Wang Xizhi loved writing since he was a child. It is said that when he usually walks, he also practices calligraphy with his fingers at any time. After a long time, even his clothes were cut. After studying hard and practicing hard, Wang Xizhi's calligraphy has reached a high level. Because of his noble background and outstanding talent, all the ministers in the imperial court recommended him to be an official. He is the secretariat and general of the right army (people also call him Wang Youjun). Later, he became an official in Huiji County. He doesn't like living in the bustling capital. He likes the beautiful scenery of Huiji very much. Whenever he is free, he will travel with his friends. On one occasion, Wang Xizhi and his friends gave a banquet in Yinshan Lanting, Huiji County. Everyone writes poems while drinking. Finally, Wang Xizhi wrote an article on the spot to commemorate this banquet, which is the famous Preface to Lanting Collection. Wang Xizhi's Preface to Lanting Collection has always been regarded as a treasure of China's calligraphy art, but its original work has been lost.
Wang Xizhi's calligraphy is becoming more and more famous. People at that time regarded his calligraphy as a treasure. It is said that once, he went to his protege's house, and the protege warmly received him. Sitting next to a new case, he saw that several cases were smooth and clean, which aroused his interest in writing, so he asked his protege to bring pen and ink. The pupils were so happy that they immediately brought the pen and ink to Wang Xizhi. Wang Xizhi wrote a few lines on several boxes as a souvenir and went back.
A few days later, the protected person was on a business trip. His father went into the study to tidy up, and when he saw that the new book case was stained with ink, he scraped off the words with a knife. When the protected person came back, the handwriting on several boxes had disappeared. The protected person has been worried about this for several days.
Another time, Wang Xizhi went to a village. An old woman went to a charity sale with a basket of hexagonal bamboo fans. That kind of bamboo fan is very simple, without any decoration, which can't attract the interest of passers-by. It seems that it can't be sold, and the old woman is very anxious. Seeing this situation, Wang Xizhi felt sorry for the old woman, so he went up to her and said, "You can't sell this bamboo fan because there are no pictures or words on it." How about I write an inscription for you? " The old woman doesn't know Wang Xizhi. Seeing his enthusiasm, she wrote him a bamboo fan.
Wang Xizhi took a pen, wrote five words on each fan and gave them back to the old woman. The old woman can't read, and she feels that his handwriting is scrawled, so she is very unhappy. Wang Xizhi comforted her and said, "Don't worry. You only tell the fan buyer that this is written by Wang Youjun. " As soon as Wang Xizhi left, the old woman did as he said. Collectors rushed to buy Wang Youjun's calligraphy after seeing it. A basket of bamboo fans soon sold out.
Many artists have their own hobbies, some love to grow flowers and some love to keep birds. But Wang Xizhi has his special hobbies. Where there are good geese, he is interested in seeing them, or buying them to enjoy. There is a Taoist in Yinshan. He wants Wang Xizhi to write a moral classic for him. But he knew that Wang Xizhi would not copy scriptures for others easily. Later, he found that Wang Xizhi liked white geese, so he specially raised a number of geese with good varieties. Wang Xizhi heard that there were good geese in Taoism, so he really went to see them. When he approached the Taoist priest's house, he saw a flock of geese floating leisurely on the surface of the river, with white feathers and high red tops. It was really cute. Wang Xizhi watched by the river and was reluctant to leave, so he sent someone to find a Taoist priest and asked to sell him the goose. The Taoist priest said with a smile, "Since the princes love eating so much, they don't have to spend any money. I'll give you all these geese. But I have a request, that is, please write a volume of scriptures for me. " Wang Xizhi did not hesitate to copy a scroll of scriptures for Taoist priests, and the goose was taken back by Wang Xizhi.