Life

Historical sources

Much of what is known about Wang Xizhi's life is derived from letters that he wrote during his lifetime and historical texts such as the (世说新语) and the (晋书). Wang makes 47 appearances within the 1,130 historical anecdotes of the , which was originally compiled during the 5th century. These anecdotes describe his interactions with contemporaries such as the statesman Xie An and the poet Sun Chuo. The , which details the history of the Jin dynasty (266–420), contains his official biography in its 80th volume. The work was commissioned in the 7th century by Emperor Taizong of Tang, who personally wrote a postscript to Wang's biography declaring him the greatest calligrapher in history.

Modern scholars have questioned the reliability and accuracy of these early sources. Xiaofei Tian, a scholar of Chinese literature, writes that the compilers of the , in an attempt to evoke feelings of nostalgia, were often "willing to sacrifice historical accuracy for the sake of a good story". Matthew V. Wells suggests that Emperor Taizong's unusual degree of involvement in the compilation of the may have been motivated by a desire to create a pro-imperial work and revise the presentation of historical events for his own purposes. In his analysis of the biography of Wang Dao, the uncle of Wang Xizhi, Wells observes that its authors selectively omitted anecdotes from the that were unflattering or otherwise did not depict Wang Dao as a model statesman. Because many other historical accounts of the Jin dynasty have not survived, the and the continue to be referenced as rich sources of information about the era, despite their limitations.

Early years and family

Wang Xizhi was born in Linyi in Langya Commandery (present-day Linyi, Shandong). During his childhood, his personal name was A'tu (阿菟). He was later given the courtesy name Yishao (逸少), and adopted the studio name Danzhai (澹斋). He was a member of an aristocratic family, the Wang clan of Langya, and his father, Wang Kuang (王旷), was the governor of Huainan. With the collapse of the Western Jin dynasty following the capture and execution of Emperor Huai, the Wang family fled to southern China and helped establish the Eastern Jin in 317. Together with other aristocratic immigrants such as the Xie clan of Chen, they dominated the regional politics of this period.

In his youth, Wang had difficulties with his speech, but he became a skilled orator later in life. He studied calligraphy under the tutelage of Wei Shuo, also known as "Lady Wei", who was Wang Kuang's cousin. Wang Kuang was also involved in his son's lessons, working with Wei to teach him the techniques of the calligrapher Cai Yong. Wei Shuo was a specialist in the clerical, regular, and semi-cursive script styles of Chinese calligraphy, and gave lessons on selection of calligraphy supplies, proper posture, and basic stroke techniques. Wang Xizhi also learned calligraphy from his uncle, Wang Yi (王廙), a painter and calligrapher who was married to the sister of Emperor Yuan of Jin. After his parents died, Wang Xizhi lived in the household of his uncle Wang Dao, a prominent politician and the patriarch of the Wang family. Wang Dao helped suppress attempted coups by his cousin Wang Dun in 322 and 324. Wang Xizhi's reaction to these conflicts between his uncles, which ultimately resulted in Wang Dun's death in 324, left him with a distaste for political and military affairs.

Around the year 323, Wang became engaged to Xi Xuan, the eldest daughter of the military general Xi Jian. In a well-known anecdote from the and the , Xi Jian sent an emissary to Wang Dao's household to find a suitable husband for his daughter. While the other young men flaunted themselves in fine clothing, an indifferent Wang Xizhi arrived late and sprawled across a bed, with his robes open and belly exposed due to the heat. The emissary was impressed by his spontaneity and reported back to Xi Jian, who agreed to the match. Xi Xuan was also skilled at calligraphy. She and Wang had eight recorded children: seven sons – Xuanzhi, Ningzhi, Huanzhi, Suzhi, Huizhi, Caozhi, and Xianzhi – and one daughter, Mengjiang. Wang Xianzhi, their youngest son, became a renowned calligrapher in his own right, and he and Wang Xizhi were later praised as the "Two Wangs" or "Two Kings" (二王).

