China is an ordinary man, but he has such great ambitions. When Shengzai Chen, a farmer, was working in the fields at the end of Qin Dynasty, he suddenly had such great ambitions. He straightened up, looked up at the sky and said, what kind of prince would be better? The vast state of Qin has changed since then! Calligraphy is the footprint of China people, but it is also where there is a will, there is a way.
How did Wang Xizhi step by step become the leader of Wei and Jin Dynasties? China's calligraphy developed from Qin and Han Dynasties to Wei and Jin Dynasties, and finally experienced a "natural" stage. Wang Xizhi of the Eastern Jin Dynasty won, and calligraphy entered a glorious golden age! According to historical materialism, it is inevitable that calligraphy reached its peak in the Eastern Jin Dynasty. However, it is entirely his personal ambition and efforts that Wang Xizhi can become the representative of this peak!
Don't compare Li Si and Cao in the Qin Dynasty or Cai Yong in the Eastern Han Dynasty, because their calligraphy is antique, which is not conducive to direct pk with Wang Xizhi's modern calligraphy. But there are two calligraphers, Wang Xizhi, who can't avoid it and must face it squarely. They are Zhang Zhi of the Eastern Han Dynasty and Zhong You of the Three Kingdoms Cao Wei. Because their calligraphy is as modern as Wang Xizhi's.
Zhang Zhi wrote cursive script, which was called Cao Sheng at that time, and Zhong You wrote regular script and running script. During the Wei and Jin Dynasties, cursive script, running script and running script were popular among literati. Everyone imitates Zhong Zhang and calls him "Two Saints", and Wang Xizhi is no exception. He said: "Looking through all the old books, only Zhong and Zhang are unparalleled in the world, and the rest are small and good, and we don't care." At this point, in his eyes, only Zhong Zhang. How did Wang Xizhi achieve the plan of surpassing Zhong and Zhang? He chose reform! Wang Sengqian's "On Books" said: "Like the right army, it has become archaic and different. At this point, it's just you and Zhang. The meaning of this sentence is clear. Wang Xizhi's greatest contribution lies in his innovation, which changed the font styles of Zhong You and Zhang Zhi. Otherwise, everyone will stay at the level of learning Zhong and Zhang! Of course, not all political reforms can be successful, but from Wang Sengqian's words, we confirm that Wang Xizhi's change of clock and Zhang Zhifa have been recognized by everyone, that is, they have succeeded! This can be proved by Wang Xizhi's own words:
"My book is better than Zhong You's, and I am resistant; Compared with Zhang, I am still a wild goose. "
This is already very confident. Zhong You, the "rebel", is uncompromising. Zhang Zhi, the cursive script of "Fei Ye", has a slightly modest tone, but after all, he admits the second relationship. But in a blink of an eye, he no longer has this modesty in a letter to a friend: "Zhang Zhi is reading by the pool, and the water in the pool is all black. If you are worrying, it may not be the last one. " The implication is clear, Zhang Zhi is nothing, I can surpass it if I try harder!
Zhong You's Xiao Zhuan's Tomb Soldier's Post is also called Bing's Post, Tian Mu's Post and Zhong You's Book. Today's inscription is called Wang Xizhilin.
Complete the transcendence of Zhang Zhihe and Zhong You, and complete the overall transcendence of the ancients!
But for Wang Xizhi, the real challenge has just begun! The most famous calligraphy in Maximus Arena was in the Eastern Jin Dynasty. The famous calligrapher at that time listed it in Shu Shu Fu: "Bo Zai Yu Si, Mao Ji, the three or eight great kings." The "four dangers" here refer to Yu Liang, Yu Yi and Yu Zhun; "Six Dragons" refers to Chi Jian, Longqing, Longtan, Chi Chao, Stegosaurus and Longhui; "Three thanks" are Xie Shang, Xie Yi and Xie An; The eight kings are Wang Dao, Wang Shao, Wang Tian, Wang Qia, Wang Min, Wang Xizhi, Wang Xianzhi and Wang Yong. In fact, there were definitely more calligraphy masters at that time, and Wang Xizhi was just one of the hundred gardens at that time.
