Inscriptions on Bamboo Fans
It is said that once, Wang Xizhi saw an old woman carrying a basket of hexagonal bamboo fans selling fans at a market. She could not sell them, so he came up to follow her. She said: "You have no paintings or words on this bamboo fan, so of course you can't sell it. How about I inscribe words on it for you?"
Wang Xizhi picked up his pen and wrote on each fan in a flourishing way. After writing five words, he gave it back to the old woman. The old woman was illiterate and felt that his writing was very sloppy and she was very unhappy. Wang Xizhi comforted her and said: "Don't worry, tell the people who bought the fans that the calligraphy on it was written by Wang Youjun." When Wang Xizhi left, the old woman did as he said. When the people in the gathering saw that it was really Wang Youjun's calligraphy, they all rushed to grab it. Buy it, and a basket of bamboo fans will be sold out immediately.
Extended information
Wang Xizhi loved to practice calligraphy since he was a child, and was inspired by his father Wang Kuang and uncle Wang Xian. He was good at reading at the age of seven. At the age of twelve, he secretly read the "Bi Lun" of the previous generation from his father's pillow. Wang Kuang is good at writing and official calligraphy; Wang Gong is good at calligraphy and painting.
Wang Xizhi also learned calligraphy from Mrs. Wei in his early years. Wei Shuo learned from Zhong Yao and passed on his method wonderfully. She taught Wang Xizhi Zhong Yao's method, Wei's method of practicing calligraphy for several generations, and her own calligraphy style and method.
Wang Xizhi's "Preface to the Lanting Collection" is admired by calligraphers of all ages and is known as "the best running script in the world". Wang was also good at Li, Cao, Kai, Xing and other styles. He studied the styles carefully, imitated them with his heart and hands, picked up the strengths of others, prepared all kinds of styles, and cultivated them in one furnace. He broke away from the writing style of Han and Wei Dynasties and became his own style with far-reaching influence.