Tang Hanyu's "Preface to Master Gao Xian": "In the past, Zhang Xu was good at cursive writing, but he could not master other skills. He was happy, angry, embarrassed, sad, happy, resentful, longing, drunk, bored, unfair, and moved. In the heart, it must be written in cursive script. Looking at things, you can see mountains, rivers, cliffs and valleys, birds, beasts, insects, fish, vegetation and flowers, sun, moon and stars, wind, rain, fire, thunder and thunder, singing, dancing and fighting, and the changes in heaven and earth. Astonishment resides in the book. Therefore, the changes in Xu's writing are like ghosts and gods, and they will be known to future generations for the rest of their lives. It can be like Xu. If there is a way for Xu, the interests and losses must be clear, and the words of love should be kept in mind. If there is gain and loss, there will be gains and losses, and you will not let go. Then you will decide on the book, and then Xu can be there." In this way, Han Yu expounded the lyrical characteristics of calligraphy clearly, thoroughly and vividly. There are two aspects of emotion in calligraphy: one is the direct expression of the author's own joys, anger, sorrows and joys that "moves in the heart"; the other is "the changes in heaven and earth, both gratifying and shocking" that touch the author, the blending of things and myself, and the expression of the emotion. Therefore, Zhang Xu's cursive script "changes like ghosts and gods, unfathomable" has reached the realm of deification. To learn from his traces, he must learn from his heart. That's why Han Yu said: "If you don't follow the traces of your mind, you won't see its ability to shine." The beauty of calligraphy lies in this! Although the article does not directly discuss Gao Xian's cursive calligraphy, the whole article only discusses Zhang Xu, because the calligraphy style of the Tang Dynasty actually originated from Zhang Xu, and Han Yu's praise of Zhang Xu was dictated by the times. However, when Han Yu said that Gao Xian "had Zhang Xu's heart", he actually meant that Gao Xian had already understood Zhang Xu's thoughts, artistic methods and artistic spirit. This also means that Zhang Xu really praised Gao Xian. Han Yu was a great writer in the Tang Dynasty. Gao Xian's calligraphy was commented on by Han Yu and compared with Zhang Xu, the highest achiever in contemporary cursive calligraphy. This shows the achievements and level of Gao Xian's cursive calligraphy.
The "Guangzhou Book Postscript" written by Dong Dong of the Song Dynasty says: "Not many of Xian's books survive in the world. He learned from Zhang Dian, and his name was very obvious in the Tang Dynasty. Han Tuizhi said that Zhang Xu was happy, angry, and sad. It must be revealed in the book, so it can change like ghosts and gods. If you see the idle book, you will know how to follow the path of the sun. How can you follow the path that has been abandoned and seek to achieve it? "Xu is also a person." This means that Gao Xian's calligraphy study from Zhang Xu has entered the realm of Zhang Xu, but Gao Xian pursues the best in calligraphy rather than sticking to Zhang Xu's legacy. This shows that Gao Xian is good at learning from Zhang Xu. Because of this, Gao Xian became "another calligrapher after Zhang Xu and Huai Su whose cursive script was famous for a while" and had the greatest influence on later generations. In the Song Dynasty, Huang Tingjian once studied Gao Xian. He said in "Lu Zhi's Self-evaluation of Calligraphy": "I studied cursive calligraphy for thirty years. At first, I thought Zhou Yue was my teacher. Therefore, I kept my vulgarity in mind for thirty years. Later, I got Su Caiweng and Su Caiwen. Zimei's calligraphy was based on the calligraphy of the ancients, and later he got a glimpse of the beauty of calligraphy by Zhang Changshi, Huai Su and Gao Xian." Through this confession, it shows that Gao Xian's calligraphy had a key influence on Huang Tingjian. Enlightenment. Huang Tingjian finally got a glimpse of the beauty of calligraphy from the ink of three masters of cursive calligraphy, Zhang Xu, Huai Su, and Gao Xian, realized the true meaning, and became the leading cursive calligrapher in the Song Dynasty. In the Yuan Dynasty, Xian Yushu discussed cursive writing: "Zhang Changshi (Zhang Xu), Huai Su, and Gao Xian are all famous, and they are good at cursive writing: Chang Shi is unconventional and goes beyond the law; Huai Su abides by the law, especially with ancient ideas; Gao Xian uses it The pen is thick, and six or seven out of ten.”
Here, too, Gao Xian is discussed side by side with Zhang Xu and Huai Su. Xian Yushu first said that these three people were all good at cursive script and all were famous, and then discussed the characteristics of each family's cursive script. It seems that these three people were models to be followed by calligraphers after the Tang Dynasty. The basic situation and relationship between the three are as follows: "Zhang Xu, named Bogao, was born in Wujun (now part of Jiangsu). He was an official until Jinwu and had a long history. He was good at cursive grass. His books are full of dragons and phoenixes, mysterious and unpredictable. If you look closely, you will find nothing. One stroke was against the rules... Huai Su, whose courtesy name was Zang Zhen, was from Changsha, Tan (today's Changsha City, Hunan Province). He was fond of drinking, and when he was in a mood, he moved his pen like a sudden rain and a whirlwind, although it was changeable and regulated. It became dull in his later years. The predecessors commented that his Kuangcao succeeded Zhang Xu and was called "Dian Zhang Zuisu", which had a great influence on later generations. Xian was born in Wucheng (now Wuxing, Zhejiang Province) in the Tang Dynasty. He was good at calligraphy, and his cursive calligraphy master Fa Huaisu was famous for his use of white silk.
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Although Gao Xian’s official position is not recorded here, it is recorded that the emperor gave him purple clothes, which shows that this man was talented and had a high social status at the time. In the above records, Huai Su succeeded Zhang Xu , Gao Xian learned from Huai Su, which shows that the three of them are closely related to each other, but they all learned from his heart, not his traces. They all have high artistic achievements, and each has different artistic style and artistic level. On the same level, otherwise, he would not be compared with others. Although Gao Xian did not leave the "Champion Post", "Belly Pain Post", and "Four Ancient Poetry Posts" like Zhang Xu, or the "Autobiography Post" like Huai Su did. ", "Xiao Cao Thousand Character Essay", "Bodhisattva Tie", "Lun Shu Tie" and many other stele inscriptions are for future generations to study, practice and learn from. However, from the only remaining cursive script "Qianwen Fragment", we can still see The artistic connotation and personal style of Gao Xian's cursive script.