Throughout Zhang Xiaoxiang's patriotic poems, there is no doubt that between the lines, he expresses his attachment to his motherland, eulogizes the northern expedition to the Central Plains, and feels angry and sad about the flagging state affairs. For example, "Wan Li Central Plains is on fire in the north" in "The Tower of Jingzhou in Huanxisha" to express the nostalgia for North China under the rule of Jin people; "Water Tune Song Tou and Pang" expresses the enthusiasm of the Northern Expedition against the enemy by "cutting the candle to see" and "pledging to flow". His masterpieces Song of the Six Kingdoms and Looking at the Long Huai summarized the social situation in the past twenty years after the defeat of Lifu in the first year of Shaoxing and Longxing, and expressed great indignation at the policy of not trimming the border, not using talents and pursuing humiliating peace in the Southern Song Dynasty. Writing between the lines: "I heard that the old friends in the Central Plains always look south and are beautiful in jade; When pedestrians come here, their hearts are full of loyalty and tears. " It is said that he gave the word to Jiankang's left-behind seat at that time. Zhang Jun was deeply moved after reading it, and walked for it (Shuo Lan led the legacy of the ruling and opposition). In the Qing Dynasty, Chen Tingzhuo's "Bai Yu Zhai Hua Ci" also said that this word was "dripping with ink and making people dance", which shows its great influence.
Apart from patriotic lyric poems with distinct thoughts, Zhang Xiaoxiang's memorial poems are also praised for their elegant style and heroism. Works such as Nian Nujiao Li Si and Shui Diao Ge Tou Pan Xianghe express their "wandering around the world" and innocence by depicting the "ubiquitous turmoil" on the river and mourning Qu Yuan. This open-minded attitude towards life, which is often revealed, is obviously deeply influenced by Su Shi. For example, the words "The world is used to it now, and my heart is carefree everywhere" in Xijiang Moon Dongting and Huanxisha suggest that the author is suffering heavy losses. Another example is Nian Nujiao Guo Dongting, which was written on the way home from Guilin in the second year of the main road (1 166) after being deposed. Shang Kun described the scenery of Dongting Lake with "clear inside and clear outside", while Xia Kun expressed his noble heart with "the liver and lungs are all ice and snow", which was praised by his predecessors as the most outstanding one of his ci poems. This kind of words has a broad realm and a bleak artistic conception. Although it does not directly describe the social reality, it shows the special color of that era.
Apart from patriotic poems closely related to state affairs, Zhang Xiaoxiang's love poems are also unique. His love words are deep and beautiful, and his love is deep. His masterpieces especially miss his lover Li's several works, such as Nian Nujiao sails and sets sail, Don't go to the shore, the lamp is in a lonely boat, and you don't know tonight. It's better to go with Jiang Yue on a clear night. "In the face of being forced to break up with his lover, he felt guilty and painful. Jiang Yue can follow others, but people are not as good as the moon. They can only "meditate on their hearts, pity their children far away, and be independent." This also shows the poet's lyrical inner world.
Zhang Xiaoxiang's talent can also be appreciated from his early landscape poems, which are beautiful and elegant, and there are many works depicting Lin 'an's scenery, such as Xijiang Moon, "Ten Li is pale red and self-deprecating, and two mountains are thick green", or Bodhisattva Man, "The east wind is rolling in Wu Bo, and the setting sun is half gray and wet". Lin 'an is not only elegant and beautiful, but also bustling and lively. For example, in "Partridge Day Chun Qing", it is described that "the apricot blossoms are not raining, and the wind is short at the beginning of the willow" and "people are in the bead curtain." I wrote the grand occasion of the spring outing in Hangzhou, as if in a painting, full of spring. -It can be seen that Zhang Xiaoxiang's ci is not confined to a corner in terms of material selection or expression.
It is said that Zhang Xiaoxiang "made peace with the past with words, never wrote a manuscript, and his pen was vigorous and vigorous, and he succeeded.". At the beginning, if he was not careful, he repeatedly studied, and no word was nowhere to be found ... The so-called Li Junfa included the poet's syntax. " (Tang Heng's Preface to Zhang Fengya) Because it is written with passion, it is emotionally coherent, passionate and fluent in language, and can blend the poems of predecessors without revealing traces of carving. Charley said: "Yuhu Ci has a strong sense of rhythm, full syllables, vigorous and elegant, slow meaning and sharp words" (The Legacy of Tonggu Bookstore), which just sums up the basic characteristics of Zhang Xiaoxiang Ci. His intention in writing lyrics is to learn from Su Shi, and many critics think they are very similar. For example, Tang Heng said, "If you go to Qiu Chi (Su Shi) and go his way, who is it?" (Zhang Ya's Word Order)
Together with Zhang, it is called a double-edged sword in the early stage. Zhang Xiaoxiang inherited Su Shi's ci and created Xin Qiji's patriotic ci school. He is one of the representatives of the uninhibited school in the Southern Song Dynasty. It occupies an important position in the history of ci. Zhang Xiaoxiang's calligraphy was very famous in the Southern Song Dynasty. Emperor Gaozong said that he "must be famous all over the world", and Xiao Zong also saw that his calligraphy was "sincerely admired" after Zhang Xiaoxiang's death (Ye Shaoweng's Four Dynasties). Many famous literati in the Southern Song Dynasty praised Xiaoxiang's calligraphy. Lu You said, "The calligraphy of Wei Zi Zhang Sheren was valuable at that time, and there was no home." -it can be seen that the popularity was high at that time. Zhu Yue: "An Guo is quick-witted, and his political articles far surpass others." . His handwriting was written by the ancients. It will be beneficial to make it old and more academic. "-while enjoying it, I deeply regret its early death. Yang Wanli said: "Zhang An's evidence is very true, but those studies have never seen the public's feet in the door." -appreciation can be seen. Cao Xun, Wang, Dong Geng and Gu Zhong all spoke highly of his calligraphy.
As a famous calligrapher in the Southern Song Dynasty, Zhang Xiaoxiang's calligraphy has extensive origins. Xiao Xiang is not limited to the head of a family, but absorbs the talents of many families, thus casting his own style. Among them, "learning beauty" and "worshipping rice" are the most important. His calligraphy, on the one hand, has the vigorous, magnificent and vigorous posture of Yan Zhenqing's calligraphy, on the other hand, it has the bold brushwork of Mi Fei's calligraphy, showing a clear face. Besides trying to figure out the previous ink and practicing hard, he also humbly asked Liu Cen, a famous calligrapher at that time, to improve his cursive level. Generally speaking, Zhang Xiaoxiang's calligraphy is very famous, especially his cursive writing is elegant and free and easy, which is inseparable from his uninhibited personality. At the same time, his characters are extremely masculine and vigorous, and "the viewer is strong". However, under the strength, it is difficult to hide his elegant and elegant temperament, just like "a dead bamboo is scattered, driving away the snow and frost". His calligraphy became popular in the early Southern Song Dynasty and played a connecting role in the calligraphy circles of the two Song Dynasties.