Calligraphy art is an ancient art, from the bronze inscription in Oracle Bone Inscriptions to the official script of Da Zhuan and Xiao Zhuan, and then to cursive script, regular script and running script. The order of development is as follows: prehistoric Zhixia, Shang Dynasty to Western Han Dynasty (chaotic sequence), Xiao Zhuan after the unification of Qin Dynasty (inheritance and innovation), the establishment of Han Dynasty (transformation of Chinese characters), Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties (peak of calligraphy), Sui and Tang Dynasties (flourishing calligraphy), Song Dynasty (running script Song Sijia), Yuan Dynasty (regular script) and Ming and Qing Dynasties (calligraphers developed more or less). Therefore, he developed and innovated the running script.
(2) Judging from the age of his life, there were no calligraphers (or loss of works) before Wang Xizhi, and there were Wang Xianzhi, Zhang Xu, Yan Zhenqing, Su Shi, Huang Tingjian, Mi Fei, Zhao Mengfu, Wen Zhiming, Dong Qichang and Zhu Da after Wang Xizhi. Therefore, he has the luck to create an era.
Many ancient literati had the spirit of artisans, worked hard and integrated humanistic thoughts, and Wang Xizhi was no exception. He loved calligraphy, was enlightened by his father and uncle, sought advice from many teachers all his life, constantly broadened his horizons, explored the source and learned from others, and finally reached a deep accomplishment. His brushwork is exquisite, natural and unrestrained, with subtle brushwork, delicate bones and beautiful lines, so his works are praised as "the best running script in the world"
Wang Xizhi's works broke away from the writing style of Han and Wei Dynasties and became unique, beautiful and creative. He is half a history of calligraphy, no exaggeration. It can be said that Wang Xizhi's innovation in research has influenced generations of bookstore talents.
The so-called times make heroes, more importantly, the historical background of the times. Political turmoil, people's famine, the rise of metaphysics, the spread of Buddhism to the east and the awakening of life consciousness are important characteristics of ideological and cultural life in this period. Wang Xizhi was a calligrapher in the Eastern Jin Dynasty. He lives in such a contradictory and passionate era with mixed feelings. On the other hand, in the history of China's literary thought, this period pointed out a road and a realm of life for later China literati: Tao Yuanming's poems in literature and Wang Xizhi's poems in calligraphy. Therefore, the historical situation inevitably becomes the cultural background and psychological background of Wang Xizhi's calligraphy achievements.
He lived for 58 years and lamented that life was "short and short, and it will end in the end". He has elegant taste and quality of life. Loved and respected by emperors, court officials and famous calligraphers in past dynasties, it is naturally famous and has far-reaching influence. Without artificial appreciation, I think the face of history might be different. Originally, our country worshipped people, not gods.