We all know the great calligrapher Wang Xizhi, but can we still see his authentic calligraphy now?

We know that one of the four quintessences of China is "calligraphy". Chinese calligraphy has a long history. Looking back at ancient and modern times, calligraphers and famous calligraphers have left countless poems and legendary stories, which amaze us. If you want to become a famous calligrapher, you can't master it overnight, but you need a lot of endurance and perseverance. Legend has it that in order to practice calligraphy, Wang Xizhi dyed the pond water black day after day with ink. We were very surprised and admired. If you can work hard like this, becoming a calligraphy master is just around the corner.

1. Does Wang Xizhi’s authentic calligraphy exist in the world?

Unfortunately, Wang Xizhi’s original calligraphy does not exist in the world. His calligraphy attainments have reached the pinnacle. In ancient times, dignitaries from all walks of life regarded his calligraphy as a "peerless treasure". Most of the modern calligraphy works left behind are copies, and the current calligraphy circle generally believes that fine copies from the Tang Dynasty are regarded as authentic works. The copy is divided into a Tang copy and a Song copy. The Song copy is suspected to have been copied by Mi Fu. Legend has it that Wang Xizhi's calligraphy was presented to Wu Zetian by his descendants, which shocked Wu Zetian and wanted to be buried with him after his death.

2. Wang Xizhi

Wang Xizhi was a famous calligrapher during the Eastern Jin Dynasty and was known as the "Sage of Calligraphy". A native of Langya, Wang Xizhi successively served as secretary Ying, general Ningyuan, governor of Jiangzhou, and later internal historian of Kuaiji. His calligraphy combines Li, Cao, Kai and Xing styles, and he draws on the strengths of others to form his own calligraphy characteristics, which is unique and has far-reaching influence. Wang Xizhi's masterpiece "Lanting Preface" is known as "the best running script in the world". In the history of calligraphy, he and his son Wang Xianzhi are collectively known as "Two Kings".

3. The Legend of Wang Xizhi

Wang Xizhi has a very famous legend of "Qiao Mending Spring Festival Couplets". On New Year's Eve, he would write Spring Festival couplets and paste them on the door every year. Many Everyone wants to get his calligraphy but it is difficult. Therefore, Spring Festival couplets were stolen every midnight. On New Year's Eve this year, Wang Xizhi still wrote a couplet, because "good fortune never comes in pairs, misfortunes never come singly". Only one couplet was written, and the second half of the couplet was not written. After everyone saw it, they felt that this couplet was unlucky and no one wanted to steal it. In the middle of the night, Wang Xizhi completed the couplet and it became "Unparalleled blessings have come this morning, and misfortunes do not come alone last night." When everyone saw this couplet the next day, they were all amazed and applauded.