The poet of the Southern Song Dynasty who succeeded Dongpo and opened Jiaxuan was Zhang Xiaoxiang.
Zhang Xiaoxiang (1132-1170), whose courtesy name was Anguo and also nicknamed Yuhu Jushi, was of Han nationality and a native of Wujiang (He County, Anhui Province) in Liyang. He was born in Yin County, Mingzhou (now Ningbo, Zhejiang). A famous poet and calligrapher in the Southern Song Dynasty. His father, Zhang Qi, served as the magistrate of Zhimi Pavilion and Huainan Transshipment. When he was young, his family moved to Wuhu (now Wuhu City, Anhui Province).
Official career experience:
In the imperial examination in the 24th year of Shaoxing (1154), Emperor Gaozong (Zhao Gou) personally promoted him to be the first Jinshi. He was awarded the title of Cheng Shilang and signed a letter to the judge of the Jiedu Army of Zhendong Army. In addition, he also served as local governor of Fuzhou, Pingjiang, Jingjiang, Tanzhou and other places. In the fifth year of Qiandao (1169), he became an official as a direct bachelor of Xianmo Pavilion. He died of illness in Wuhu in the summer of that year and was buried in Laoshan, Jiangpu, Nanjing. Aged thirty-eight. There are "Collected Works of Yuhu Laymen" and "Yuhu Ci" handed down to the world. "Complete Song Ci" compiles 223 of his poems.
Zhang Xiaoxiang's calligraphy art:
Zhang Xiaoxiang's "Chai Gou Tie" Zhang Xiaoxiang's calligraphy was very famous in the Southern Song Dynasty. Gaozong said that he "will definitely be famous in the world". Xiaozong After Zhang Xiaoxiang's death, he also saw his posthumous inscription "I sincerely respect him." Many famous literati in the Southern Song Dynasty highly praised Xiaoxiang's calligraphy. Lu You said, "Ziwei Zhang Sheren's calligraphy and calligraphy were highly prized at that time. They had a jade scroll and a bag of tips, but they had no one to own." This shows how popular it was at that time.
Zhu Xi said: "Anguo is gifted with a keen talent, and his writings and political affairs are far superior to others. His writings are all inspired by the penmanship of the ancients. If he lives longer and has more academic ability, he will become more powerful." After admiring him, I also deeply regret his premature death. Yang Wanli said, "Zhang Anguo's book is very true and is released, but those who have studied it have never seen the public's contentment in the household." His appreciation is obvious.