Calligraphy free lesson

Calligraphy is a mystery. Chinese symbols come from drawing. Ancient Chinese people draw some figures to carry the meanings. As it evolves during the long history, it become calligraphy free lesson.

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Du Du. Zi: Bo Du. Born in Jing Zhao Du Ling (Southeast of Xi An, Shan Xi province), he was good at Zhang Cao (a kind of Cao Shu). Zhang Cao was created by Shi You in "Ji Jiu Zhang". But Zhang Cao was mature at Du Du. People of his time called his calligraphy "calligraphy from heaven".

Today, most calligraphy works are stored in museums. A lot of calligraphy books devote to calligraphy appeared in the market. The Capital Teacher's University even has calligraphy department now. China now is much better than the Qing dynasty. Hopefully, there will be a lot of great calligraphers appear.

Yang Xin (370-442). Zi: Jing Yuan. Born in TAi Shan city (southwest of Fei county of Shan Dong province today), he was Wang Xianzhi's student. He was good at Kai Shu.

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Cui Yuan (77-142). Zi: Zi Yu. Born in Zhuo Jun An Ping (belong to He Nan province today), studied hard earlier. He was good at Zhang Cao. He was Ji Bei Xiang (a government position). He wrote a book "Cao Shu Shi". His Cao Shu is not as ingenious in structures as his teacher Du Du, but is more charming than Du Du's. He is called Cui Du together with Du Du. 

Zhang Zhi (?-192). Zi: Bo Ying. Born in Dun Huang Jiu Quan (belongs to Gan Su province today), he was a noble-minded person. He don't like to get any government position. His Cao Shu is exquisite beyond compare. People call him Cao god. He practiced calligraphy beside a lake. And the lake became black. His Zhang Cao actually studied from Du Du and Cui Yuan but has his own creation. He actually changed Zhang Cao to the Cao Shu of today.

The South and North dynasty is also a dynasty with great achievement. There're a lot of tablets of North Wei (386-534) with great calligraphy. People called calligraphy works of this period as Wei Bei, which means tablets of North Wei dynasty. Like tablets in Han dynasty, the calligrapher of most of them are unknown.

Wang Sengqian (426-485) is the 4th generation grandson of Wang Xizhi. He was good at Kai Shu.

Xiao Sihua. Born in Nan Lan Ling (northwest of Chang Zhou city in Jiang Su province today), he was good at Li Shu. Studied from Yang Xin, some people think he surpassed Yang Xin. His Xing Shu is like birds playing on sand.

The first blooming period of calligraphy as an art should be at Han dynasty. An calligrapher, Liang Hu went to restaurant but didn't bring money. He wrote on the wall. People there liked to pay for him by watching his calligraphy. A lot of great calligraphers appeared in Han dynasty. Unfortunately, they usually didn't sign them name after their calligraphy work. There're some great calligraphy works of Han dynasty of unknown calligraphers. Also most scripts formed at Han dynasty such as Li Shu, Cao Shu, Xing Shu, Kai Shu.

Zhi Yong is the seventh generation grandson of Wang Xizhi. His "Zhen Cao Qian Zi Wen" is said a piece from heaven.

Xiao Ziyun (487-549). Zi: Jing Qiao. Born in Nan Lan Ling (northwest of Chang Zhou in Jiang Su province today), he was a historian. He was good at Xing Shu, Cao Shu and Xiao Zhuan.

Jin is the dynasty with great achievement in calligraphy. A lot of great calligraphers appeared at this time, including Wang Xizhi and Wang Xianzhi.