Political career

Wang Xizhi was appointed to various government positions between 324 and 354. He started as an assistant in the Palace Library, and he served as a companion and mentor to the future Emperor Jianwen of Jin. Around the year 334, he became the military aide to the general Yu Liang, who later praised him as "pure and noble, a man with discriminating judgment". Wang was named governor of Linchuan (present-day Linchuan, Jiangxi) in 336. After declining several offers from Wang Dao to serve in the Department of Personnel, he became the regional inspector of Jiangzhou (near present-day Huangmei County, Hubei) and received the title of "General Who Brings Repose to the Distance" . In 346, he was reluctantly persuaded by his friend Yin Hao to accept the appointment of "General Who Defends the Army".

He then requested an appointment as the administrator of Xuancheng (present-day Xuancheng, Anhui), so that he could focus on his cultural interests in a remote area, away from dynastic politics. He was instead appointed administrator of Kuaiji (present-day Shaoxing, Zhejiang), and moved there with his family in 347. That same year, he received his highest title, (右军将军; "General of the Right Army"). Because of this title, he later received the nickname "Wang Youjun" (王右军). Despite his military titles, Wang disliked war, never engaged in warfare himself, and often tried to prevent armed conflicts. He unsuccessfully attempted to convince Yin Hao, who was in a fierce rivalry with the ambitious general Huan Wen, to abandon his plans to lead an army into northern China; Yin Hao's expeditions ultimately ended in failure.

Orchid Pavilion Gathering

On 22 April 353, Wang hosted 41 of his friends, relatives, and pupils at the Orchid Pavilion on Mount Kuaiji for the Double Third Festival, which was celebrated annually on the third day of the third month of the Chinese calendar. Originating as a spring purification ritual, the festival became popular among scholars who gathered each year to discuss philosophical topics, compose poetry, and drink rice wine.

Wang's gathering included six of his sons (Xuanzhi, Ningzhi, Huanzhi, Suzhi, Huizhi, and Xianzhi), as well as Xie An, Sun Chuo, and the Buddhist monk Zhi Dun. The participants of the Orchid Pavilion Gathering took part in a "winding stream party", a customary drinking game in which they composed poetry while cups containing rice wine floated down the stream towards them. Those who were able to compose two poems before the cups reached them would have to drink only one cup of wine, whereas those who were unsuccessful had to drink more. The scholars composed a total of 41 poems that day.

The (兰亭集序; "Preface to the Poems Composed at the Orchid Pavilion"), the most famous calligraphic work attributed to Wang (though its authenticity has been debated), is a preface to the collection of poems that were written that day. The Orchid Pavilion Gathering has been described as "one of the most famous events in Chinese literary history". It has been depicted in numerous works of art and literature, and features as a prominent theme in paintings from the Song and Ming dynasties in China and the Edo period in Japan.

Retirement and later years

In 355, Wang announced that he would resign from governmental service. This decision was precipitated when Wang Shu, a political rival, was appointed regional inspector of Yangzhou and gained oversight of Kuaiji and Wang Xizhi's administration. The two men had personally feuded for many years. Wang Shu subsequently opened an investigation into Kuaiji's finances, alleging that Wang Xizhi had mishandled the collection of taxes in the region. Resolving to leave his position rather than continue working under his new superior, Wang Xizhi retired, citing ill health.

After his retirement, Wang moved to Jinting (present-day Shengzhou, Zhejiang) and devoted himself to Taoist practices. The Wang clan of Langya were well-known adherents of the Way of the Celestial Masters movement of Taoism, and Wang's letters indicate that he was a follower of this movement as well. On one occasion when his granddaughter was ill, he composed a written confession of his own perceived moral failings, believing that these were linked to her illness and that he needed to petition the celestial masters to heal her. He regularly collected medicinal herbs that were believed to grant longevity, and together with his brother-in-law Xi Yin, he practiced (abstinence from cereals). During his lifetime, he transcribed several Taoist texts, including the (黄庭经; "Yellow Court Classic").

Wang died . Details about the circumstances of his death are unknown, but he had frequently mentioned his poor health in his letters to others. The maladies that were detailed in the letters include fatigue and weakness, insomnia, gastrointestinal issues, chronic pain, and chest discomfort. He sought out many treatments and therapies such as acupuncture, moxibustion, and various medicinal substances, including the psychoactive and toxic Cold-Food Powder which may have exacerbated his symptoms. He has been traditionally believed to be buried in a tomb in Jinting, which has become a major tourist attraction in Shengzhou. Some modern scholarship has suggested that he may have been actually buried in Jiankang (present-day Nanjing, Jiangsu), the capital of the Eastern Jin, alongside other members of his family.

