China's calligraphy has a long history. Why is no one better than Wang Xizhi? Why did Wang Xizhi achieve unprecedented success? As the most famous "star of artists", "most popular person" and "king of transportation" in the Eastern Jin Dynasty, Wang Xizhi's works have been hot in the Eastern Jin Dynasty, so it is not surprising that every word is worth a thousand dollars. But there is no one left. Why?
The first reason is that the storage time is too long. Wang Xizhi lived more than 1000 years ago. Imagine a metal jar, which was put into the present from 1000 years ago. If it is not properly preserved, it is now a pile of loess.
Moreover, Wang Xizhi's works are either written on paper or on cotton silk. Paper and cotton silk can hardly stand the test of time, keeping 1000 years or more.
The second reason is that the unified collection of various dynasties makes it more likely that the works will be destroyed or lost. Emperors of all ages like to collect Wang Xizhi's works. So many of Wang Xizhi's works are in the hands of the royal family, and finally I don't know where they are hidden.
It is said that with the death of Emperor Taizong, the real Preface to Lanting Collection was taken to the coffin by Emperor Taizong. Others said that the tomb of Emperor Taizong was stolen, and later the work Preface to Lanting Collection was also lost. This may be the reason why we don't put eggs in one basket.
The third reason is war. It has something to do with the second reason. In addition to the poor, there are also historical relics, because many historical relics are in the hands of the royal family, so an siege war may destroy and lose a lot.
What's more, many emperors have had this idea, and you can't get what I can't get. When their country dies, everyone likes to burn themselves with torches, and at the same time, they also burn precious cultural relics. As a result, many cultural relics were destroyed in the war.