Jianjizhi Biao

Zhong Yao (151－230), also named Zhong Yuanchang, was a native of Changge Counting of Henan Province during the Three Kingdoms Period. According to historical records, he once served in the government as taifu (an important official who assisted a ruler in governing a country) hence his another name Zhong Taifu.

As a small boy, Zhong studied under such famous calligraphers as Cao Xi, Cai Yong and Liu Desheng, the cream of the crop. He developed adept skills at all kinds of scripts, and was especially good at kaishu (regular script). His calligraphy, simple but well-organized in structure and natural in handwriting, represented a transition from lishu (official script) to kaishu.

According to a legend, Zhong Yao found the authentic work of Cai Yong (a famous painter of the Han Dynasty) at Wei Dan's (a calligraphy of his time) home. He got so excited at the discovery that he had a heart attack and died right away. When Cao Cao (Emperor of the Wei State during the Three Kingdoms Period) learned of his death, he took out his panacea and saved Zhong from death. Later, after Wei Dan died, Zhong ordered people to open his grave and he finally got the handwriting of Cai Yong, from which he appreciated the essence in the practice of calligraphy.

Once when lecturing on calligraphy to his son - Zhong Hui - he said, "I have been studying calligraphy for more than 30 years. Whenever I meet a friend, we will discuss calligraphy by writing on the ground. My bedclothes were lacerated due my practice on them with my hand. I also imitated the living things in nature from the calligraphic point of view."

For his achievements in kaishu (regular script), he was peered with Wang Xizhi, the calligraphy sage, referred to as "Zhong Wang."

His calligraphic works were given great importance in the dynasties to follow, but authentic works of his no longer exist, leaving only duplicates made during the Song Dynasty. His masterpies were Xuanshi Biao and Jianjizhi Biao.

Author: Jessie