29 lines and 153 words. Collection of the National Palace Museum, Taipei. Songfeng Pavilion is located near Lingquan Temple in Xishan, west of Ezhou City, Hubei Province, with an altitude of more than 160 meters. It was called Fanshan in ancient times. It was the place where Sun Quan taught martial arts and culture, feasted and worshiped heaven. In September of the first year of Chongning (1102), the first year of Emperor Huizong of the Song Dynasty, Huang Tingjian and his friends visited Fanshan Mountain in Echeng. They passed by a pavilion in the pine forest and spent the night here, listening to the pine waves and forming a rhyme. "Songfeng Pavilion Poetry" sings about the scenery he saw at that time and expresses his longing for his friends.
"Songfeng Pavilion Poems and Postscripts" is Huang Tingjian's late work. Huang Tingjian created thousands of fine cursive calligraphy works in his life, among which the most famous one is "Songfeng Pavilion Poems and Postscripts". The wind spirit is free and flowing, the long waves are wide, the waves are ups and downs, and the twists and turns are full of charm. It is not less elegant than "Lanting", which is comparable to Yan's "Sacrifice to My Nephew". It can be called a masterpiece of running script. "Songfeng Pavilion Poetry Notes" was circulated through the Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties. It was collected by Xiang Min in the Song Dynasty, and later returned to Jia Sidao. It passed through Yuanbian in the Ming Dynasty and Anqi in the Qing Dynasty and entered the inner palace of the Qing Dynasty. During the Daoguang period of the Qing Dynasty, this post came to the hands of Wang Jiabi (Xiaofeng) from Hubei. Wang Jiabi was buried in the 24th year of Daoguang reign (1844), and was appointed as the head of the Ministry of War. He was appointed as the honorary recorder of Shuntian (Hebei) Township Examination and the examiner of Huixi Examination. Taking advantage of his appointment, he deliberately collected Huang Tingjian's historical objects from Ezhou. The "Songfeng Pavilion Poetry Scroll" and Cai Xiang's calligraphy from the Song Dynasty and other handed down cultural relics were brought back to Hubei. Ke Maozhi, a Daoguang Juren, wrote in the preface to "The Poetry Volume of Songfeng Pavilion in Huangshan Valley": "Wang Xiaofeng's military department obtained this volume from Liu Jun and Lu Chen. It was a legacy of the princess's family in the Yuan Dynasty. It contains poems and postscripts by more than ten famous sages, and they often carry Li Li. There are many private seals of Xiang Zijing and Bian Ling in the collection of Tianlai Pavilion. They are not signed with the name of Fu Weng (Valley) at the end. The color of the paper and silk are still fresh, but they are full of energy and are not Wuchang phoenixes. (Ezhou) It is said that Fu Weng wrote a poem about Songfeng Pavilion. However, the pavilion was abandoned from time to time, and the poem was unique in the world. This calligraphy treasure returned to the hands of the scholar-bureaucrats in our city after several dynasties. The relationship between painting and calligraphy in the mountains and rivers is not accidental. "Hua Qi Xun Ren Tie": Huang Tingjian's "Hua Qi Xun Ren Tie" is written in cursive script, on paper. Now in the National Palace Museum, Taipei. The post has the seal of "Jixi Palace Treasure" of the Southern Song Dynasty, and it was passed into the Imperial Palace of the Southern Song Dynasty. There are also Indian Qi collected by An Yizhou, a famous collector in the Qing Dynasty.