Wang Xizhi finally became the most vivid in the garden! There is a saying: "Li's style, such as Pingnan, can also be compared." The calligraphy of the three people mentioned in this sentence is actually the person who can compete with Wang Xizhi at that time:
It belongs to the same family as the legendary husband of Mrs. Wei, Wang Xizhi's teacher, and belongs to Jiangxia County. It is said that Shi Li is good at official script and cursive script, but his handwriting has been lost so far. But in the Tang Dynasty, his descendant Li Yong became the only calligrapher in history who can be called Wang Xizhi. The so-called "the right army is like a dragon, and the North Sea is like an elephant".
● Pingnan refers to Wang Xun, the uncle of Wang Xizhi, and is called "Wang Pingnan" because he is a general of Pingnan. Wang Sengqian, the Book of the Southern Qi Dynasty, said, "Before crossing the river, the army on the east and on the right was the strongest. The painting is Ming Di and the book is the right army method. " In other words, Wang Xun and Wang Pingnan are Wang Xizhi's calligraphy teachers, and their calligraphy works can still be seen in Ge Tie. His regular script works have the charm of Zhong You.
Yu Yi, at that time, had the evaluation of "young, attracting worldwide attention". At the age of thirty-six, Yu Yi was appointed as the secretariat of Jingzhou, in charge of the military affairs of six countries: Jiang, Jing, Si, Yong, Liang and Yi. It was this powerful figure's change of attitude towards Wang Xizhi's calligraphy that finally pushed Wang Xizhi to the position of calligraphy leader in Wei and Jin Dynasties. Yu Yi looked down on Wang Xizhi's calligraphy for the first time. When he was in Jingzhou, he was very unhappy to learn that all the children in his family were learning Wang Xizhi's calligraphy. To this end, he specially wrote home and reprimanded him: "Children are all cheap chickens and wild owls, and they all learn to escape from books." I must return it when it is better than it? However, when he saw a letter written by Wang Xizhi to his brother Yu Liang, he was immediately impressed and wrote a letter to Wang Xizhi: "I once had ten pieces of paper written by Zhang Zhiying, and when I crossed the river, I lost my way, often sighing that the wonderful trace would never be lost. "I suddenly saw the first step to write back to my brother, and I was radiant and returned to the old concept." Yu Yi's letter not only admits that his calligraphy is inferior to Wang Xizhi's, but also proves that Wang Xizhi's evaluation of his cursive script "Flying Goose" is not a personal boast. Yu Yi's calligraphy can also be seen in his regular script Old Official Post, which is included in Pavilion Post. Admittedly, judging from this regular script, his calligraphy style is not as good as Wang Xizhi's.
In a flash, Wang Xianzhi, how does father-son calligraphy win? ! Finally, Wang Xizhi's most powerful challenger is none other than his favorite seventh son, Wang Xianzhi! In fact, Wang Xizhi had a hunch about Wang Xianzhi's challenge. There are two stories in Yu Lanqing's On the Desk:
● Xihe is the minutes of the meeting. Amethyst studied books at the age of seven or eight. Xihe has been holding a pen from behind and lamented: "This book will become famous in the future."
When Amethyst played, he saw the white wall of the new mud wall in the North Pavilion. Amethyst held a broom and dipped it in mud juice. The words "abbot of the book" made the audience feel like a city. Xi's opinion lamented beauty and asked who did it. Answer Yunqilang. "Xi Shu Friends Cloud": "Amethyst Bai Fei has good intentions."
These two stories are more about how much Wang Xizhi, as a father, values and encourages his son Wang Xianzhi. The real battle between father and son began after Wang Xianzhi grew up, and it was Xie An who triggered the play!
