Hanzhong Xianhao refers to a traditional brushstroke technique. It is said that it originated from the brushwork of Zhang Zhi, a calligrapher in the Han Dynasty, and is known as "the first brushstroke in Hanzhong". The legendary story is as follows:
According to legend, at the end of the Han Dynasty, there was a calligrapher Zhang Zhi in the Hanzhong area. His brushwork was superb and he was known as "the first calligrapher in Hanzhong". One day, while Zhang Zhi was writing, the brush in his hand suddenly broke. He had to use the remaining piece to continue writing. However, he found that the cut-off brush became more flexible, and the handwriting was particularly vivid and powerful.
From then on, Zhang Zhi often used this truncated brush to write. Gradually, his brushwork spread in the Hanzhong area and was called "Xianhao".
Later, during the Tang Dynasty, Yan Zhenqing, a master of calligraphy in the Tang Dynasty, studied and promoted Xianhao, making it a traditional brushstroke method.
Today, Hanzhong Xianhao is still a favorite writing method among calligraphy enthusiasts and is regarded as an important part of traditional Chinese culture.