Mi Fu Mi Fu (1051-1107) was named Yuanzhang, and his names were Xiangyang Manshi, Haiyue Waishi, and Lumen Jushi. His ancestral home is Taiyuan, Shanxi, and he later settled in Zhenjiang, Jiangsu. Because of his weird personality and crazy behavior, he called him "brother" when he met a stone and worshiped him endlessly, so he was called "Midian". Huizong was awarded a doctorate in calligraphy and painting, and was known as "Minan Guan". Mi Fu is good at poetry and prose, is good at calligraphy and painting, and is a calligrapher, painter, connoisseur, and collector. He is second to none among the "Four Calligraphers of the Song Dynasty". His calligraphy style is casual and unrestrained, but also strict in legal standards. "History of the Song Dynasty? Wenyuan Biography" says: "Fu is particularly wonderful at calligraphy and ink, calm and flying, and captures Wang Xian's brushstrokes." Mi Fu studied calligraphy the most and achieved the greatest achievements in his life. When he was young, he studied hard Tang Kai scripts such as Yan, Liu, Ou and Chu, and gained solid basic skills. When Su Shi was demoted to Huangzhou, he went to visit him for advice, and Dongpo persuaded him to learn from Jin. Beginning in the fifth year of Yuanfeng (1082), Mi Fu devoted himself to the Wei and Jin Dynasties. Taking the calligraphy style of the Jin people as his guide, he searched for many Jin people's Dharma texts and even named his study "Bao Jin Zhai". The "Mid-Autumn Tie" written by Wang Xianzhi today is said to be his copy, and it is extremely exquisite in form and spirit. Mi Fu was taught by many teachers throughout his life, and he also said this in his "Autobiography" written in his later years: "I first learned to write on the wall when I was seven or eight years old. The characters were so big that I couldn't write them on the bamboo slips. I admired Liu when he saw them. The tight knot is learned from Liu's "Diamond Sutra". After a long time, I know that it comes from Europe. Later, Duan Quanze exhibited "Orchid Pavilion", and then read the "Taiwan". After entering the Jin and Wei Dynasties, he abandoned Zhong Fang and studied "Liu Kuan Stele", which is also the seal script of "Zui Chu" and "Shigu Wen". The paint is made of bamboo, and the inscription on the tripod is wonderful and ancient. "Mi Fu claims that his works are "collections of ancient characters", and he has a deep understanding of the brushwork, composition and charm of ancient masters, which also explains to a certain extent. Liao Mi Fu put great effort into the tradition of learning books. Mi Fu was not involved in the political whirlpool and lived a relatively stable life. Later, he became a doctor of calligraphy and painting. He had a thorough understanding of the imperial collection of books, and was familiar with thousands of stories. Mi Fu is famous for his calligraphy. His achievements are entirely due to his hard work. Mi Fu visits the pond every day. Historical records record: "If you don't write for a day, you will feel dull, thinking that the ancients never used to waste calligraphy." "Zhiyong" If the inkstone turns into a mortar, it can reach Youjun (Wang Xizhi). If it penetrates to Zhong (Yao) and Suo (Jing), it can be encouraged forever. "His son Mi Youren said that he would not forget it even on the first day of the new year. Write. (According to Sun Zubai's "Mi Fu Mi Youren"). Mi Fu was very conscientious in writing. He said: "She wrote "Hai Dai Shi" three or four times, with one or two good words in between. It is also difficult to write letters" (Mi Xiangyang Foreign Notes by Fan Mingtai of the Ming Dynasty).
After writing a poem three or four times, I am still satisfied with only one or two words. The joys and sorrows involved are beyond the reach of an expert, which also shows the rigor of his creative attitude. Mi Fu's calligraphy ranks among the four calligraphers of the Song Dynasty, after Su Dongpo and Huang Tingjian, and before Cai Xiang. However, regardless of Su Dongpo's status as a literary sect and Huang Tingjian's influence as the leader of the Jiangxi Poetry School, as far as calligraphy is concerned, Mi Fu has the most profound traditional skills, especially running script, which is superior to the two. Dong Qichang of the Ming Dynasty said in his "Essays on Painting a Zen Room": "When I tried to comment on the word rice, I thought that the Song Dynasty was the best, after all, it was on the east slope. That is to say, the calligraphy of Mi Dian was more self-satisfied, but it changed in his later years, and it was as cold as water. Strange. "When asked about calligraphy by the emperor, Mi Fu