As an accomplished calligrapher, Mi's achievements were totally a result of his strenuous hard work. He kept practicing by the side of a pond every day. As historical records show, "A day without practicing calligraphy is dull and uninteresting." Once he was writing a poem, but even after writing that four times, he remained content with only two characters.

Beside his high-standard calligraphic works, Mi also wrote many theoretical books on calligraphy, such as Shu Shi (The History of Calligraphy) and Ping Zi Tie (An Evaluation of Calligraphic Works), which exhibited his prominent insights and unique appreciative abilities.

Calligraphic works handed down by Mi Fu include Shanhu Tie, Shusu Tie and Tianma Fu, etc.

  Cai Xiang

Cai Xiang, styled Cai Junmo, was a native of Xinghua (present-day Xianyou of Fujian Province ). Having passed the Imperial Exam as a jinshi in his teens, Cai served in various government posts and was respected for his loyalty, integrity, and profound knowledge. Of the four famous calligraphers of the Song Dynasty, Cai Xiang, the eldest among them, was the only one who took to kaishu (regular script).

His calligraphy, dignified and vigorous with a quiet beauty, enjoyed a good reputation and was widely admired during his lifetime. Historical materials show that royals to common people cherished his calligraphy a lot. Among fans were Su Shi and Ouyang Xiu (a famous poet of the Song Dynasty), who wrote articles in praise of him. Though Cai Xiang was never labeled to any certain calligraphic school, his calligraphy largely followed the style and system of the Jin and Tang dynasties, with a slighter awareness of innovation. He was seen as an indispensable figure in the development of Song calligraphy, acting as a bridge between Jin and Tang calligraphy and the interests of people in the Song Dynasty.

As Cai was a modest man, he seldom wrote for others, hence only a few calligraphic works of his were handed down, including ink marks such as Zi Shu Shi Tie and Tao Sheng Tie, stele inscriptions such as Wan'anqiao Ji and Zhoujintang Ji.

Author: Jessie