Other figures: Emperor Jin, Zhang Huaiyao
The idiom "get to the bottom of it" means that the brushwork goes deep into the board. Describing the vigorous brushwork of calligraphy is also a metaphor for profound insights and proper discussion.
This idiom comes from Zhang Tang Huaiyao's Broken Book: Jin Emperor offered sacrifices to the northern suburbs, and Wang Xizhi's book was a blessing version, which was incisive and incisive.
Wang Xizhi was born in the Jin Dynasty (now Shaoxing, Zhejiang). He is the most famous calligrapher in the history of our country. Because he was a general of the right army, later generations called him Wang Youjun.
Wang Xizhi's calligraphy is the best in ancient and modern times. His calligraphy is vigorous and beautiful, combining rigidity with softness. Many calligraphers in later generations, no one can compare with him. So many people who study calligraphy take his handwriting as a model. At present, his most famous books and posts are Preface to Lanting Collection and Huang Tingjing.
Although Wang Xizhi's handwriting is so good, it has something to do with his talent, but the most important thing is his hard work. In order to practice his handwriting well, whether he is resting or walking, he always thinks about the structure of the font, imitates the shelf and momentum of the word, and keeps paddling his fingers on his skirt. So after a long time, even my clothes were cut.
He used to practice calligraphy by the pond, and every time he finished writing, he washed his pen and inkstone in the pond. After a long time, the water in the whole pond turned black. It can be seen that he has made great efforts in practicing calligraphy.
It is said that he loves geese very much and often watches them swim around in the river in a daze. Later, he realized the principle of brush strokes from the movements of geese, which was of great help to his calligraphy skills.
Once, he went to a Taoist temple to play, and when he saw a group of geese were lovely, he asked the Taoist priest to sell them to him. The Taoist priest in Guanli admired his calligraphy for a long time and asked him to write a copy of Huang Tingjing in exchange. Wang Xizhi liked those geese very much and agreed. So Wang Xizhi wrote a poem "Huang Ting Jing" for Guan Li, and the Taoist gave him all those geese.
On another occasion, the emperor went to the northern suburbs to offer sacrifices, and asked Wang Xizhi to write his congratulatory message on a board, and then sent workers to carve it. The sculptor was very surprised when he carved. Wang Xizhi's calligraphy and brushwork actually penetrated into the wood for more than three points. He praised: "The words of the general of the right army are really incisive!"