Song Dynasty is an era famous for the popularity of calligraphy in China. Scholars often imitate the previous generation of calligraphy as a model, forming various schools, and paying attention to statutes became a common practice in this era. Secondly, it is believed that the works that stick to the rules without innovation, even if they are well imitated and well prepared, are still not excellent calligraphy, and they are only "slave books" in the end. Only by breaking through the rules can they enter the highest realm of calligraphy.
Shen Kuo discussed the dialectical relationship between inheritance and innovation from the perspective of modern artistic creation theory: inheritance is the foundation of innovation, and innovation is the higher level of artistic development.