Wang Xizhi (AD 303 ~ 36 1), the most outstanding calligrapher in the Eastern Jin Dynasty, was born in Linyi, Langya, a general of the right army, and was called "Wang Youjun".
Wang Xizhi began to learn calligraphy at the age of seven, and studied under Mrs. Wei and his uncle, both of whom were born in a calligraphy family. Later, he visited the exquisite works of Qin and Han dynasties, studied their styles, imitated their hands, learned from others' strengths, and merged them into one furnace, creating a running script that was "natural and rich in spirit" and was praised as a "book saint" by later generations.
Professor Peking University and pioneer Li Zhimin commented: "Wang Xizhi's calligraphy not only shows simplicity and abstinence based on Laozi and Zhuangzi's philosophy, but also shows harmony based on Confucian golden mean." Calligraphy reached its peak in his later years, and Preface to Lanting was his masterpiece in his later years.
The best running script in the world
Preface to Lanting was called Preface in Jin Dynasty, and later generations also called Preface to Xiumao, Posture of Giving and Preface to Lanting Poetry, with 28 lines and 324 words. It is said that on March 3rd, the 9th year of Yonghe in the Eastern Jin Dynasty (AD 353), the weather was fine and sunny. Forty-one people, including Wang Xizhi, Xie An, and Sun Chuo, were drinking in Lanting and chanting poems.
[2]? Facing the beautiful scenery and friends, Wang Xizhi wrote the preface of "Charming and vigorous, peerless and everlasting" with cocoon paper and eight-character pen. After returning to China, Wang Xizhi rewrote it dozens of times, but it was still not as good as the original, so he paid special attention to this article and gave it to future generations for collection.