Yuan Dynasty
Xian Yushu
Xian Yushu(1246-1302), who styled himself Boji and Kunxueshanmin, came from Jixian county, Beijing. He was a doctor of Guan Taichang. His writing fame was achieved in running script and cursive script. His cursive style was learned from Huai Su, but had a creation of its own. His writing was various yet vigorous. Zhao Mengfu, once said that, "I study cursive style together with Boji, but Boji writes so better than me. I try my best but still cannot catch up with him. People say I am good at calligraphy, but I think I do not deserve such praise." What Zhao Mengfu said shows his highly remark on Xian Yushu. The works of these two persons are also called "Two Masters".
His major works include "The Cursive Writing of lyrics of Du Fu to General Wei", "Comments on Cursive Writing", "A Cursive Writing of Han Yu's lyrics on Stone Drum", "Morality of Laozi Volume".
The Cursive Writing of lyrics of Du Fu to General Wei
"The Cursive Writing of lyrics of Du Fu to General Wei" (a cursive script of the poems that Du Fu wrote for General Wei) by Xian Yushu
It is a written copy in the cursive running script. The work is free and vigorous. The imposing manner of strokes is stretched with fluent use of ink and energy, as if they were all finished in one stroke. Some of the pause points do not vary in the use of strokes, but are famous for its great vigor. Xian Yushu learned such calligraphic writing method from Huai Su, but also had a style of his own and achieved high artistic success. The work is now kept in the Palace Museum of Beijing.
Zhao Mengfu
Zhao Mengfu (1254－1322), who styled himself Zi'ang and Songxue Daoren, from Wuxing, Zhejiang Province, was a painter and literature in Yuan Dynasty. He was a descendant of the son of Emperor Taizu of Song Dynasty, but only in Yuan Dynasty, was he able to be an officer. He was a member of the Imperial Academy, grand master for glorious happiness of Yuan Dynasty, and later was honored as Weiguogong (an honorable title, means the prime minister of Wei Country) with the posthumous title Wenmin. He was also very good at music, identifying antiques. His poems were very pure, free and unusual, but he was most famous for his writing and painting. His seal character, Zhou character (a writing style of Chou Dynasty), clerical script, regular script and cursive style were all very good, and his regular style and running script have a profound influence on calligraphy. The book "The History of Yuan Dynasty" said "Zhao Mengfu did so well in seal character, Zhou character ( a writing style of Chou Dynasty),clerical script, regular script and cursive style that he got has fame because of such talents." His writing is a combination of the styles Jin and Tang Dynasty. His contemporary calligraphers appreciated him highly, saying: "his regular script is very similar to "Luoshen Fu"( The song for the Goddess of River Luo), but get more praises than it; his running script is very similar to that of "Shengjiao Xu", yet is more exquisite than that; his cursive script is similar to "Seventeen Tie" yet has its own shape." He was listed later as one of the top four men who were good at regular script "Yan (Yang Zhenqing), Liu (Liu Zongyuan), Ou (OuYang Xiu), Zhao (Zhao Mengfu)".
His major works include "Luoshen Fu" (an ode for the goddess of River Luo), "Morality Jing" "Danba Tie", "Xuanmiaoguanchongxiu sanmenji" single book "Lanting shiyi Ba".
Danbabei（局部）
"Danbabei" ( the stele about sault)
This stele was written by Zhao Mengfu at the request of Emperor, Yuanrenzong, of Yuan Dynasty. This was the representative work of Zhao Mengfu in his later time, as he wrote the work at the age of 63. Wang Shizhen of Ming Dynasty thought that the works in his later part of life, could "be compared to that of Li Yong". This work has a delicate, bold, natural and powerful style, with innocent and free charms in the solemn part of the work, lifted stroke and upstanding character, which shows the beauty of Zhao Mengfu's calligraphic style. Zhao tried to imitate the method of writing of "Yuelusibei" by Li yong, but Zhao's characters are more stretched and relaxed compared to the work of Li Yong, by turnning the risky and twisted part of Li Yong's work into a solemn, bold and vigorous style. His use of the brush and strokes are much better than Wang Xizhi and Wang Xianzhi, with a serious primitive simplicity, and a represent of the "joys of vigor". The work is now kept in the palace Museum of Beijing.
Xingshuzhizha Volume（局部）
"Xingshuzhizha Volume" (a volume of ten works in running script) by Zhao Mengfu
Zhang Mengfu was worthy to be honored as the leader of the calligraphy in Yuan Dynasty. These ten works were the letters between friends and families, which are quite random and informal, and naturally reveals his characters, interests and accomplishments. The works are blended with regular script and cursive script, which complement each other well. Compared to the standard writing, the shapes of Zhao's characters are quite rare and strange, varied with more rises and falls, which reveals the simple, gentle and graceful taste of Zhao. The writing is tactful, elegant and varied in shapes, which echoes the unique artistic style: round, smooth and proficient.
Kangli Naonao
Kangli Naonao(1295-1345), who styled himself Zishan, was a Mongolian. He was a famous calligrapher of the minority people in Yuan Dynasty. He received a lot Han people's education and culture, and later was the teacher of Emperor,Wenzong and Emperor,Shundi. His learned his regular script from Yu Shinan and Zhong Yao, running script from Yixian. Inspired by the writing of Wang Xizhi and Wang Xianzhi, his writing was especially fluent, round and vigorous, with a style of its own. The book " The History of Yuan Dynasty" said "the cursive writing of Kangli Naonao, was said to have the style of Jin Dynasty by calligraphers; therefore, even one piece of the writing was cherished as gold by people whoever saw it." his writing got a fame which equaled to that of Zhao Mengfu, Xuan Yushu, Deng Wenyuan. That's why people say "Nao in North and Zhao in South".
His major works include "Zhelongshuo Volume", "Seven-character-ancient-verse by Myself", "Old Verse of Li Bai", "Biography of Liu Zongyuan" and so on.
Zhiyanzhongchidu
"Zhiyanzhongchidu", (a letter for Yan Zhong) by Kangli Naonao
This letter has the style of Wang Xizhi and Wang Xianzhi, but do not contain the beauty of ending strokes as perfect as Zhao Mengfu, neither does it has various strokes within a character. Instead, it values the flow of the strokes. The whole work is very grand and unusual threaded by one stroke, thanks to the calm and vigorous strokes, which shows his profound artistic ability in calligraphy. The work is now kept in the Palace Museum of Tai Bei, Taiwan.