There is a dialogue between Xie An and Wang Xianzhi in the Book Score:
An Chang asked Jing, "How is Qing Shu like the right army?" Answer the cloud:' Therefore, we should win.' An yun: Parr. Amethyst replied, "I knew it when I was there." "
Later, reading Shi Shuo Xin Yu also had this dialogue:
Xie Gong asked Amethyst, "How can your book be respected like your family?" Answer:' It's definitely different. The public said,' outsiders are different.' The king said, "Everyone outside knows." "
The only difference between "so, we win" and "so, we are different" is "victory and difference", but I personally think that the description in Shi Shuo Xin Yu is more in line with the father-son relationship. As a son, Wang Xianzhi is conceited and humble, and the so-called reasonable is more humble.
Of course, what we can see from this conversation is not only the struggle between the two kings and their sons, but also one aspect. In the Eastern Jin Dynasty, everyone thought that the Great King was younger than Wang Qiang, and Wang Xizhi was the leader of the book circle in Wei and Jin Dynasties.
The copy of Wang Xizhi's "Two Letters of Thanks" is still in the collection of Sanzhi Bay in the Japanese Imperial Palace.
Dongshan Song Tie, a cursive script from Wang Xianzhi, Shaanxi Province, also known as New Generation Post and Dongshan Post, is printed in paper and ink, with a length of 22.8cm and a width of 22.3cm and four lines.
But in the Qi-Liang period, the situation suddenly changed a lot. "Everyone in the world respects books", "I know nothing about the Yuan Dynasty, and neither do Yu". What I mean here is that Yuan often refers to Zhong You and Wang Xizhi. "Prime Minister in the Mountain" Tao Hongjing said this in a letter to the then emperor Liang Wudi Xiao Yan. (Tao Hongjing's book on Liang Wudi). Tao Hongjing said this sentence less than 200 years after Wang Xizhi's death. Moreover, he is not the only one who has such an evaluation. Yuan Ang, a painter in the Liang Dynasty, also said in the Book Review of Ancient and Modern Times: "The wonder of Zhang Zhi, the unique of Zhong You, can escape and contribute to the world."
Thus, Wang Xianzhi really surpassed his father Wang Xizhi in social prestige and calligraphy status in a certain period, such as the Qi and Liang Dynasties!
Emperor Taizong personally crowned Wang Xizhi, and the status of a book saint was determined from then on! The title of "book saint" should be seen at the earliest in Li Simiao's book The Right Army is just like the four seasons of Yin and Yang, which is smooth in cold and heat ... it can be described as a book saint. If the grass, the miscellaneous body, such as the breeze out of the sleeve, will be in my arms next month ... It can be said that the grass is also holy. ..... "Since then, there have been more and more calls for Wang Xizhi to be a" book saint ".
Before or at the same time, there have been different views on Wang Xizhi's calligraphy:
Yu Hu's "On the Desk": "The book of Xi is not strange at first, but invincible. This is the ultimate in its last few years. " He also said: "Zhong and Zhang were good at beauty, and the two kings were called English at the end of Jin Dynasty", which actually expressed that Wang Xizhi had not reached the level of surpassing everyone at that time.
The most severe criticism of Wang Xizhi's calligraphy was in the Tang Dynasty. Zhang Huaiguan, a native of the Tang Dynasty, criticized Wang Xizhi in "On Books": "I have less grass, more talented women, no husband's spirit, and less expensive." "If you are not so relaxed, your rhythm is not high, and your kung fu is less. Although you are round and beautiful, you lack air. You are not as awesome as you are, nor as vivid as you are, so you are not as good as Zi Chu. " Han Yu made it more clear. He said, "Wang Xizhi's calligraphy is very good, although it is beautiful.
However, all these criticisms and controversies stopped after Li Shimin wrote a biography of Wang Xizhi with the respect of the emperor. He said, "These figures (referring to Zhong You, Wang Xianzhi, etc.). ) are all exaggerated. " "Looking closely at ancient and modern times and studying the elements of seal script is perfect, but it is only Wang Yi." Finally, put Wang Xizhi's calligraphy above all calligraphers! From then on, when Wang Xizhi was crowned as a book saint, there would be no second person to rotate, and even Wang Xianzhi would only return to Xiao Wang forever!