Wang Xizhi

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Names

Chinese:	王羲之
Pinyin:	Wáng Xīzhī
Wade-Giles:	Wang Hsi-chih
Zi:	Yìshào (逸少)
Hao:	Dànzhāi (澹斋)
Also known as:	Wáng Yòujũn (王右軍) Shūshèng (書聖, literally Sage of Calligraphy)

This is a Chinese name; the family name is 王 (Wang).

Wang Xizhi (Chinese: 王羲之, 303–361) was a Chinese calligrapher, traditionally referred to as the Sage of Calligraphy (書聖).

Born in Linyi, Shandong, he spent most of his life in the present-day Shaoxing, Zhejiang. He learned the art of calligraphy from Wei Shuo. He excelled in every script but particularly in the semi-cursive script. Unfortunately, none of his original works remains today.

His most famous work is the Preface to the Poems Composed at the Orchid Pavilion, the preface of a collection of poems written by a number of poets when gathering at Lanting near the town of Shaoxing for the Spring Purification Festival. The original is lost, but there are a number of fine tracing copies and rubbings. Wikisource has the text with translation.

Wang Xizhi is particularly remembered for one of his hobbies — rearing geese. Legend has it that he learnt the key of how to turn his wrist while writing by observing how the geese move their necks. There is a very pretty small porcelain cup depicting Wang Xizhi "walking geese" in the China Gallery of the Asian Civilisations Museum in Singapore. The other side of the cup depicts a scholar "taking a zither to a friend".

Wang Xizhi had seven children, all of whom were notable calligraphers. The most distinguished one was his youngest son, Wang Xianzhi.

Painting of Wang Xizhi by a later Yuan Dynasty artist.

[edit] References

Li, Siyong, "Wang Xizhi". Encyclopedia of China (Chinese Literature Edition), 1st ed.
Khoo Seow Hwa and Penrose, Nancy L, Behind the Brushstrokes: Tales from Chinese Calligraphy. Singapore: Graham Brash, 1993.