【Calligraphers of the Three Kingdoms】Cai Yong – a calligrapher whose daughter was even more famous

Cai Yong’s courtesy name was Bojie; he was born in 133 and died in 192. He was a highly renowned literary figure and calligrapher during the Eastern Han dynasty in China. He was also the father of the famous talented woman Cai Wenji. Since he had reached the rank of Lieutenant General while serving in the government, our descendants have come to call him “Cai Zhonglang”. Cai Yong was not only strategic in his official duties but also possessed outstanding talent. He mainly studied under the famous scholar Hu Guang and learned a great deal from him. Cai Yong was not only skilled in literary arts such as prose and poetry, but he was also proficient in calligraphy, with a particular focus on the official script and seal script. Among these styles, his mastery of the official script was the greatest; his skill level was high both at that time and even today. At that time, some people commented that Cai Yong’s calligraphy was \"characterized by strength and clarity, as well as a vibrant energy.\" The “Feibai” calligraphy style he created had a profound impact on later generations. Zhang Huaiguan of the Tang Dynasty, in his work \"Shu Duan,\" described Cai Yong’s \"Fei Bai\" calligraphy style as \"extraordinarily wonderful, possessing a divine level of skill.\" This shows just how highly later generations regarded Cai Yong’s calligraphy, and it also illustrates the profound influence that Cai Yong’s artistic style had on those who came after him.

Cai Yong was not only a famous writer and calligrapher, but also a person with great filial piety. Cai Yong exemplified to the best of his ability the traditional values of putting filial piety first and believing that a harmonious family leads to success in all matters, setting a fine example for future generations. The calligraphy works and excellent qualities left by Cai Yong have influenced generations of people. Cai Yong was highly renowned for his calligraphy; he was skilled in seal script and official script, and he created the Feibai style. Cai Yong’s calligraphy featured a variety of styles that were highly aesthetic, and he was greatly admired by later generations. In his early years, Cai Yong developed a strong interest in calligraphy and copied numerous works by preceding artists. During the process of copying, Cai Yong was good at summarizing calligraphy techniques, integrating them, and gradually developing his own calligraphy style.

In his book “Shu Duan,” Zhang Huai guan of the Tang Dynasty evaluated Cai Yong’s calligraphy works as follows: “His style is endlessly varied; it embodies the utmost expressiveness of artistic talent, making him unparalleled throughout history.” During the reign of Emperor Ling of Han, when Cai Yong was compiling the texts of the Six Classics, he found many spelling errors in them; to prevent future scholars from being misled, he took action. Cai Yong submitted a request to Emperor Ling of Han, hoping that these texts could be corrected. Emperor Ling of Han granted Cai Yong’s request. Subsequently, Cai Yong himself wrote the inscriptions on the stele, and then he found craftsmen to engrave those words on it. After the engraving was completed, a total of 46 stone tablets were made, all of which were placed outside the gates of the Imperial Academy and came to be known as the \"Hongdu Stone Classics\". Later generations, while appreciating these ornamental stones, also admired Cai Yong’s calligraphy art. Cai Yong’s official script and seal script possess a sense of symmetry and beauty, with a rigorous structure in the characters. In addition, Cai Yong’s calligraphy features a variety of styles; he paid attention to the way in which the ends of the characters are written, giving them a sense of solidity. When it comes to Cai Yong’s calligraphy works, his own invented style of calligraphy known as “Fei Bai” must be mentioned. When the craftsman wrote on the wall, it inspired Cai Yong, who then created the \"Feibai style\" of writing. In Cai Yong’s feibai style of writing, there is a slight amount of space between the strokes, which adds to its elegant and ethereal feel. To make the script more aesthetically pleasing, Cai Yong paid attention to the way he held the pen while writing. Cai Yong’s calligraphy works possess both a sense of strength and an air of elegance, which is why they hold great aesthetic value.

The Xiaping Stone Inscriptions were created over a period of nine years, from the fourth year of the Xiaping era to the sixth year of the Guanghe era in the Eastern Han Dynasty (175–184), and were erected in front of the former Imperial Academy in Luoyang, Henan. It was proposed for establishment by renowned scholars such as Cai Yong, Tang Xi Dian, Yang Ci, and Ma Ridian. There are a total of forty-six stones, with the remaining stones housed in the Luoyang Museum, the Xi’an Stele Forest, and the Beijing Library. The calligraphy of the Xi Ping Stone Inscriptions is a typical example of the regular and straightforward style characteristic of the mature period of Han official script. As it is an official masterpiece, the person who wrote the inscriptions must surely be a master of the calibur of Cai Yong. Take the inscribed stones of the Book of Changes as an example for a brief analysis. Its structure is square and orderly; every character is perfectly formed with great precision. The arrangement of the strokes is even and meticulous, leaving nothing to be improved. The writing uses both round and square strokes, combining firmness with softness; it is graceful yet strong, elegant and refined, with a grandeur akin to that of palaces and temples. Emperor Wu of Liang wrote in his Book Reviews: “Cai Yong’s calligraphy possesses a bold and straightforward style, with a vigor as if infused by divine power.” ”This is believable when seen. Fan Wenlan’s A Concise History of China states: “The art of writing during the Han dynasties reached its pinnacle with Cai Yong’s creation of the stone inscriptions.” ……Stone inscriptions represent a summary of calligraphy from the Han dynasties. ”When it is for the argument. In recent years, some have also criticized it for being too rigid, labeling it as the \"Academy School\". In fact, it is orderly without being rigid, serene yet full of vitality; it cannot be compared to the stiff and lifeless style of calligraphy characteristic of the Ming and Qing dynasties. It is for this reason that the Xi Ping Stone Inscriptions represent the pinnacle of Han dynasty official script; not only were they regarded as a model of calligraphy at that time, but their influence also extended far and wide. The transition from clerical script to regular script in Chinese characters saw the Xiaping Stone Inscriptions play a bridging role.

I dare not comment on such calligraphy appreciation!