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Wang Xizhi

The Academy of Contemporary China and World StudiesUpdated:  August 30, 2024

Wang Xizhi

Wang Xizhi (303-361), who lived in the Eastern Jin Dynasty (317-420), was the only calligrapher in Chinese history to be honored with the title of "Sage of Calligraphy". His most famous masterpiece was the Preface to the Orchid Pavilion Collection, which has been hailed as one of the world's finest pieces of running style calligraphy and is highly revered by generations of calligraphers.

Wang's calligraphy style is characterized by its gentle and natural flow, with brushstrokes that are elegant and subtle yet structurally varied. He was adept in various scripts, including clerical, cursive, regular, and running, and was able to draw inspiration from others to create a new style of calligraphy that departed from that of the Han and Wei dynasties. Wang's calligraphic legacy also extended beyond China, as his works were introduced to countries such as Japan and Korea during the Tang Dynasty (618-907) and exerted a profound influence on the development of calligraphy in these regions.

王羲之

东晋书法家王羲之(303—361),是中国历史上唯一被冠以“书圣”的书法家,《兰亭集序》是其最著名的代表作,被后人称为“天下第一行书”,为世代书法家所景仰。

王羲之的书法平和自然,笔势委婉含蓄,遒美健秀,用笔细腻、结构多变,兼擅隶、草、楷、行各体,并能博采众长、融会贯通,摆脱了汉魏笔风,自成一家,创造了一代书法新风格,成为中国历代书法家临摹范本。在唐代,王羲之的书法传播到海外,对日本、韩国等国的书法艺术发展影响深远。

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