claimed that he was a "brush calligrapher". He was modest in appearance but focused on the essentials. "Brush calligraphy" showed that he used the pen quickly and vigorously, and did his best with all his heart. His calligraphy works, ranging from poems and calligraphy to small rulers, slips, inscriptions and postscripts, are all characterized by joyful, dynamic, dynamic, vigorous and fresh. Judging from the nearly 60 existing handwritings of Mi Fu, the word "brush" vividly expresses the spirit of the word rice. No wonder Su Dongpo said: "The calligraphy of Mi Fu is so fascinating." He also said, "Hai Yue lived his life." His calligraphy in seal script, official script, official script, cursive script, and Fengqiang Zhenma are both calm and joyful, and deserve to be compared with those of King Zhong. "Mi Fu's calligraphy had a profound influence, especially in the late Ming Dynasty. Celebrities such as Zhu Yunming, Chen Chun, Xu Wei, Wang Juesi, and Fu Shan all took a "Heart Sutra" from rice seeds, and this influence continues to this day. In addition to his extremely high level of calligraphy, Mi Fu also has many calligraphy commentaries. He is the author of "Book History", "Haiyue Quotations", "Baozhang Waiting for Visits", "Comments on Calligraphy", etc. Showing his outstanding courage and sophisticated appreciation, he often ridiculed his predecessors, but he never followed the ancient sayings. He was valued by calligraphers of the past dynasties. However, he also went too far, criticizing Yan Liu and belittling Xu Su. Harsh and critical. Mi Fu's handed down ink writings mainly include "Tiaoxi Poetry Scroll", "Shu Su Tie", "Fangyuan An Ji", "Tianma Fu", etc., and there are especially many short pieces of Hanzha. Mi Fu was good at ink landscapes and was known as "Mi's Cloud Mountain", but Mi Fu's paintings do not exist in the world. But the only one that can be seen so far is hardly a "rice painting" in the true sense - "Coral Pen Stand", which depicts a coral pen stand with the word "Golden Sitting" written on the left. Then add rice dots and inscriptions, and the Mijia landscape will emerge. Mi Fu uses painting as a substitute for writing, which is quite interesting. Appreciation of works: "Coral Tie": Mi Fu's "Coral Tie", running script. Also known as "Coral Pen Holder Picture" and "Coral Post", "Coral Reinstatement Post" is attached to "Coral Post", also known as "Coral Reinstatement Second Post". The ink pen on paper is 26.6cm long and 47.1cm wide; 27.1cm long and 49.9cm wide. Collection of the Palace Museum, Beijing. This post is a famous running script handwriting of Mi Fu in his later years. Compared with his previous works in his middle age, his handwriting is particularly strange and elegant. He writes casually and has a natural charm. His pen is rich, bold and strong, broad and clear. For example, Yu Ji of the Yuan Dynasty commented: "The spirit is high and the muscles are strong, and the laws of the Jin and Wei Dynasties are self-organized." Shi Guangyuan of the Yuan Dynasty called it "an unforgettable masterpiece in Mi Shu and the best in the world." The writing material used in "Coral Tie" is also very special. It is bamboo paper, which is light yellow and has many bamboo fiber bundles on the paper. It is said that this is the earliest work written on bamboo paper found so far. "Coral Tie" was once collected by Guo Tianxi, Ji Zongyuan, Shi Guangyuan and Xiao Jixin of the Yuan Dynasty, and by Qingbiao, Wang Hongxu, An Qi, Yong [Wang Xing] and Pei Boqian of the Qing Dynasty. Later he returned to Zhang Boju. In 1956, Zhang Boju donated it to the Cultural Relics Bureau of the Ministry of Culture and transferred it to the Palace Museum. "Mo Yuan Hui Guan", "The Spectacular Life", "Yun Yan Passing Eyes", "Da Guan Lu", "Zhuang Tao Pavilion Calligraphy and Painting Records" are recorded. "Shu Su Tie": Mi Fu's "Shu Su Tie", also known as "Shu Su Tie", is ink on silk and running script. The length is 29.7 cm and the width is 284.3 cm. It was written in the third year of Zhe Zongyuan of the Song Dynasty (1088), when Mi Fu was thirty-eight years old. He wrote eight poems in various styles, totaling 71 lines and 658 words, signed in black. "Shu Su" is a fine-quality silk fabric made in Sichuan during the Northern Song Dynasty. It is woven with black silk bars and is exquisitely made. There was a man named Shao Zizhong who framed a piece of Shu silk into a scroll, waiting for a famous artist to leave a calligraphy treasure. Because the texture of the silk fabric was rough and sluggish, it was difficult to write on it, so people without profound skills did not dare to care about it.