Calligraphy

Provenance

The first known collector of Wang's calligraphy was Huan Xuan, a Jin dynasty warlord who collected two wrappers (each containing approximately ten scrolls) of works by Wang Xizhi and his son, Wang Xianzhi. Another early collector, Duke Hui, was tricked by dealers who soaked forgeries in dirty water to make them appear older and then sold them as originals. The emperors of the Liu Song dynasty (420–479) were enthusiastic art collectors whose imperial collection included many pieces by the Two Wangs. Emperor Xiaowu obtained ten scrolls of Wang Xizhi's calligraphy from private collectors, but collected many forgeries as well. A violent palace revolt during the reign of Liu Ziye caused the imperial collection to be scattered. His successor, Emperor Ming, reassembled and expanded the collection and tasked an expert calligrapher with cataloguing and authenticating the pieces. In total, 52 wrappers containing 520 scrolls of works by the Two Wangs were documented at the time. Over the next century, emperors continued to acquire new works of calligraphy, reacquire stolen ones, and hire expert authenticators. After Emperor Yuan of Liang reportedly set fire to his collection of 240,000 scrolls as an enemy army was approaching the capital, only about 4,000 scrolls were able to be salvaged from the ashes; it is unknown how many of these were produced by Wang.

Emperor Taizong of Tang, a great admirer of Wang, amassed a collection of over 2,000 of his works (including originals and copies) and required that the imperial court scholars study his calligraphic techniques. The emperor was particularly fascinated with the and went to great lengths to obtain the original, which he ordered to be buried in his mausoleum upon his death. He employed calligraphers to make tracing copies of the and other works by Wang, using semitransparent tracing paper that was placed over the original versions. They also produced copies using the ink rubbing technique, which involved carving a tracing copy into a stone block, placing a thin sheet of paper over the engraving, and pounding an inkpad onto the surface to transfer the characters to the paper. This process was more efficient than tracing by hand, but it was also less accurate. These reproductions, along with the creation of an imperial office to teach calligraphy to young scholars in the capital, firmly established Wang and his style as the defining standard for Chinese calligraphy. According to the art historian Lothar Ledderose, Emperor Taizong was the "one man who did most for the propagation of the Wang Xizhi tradition".

The emperors of the Song dynasty continued to promote reproductions of Wang's calligraphy. Around this time, the "Dingwu stone", an engraving of the made by Ouyang Xun and widely considered to be most faithful to the original, was discovered in the Hebei province. During the Ming dynasty, Wang's works were mainly promoted by private collectors who accumulated compilation albums of his rubbings. In the present day, there are no known surviving original works by Wang Xizhi. The earliest extant reproductions of his work were produced during the Tang dynasty, including a small number of tracing copies. Numerous rubbings exist – including many copies of the Dingwu stone – but these have likely become less accurate over the centuries as inaccuracies are propagated over time when new engravings are made from older rubbings.

Technique and style

Wang is known for his proficiency in multiple Chinese script styles, particularly the regular, semi-cursive, and cursive forms. His calligraphy also contains traces of patterns found in the early seal script style, according to an analysis by Dong Qichang, an art theorist and calligrapher of the Ming dynasty who studied the stylistic effects of the brush tip in Wang's works. Although he produced famous works in multiple script styles, he remains best known for his innovations in semi-cursive script, the style of the . His works vary in length from a few lines to several hundred characters and, apart from the and his letters to others, are largely copies of existing texts.

A hallmark of Wang's calligraphy, according to the art historian Robert E. Harrist Jr., is the presence of "brushstrokes that are carefully formed and create a sense of disciplined energy flowing down the page", even for text that appears to have been rapidly written. He regularly experimented with varying the speed and direction of the brush, resulting in distinctive visual characteristics in different instances of recurring strokes. In the , for instance, characters that are repeated have different visual forms, creating a sense of spontaneity that reflects the scene during which it was written. In contrast to the relatively wide characters typically seen in clerical script, Wang's characters were more vertically elongated and compact.

The study of Wang's style is challenged by the lack of surviving original works. In debating the differences between Wang's calligraphy and archaeological texts produced by other writers around the same time period, some scholars have questioned the relative influence of Wang versus the Tang calligraphers who copied his pieces. Ledderose observes that the works attributed to Wang vary widely in style, precision, and balance, making a "correct assessment of his personal contribution quite difficult".

