Jin Wang Xizhi Letter Collection

Author: Jiang Yin
Publisher: Xiling Press
Publish Date: 2005-09-01
Features: Wang Xizhi (303-361 AD), styled Yishao, was originally from Langya (now Linyi, Shandong). He came from a prominent and noble family. His grandfather, Wang Zheng, served as a Shangshu Lang (a ministerial position), and his father, Wang Kuang, was the Governor of Huainan. For generations, his ancestors had been involved in major state affairs and were also fond of calligraphy. Wang Xizhi once served as a Shangshu Lang and a military aide to Yu Liang, gradually advancing to the positions of Chief Historian, Governor of Jiangzhou, and ultimately becoming the Right Military General and the Interior History of Kuaiji. He was known as "Wang the Right Military General."
The Wei and Jin periods were a peak in the history of Chinese calligraphy, and Wang Xizhi was one of the most accomplished and renowned calligraphers of his time. He excelled in all calligraphic styles, particularly in regular script, running script, and cursive script, pioneering a new era in calligraphy. He is considered one of the greatest calligraphers in Chinese history. Compared to the Han and Western Jin dynasties, Wang Xizhi's calligraphic style had a distinct feature: refined brushwork and varied structures. His greatest achievement was modifying and refining ancient calligraphic methods, transforming the simple and robust style of the Han and Wei dynasties into a more delicate and exquisite script. His cursive script was balanced between thick and thin strokes, his regular script was skillful and dense, and his running script was powerful and natural. In summary, he elevated the art of writing Chinese characters from a practical tool to one that emphasized technique and aesthetic refinement. This was essentially the awakening of calligraphic art, marking the point when calligraphers not only discovered the beauty of calligraphy but also expressed it.
Few calligraphers after him did not study Wang Xizhi's works, earning him the title of "Sage of Calligraphy." His regular script works, such as Leyi Lun, Huangting Jing, and Dongfang Shuo Huazan, were already celebrated during the Southern Dynasties and became the subject of various legends, some even inspiring paintings. His cursive and semi-cursive scripts were revered as the "Sage of Cursive Script."
No original manuscripts remain, but numerous printed copies of his calligraphy exist, including Shi Qian Tie, small regular script Leyi Lun, Huangting Jing, and others. There are also ink rubbings and filled-in copies, such as Kong Shizhong Tie, Lanting Xu (Feng Chengsu's copy), Kuaixue Shiqing Tie, Pin You Ai Tie, Sangluan Tie, Yuanhun Tie, Yimutan Tie, Ping'an He Ru Fengju San Tie, Hanque Tie, and Xingrang Tie, as well as the Shengjiao Xu compiled by the Tang monk Huairen.
In his early years, Wang Xizhi studied calligraphy under Wei Shu. Wei Shuo, a disciple of Zhong Yao, masterfully inherited his teacher's techniques. She taught Wang Xizhi Zhong Yao's methods, the calligraphic traditions of the Wei family for generations, and her own cultivated style and principles. The Tang Dynasty Calligraphy Review described her work as: "Wei Shu's calligraphy is like a flower-dancing maiden, graceful and elegant. It is also like a beautiful woman on a stage, a celestial maiden playing shadows, red lotuses reflecting in water, and emerald pools floating like clouds."
Modern scholar Shen Yinmo analyzed: "Wang Xizhi's study under Wei Shu naturally exposed him to her influence, leading him to strictly follow Zhong Yao's methods and develop a tendency toward elegance. Later, when he (broadly studied seal and clerical scripts from the Qin and Han dynasties), he found differences between the new style passed down by Wei Shu and Zhong Yao's methods. Thus, he became dissatisfied with his teacher's teachings. This is similar to later calligraphers who, upon seeing steles and stone inscriptions, became interested in learning them instead. This is understandable. We can see that Wang Xizhi's elegant style and his refusal to fully abandon ancient traditions had deep roots." (Insights into the Calligraphy of Wang and Wang)
Wang Xizhi was skilled in learning from multiple teachers. When he broke free from the constraints of Wei Shu's calligraphic tradition, he had already entered a new historical context. He once described this turning point in his life: "I studied calligraphy under Wei Shu in my youth and thought I was quite proficient. Later, after crossing the northern river and visiting famous mountains, I saw the works of Li Si and Cao Xi. Then, in Xuchang, I saw the calligraphy of Zhong Yao and Liang Huo. Next, in Luoyang, I saw Cai Yong's Three-Style Stone Classics. And at my cousin Zhang Chang's place, I saw Zhang Chang's Hua'ye Stele. Only then did I realize that studying under Wei Shu had been a waste of time. I then changed my teacher and continued to study from various steles."
This passage shows Wang Xizhi's continuous effort to broaden his horizons, learn widely, and seek the origins and principles of calligraphy.