But he is an indispensable key figure in the development of calligraphy in the Song Dynasty. With his complete calligraphy achievements, he built a technical bridge between the laws of Jin and Tang Dynasties and the taste of Song people. Cai Xiang's ink writings passed down from generation to generation include "Poems Written by Himself", "Poems Written by Xie Ci", "Tao Sheng Tie", "Jiao Burnt Tie" and "Meng Hui Tie". His inscriptions include "Wan'an Bridge", "Daytime Tie" "Jintang Ji" and regular script "Forgetting Stone" and "Guoshi Rock" in Gushan Lingyuan Cave and other treasures. "Self-written Poems": Cai Xiang's "Self-written Poems", plain paper, 28.2 cm in length and 221.1 cm in width. Hidden in the Palace Museum. This post is part of Cai Xiang's poetry manuscript, which contains eleven poems. The contents include "Peach blossoms in the twelfth lunar month at the taroyang shop in Nanjianzhou", "The wall of the scholar's house where the book is stored", "Inscriptions on the monk's room in Longji", "Inscriptions on Yanping Pavilion in Nanjianzhou", "From Yuliangyi to Quzhou in the heavy snow", "Fuzhou Ningyue" Watching the Evening Photo of the West Mountain from the Stone Bridge Outside the Gate" "Xixuan of Jingyan Temple in Linping, Hangzhou" "Chongde's Night Mooring Sends a Punishment Chapter to Fujian to Tuntian to Think of Money and Travel Together in the Spring Moon of Tang Dynasty" "Jiahe County Oops" "Wuxi County Diaofu Tu Opens on the Sun" That is, making tea from Huishan Spring" and so on. "Self-written Poems" was written in the second year of the emperor's reign (1056), when he was called back from Fujian to Bianjing (the capital of the Northern Song Dynasty, today's Kaifeng, Henan). I was 40 years old at the time, a prime age, but I was in middle age, so I still couldn't conceal my happiness even though I was late. While writing, one can directly see the lightness of his mood. The whole text is smooth and natural, calm and graceful, graceful and elegant, and contains clear meaning. The first line of the writing is in regular script, which is very intentional. It gradually flows smoothly and informally, overflowing into running cursive, and finally flowing into small grass. As it goes on, it becomes more and more free and unrestrained. Therefore, later generations rated it as "this man is the best in small running script". Cai Xiang's "Wan'an Bridge", regular script. Luoyang Bridge, formerly known as Wan'an Bridge, is located on the Luoyang River in Luoyang Town, Licheng District, Quanzhou City, Fujian Province. Because the entrance of Luoyang River to the sea used to be called Wan'an Ferry, the locals also called Luoyang Bridge Wan'an Bridge. Luoyang Bridge was built on the initiative of Cai Xiang, the prefect of Quanzhou in the Northern Song Dynasty. Construction started in the fifth year of Huangyou's reign (1053) in the Northern Song Dynasty and took 6 years and 8 months to complete. The bridge was built at the intersection of the river and the sea. The water was wide and the waves were strong, so the project was very arduous. The working people at that time pioneered the "raft foundation" to build bridge piers and invented the "oyster foundation". To solidify the bridge foundation. It makes people travel "by boat, only to be safe from danger". Luoyang Bridge is magnificent in scale, with an original length of 1,200 meters and a width of about 5 meters. It has 46 piers, 500 bridge columns, 28 stone lions, 7 stone pavilions and 5 stone towers. The existing bridge is 834 meters long and 7 meters wide. There are 31 remaining boat-shaped bridge piers. There are many cultural relics attached to Luoyang Bridge, the most eye-catching of which is the "Zhonghui Cai Gong Temple" in the south of the bridge. Cai Xiang wrote the stele "Wan'an Bridge" written by himself. This stele not only has dignified and calm calligraphy, but also has concise words. , the workmanship is meticulous, and it is known as the "three wonders" of writing, calligraphy and engraving. "The Story of Wan'an Bridge": The full text of "The Story of Wan'an Bridge" is 153 words, written in regular script, recording the time, age, length and width of the bridge, the amount of money spent, the people involved, etc., and is engraved on two sides. Each stele is 2.89 meters high, 1.46 meters wide, and 0.3 meters thick. The characters are divided into 6 lines, each character is 1.8 centimeters long and 1.5 centimeters wide. There are two existing stele inscriptions. One was damaged and was copied from the original in 1963. The other is an original engraving from the Northern Song Dynasty. The original inscription was carved on an open-air cliff on the left side of the bank. During the Xuanhe period (1119-1125), Cai Huan, the great-grandson of Cai Xiang who served as the chief shipping officer in Quanzhou and later became the governor of the state, re-engraved the rubbing and erected it in the temple. The monument "Wan'an Bridge" adds a lot of glory to Luoyang Bridge.