Ancient calligraphers did not engage in "calligraphy creation", and the works handed down from generation to generation were all practical things. For example, some manuscripts, some letters, some inscriptions and so on. Their identities are not "calligraphers", but monks, court officials and even emperors. The ultimate goal of their "works" is to write records.
The calligraphy creation of modern calligraphers is to imitate the writing of the ancients and strive for innovation. Essentially, they are different. Of course, I won't go into many of their theories.