Chinese calligraphy, as one of the “Four Arts of the Chinese Scholar,” was and still is a highly valued skill in Chinese history. Among all the calligraphers, Wang Xizhi (303-361 CE) is considered by many to be the most significant Chinese calligrapher of all time. While he is capable in all scripts, he is best known for writing what is now widely accepted as the best running (semi-cursive) script work of all time: the Preface to the Poems Composed at the Orchid Pavilion.
Collectively known as the “Two Wang,” Wang Xizhi and his youngest son Wang Xianzhi (344-386 CE) are both among the “Four Great Calligraphers” (书中四贤). Like his father, Wang Xianzhi is a master of all scripts. And as the excellent calligrapher Wang Xianzhi is, he expanded on his father’s practices, developing his own style and creating the “one-stroke” cursive script (一笔书), which some experts attribute as the inspiration for the format of wild-cursive calligraphy (狂草).
For a brief period of one hundred fifty years between the end of the Jin Dynasty (266-420 CE) and the Liang Dynasty (502-557 CE), Wang Xianzhi was actually more highly regarded than his father. It wasn’t until the Tang Dynasty that Emperor Taizong’s personal opinion convinced the public that the father’s work was superior to his son's. Regardless, it is undeniable that Wang Xianzhi was a great calligrapher. But, of course, no one was born that way.
Wang Xianzhi began learning calligraphy with his father when he was around seven years old. One day, Wang Xizhi crept up to Wang Xianzhi while he was practicing calligraphy and tried to yank his mao’bi away, but the brush stood firmly in his hands. That was when Wang Xizhi knew his son was calligraphy material.
After some time, Wang Xianzhi asked his parents when he would be able to match his father in calligraphy. Wang Xizhi pointed to the barrels in the backyard and said, “You will be ready once you finish all eighteen barrels.” Wang Xianzhi, who received many praises for his writing before, thought the gap between him and his father was much smaller and was not happy with the answer given.
Five years later, Wang Xianzhi thought he was ready. He showed his father his collection of calligraphy, but Wang Xizhi was not satisfied with any of them. He added a dot to the word 大, turning the word to 太, before leaving. Wang Xianzhi, understandably unhappy with the reaction from his father, went to show his work to his mother.
His mother looked through the writings before sighing, “You went through three barrels of water already, but only that dot in 太 truly reached your father’s level.” Wang Xianzhi was humbled by this experience and finally put his mind to practicing calligraphy. Eventually, he went through all eighteen barrels and became the renowned calligrapher he is today.