Representative works

Written in regular script:

• (乐毅论; "Essay on Yue Yi"): a transcription of an essay authored by Xiahou Xuan about Yue Yi, a military general during the Warring States period. Copied by Wang in 348, it is generally regarded as the best example of his regular script.

• (黄庭经; "Yellow Court Classic"): a transcription of a Taoist text describing methods of meditation. There are two versions of this text; the shorter one was copied by Wang in 356.

• (东方朔画赞; "Eulogy to a Portrait of Dongfang Shuo"): a transcription of a text authored by the poet Xiaohou Chen about a portrait of Dongfang Shuo, a court jester of the Han dynasty. Wang's original copy, written in 356, was reportedly buried in the tomb of his relative, Wang Xiu.

Written in semi-cursive script:

• (兰亭集序; "Preface to the Poems Composed at the Orchid Pavilion"): Wang's most celebrated work of calligraphy, composed in 353 at the Orchid Pavilion Gathering.

• (丧乱帖; "Letter of Distress and Indignation"): a letter from Wang expressing despair that he is unable to mourn at his ancestors' tombs in the conquered north. Records indicate that a tracing copy was preserved in the Japanese imperial household and donated to the Shōsōin treasure house in the 8th century.

• (孔侍中帖; "Letter to Kong"): a letter from Wang asking about the well-being of one of his friends. Like the , a tracing copy of this letter was among a Japanese imperial collection of Wang's calligraphy that was later donated to the Shōsōin.

• (快雪时晴帖; "Sudden Clearing after a Lively Snowfall"): a letter from Wang addressed to a "Marquis of Zhang" in which he remarks on the clear weather.

• (奉橘帖; "Letter on Presenting Oranges"): a letter from Wang to a friend to accompany a gift of 300 oranges. It is Wang's shortest known letter, comprising 12 characters.

• (行穰帖; "Ritual to Pray for Good Harvest"): a 15-character fragment of a letter from Wang. Though the art historian Zhang Yanyuan identified the second half of the letter containing the remaining 17 characters, the meaning of the letter is still unclear. Wang appears to reference a ritual or ceremony involving the addressee and nine others. The is the only tracing copy of Wang's calligraphy held in a Western collection (the Princeton University Art Museum).

Written in cursive script:

• (十七贴; "Seventeen Posts"): a collection of 29 letters from Wang that were reportedly later engraved during the Tang dynasty. The name of the collection is derived from the first two characters in the opening letter.

• (王略帖; "National Territory"): a letter from Wang that was later owned by Mi Fu, a calligrapher of the Song dynasty, who treasured it and described it as "the foremost writing in existence".

Debates on authenticity

The complicated textual history of Wang's calligraphy has led to debates over the authenticity of his works, primarily the . During the Song dynasty, the poets Jiang Kui and Lu You began to question the authenticity of the preface. Several centuries later, some scholars of the Qing dynasty rejected the claim that Wang produced the based on arguments that it did not include characters written in clerical script, that its semi-cursive script may not have been developed until after Wang's lifetime, and that it was inconsistent with another recorded version, the (临河序; "Preface to the Riverbank Gathering"). They instead hypothesized that it was written by a later calligrapher of the Sui or Tang dynasties, but this was a minority view at the time.

During the 1960s, the question of the authenticity was revived by Guo Moruo, the chairman of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles. Guo published an article in 1965 rejecting Wang's authorship based on the recent discovery of tombs from the Jin dynasty whose inscriptions were written in clerical script. Guo also presented the argument that portions of the , which somberly reflect on the transience of life, were inconsistent with the celebratory nature of the Orchid Pavilion Gathering. He suggested that it was actually written by Zhiyong, a Buddhist monk who was a descendant of Wang. In the wake of the Socialist Education Movement, few scholars were willing to publicly challenge Guo's claims, and those who did were attacked by Guo and his political allies in the Chinese Communist Party.

He Jianjun, a scholar of Chinese history, wrote that Guo's motivation for challenging the authenticity of the was political, not academic, and that Guo was deliberately trying to subvert "the single most important Chinese work of art of past millennia", usher in the Cultural Revolution, and establish his own authority in cultural debates. These debates over Wang's calligraphy subsided after 1966 as critics shifted their focus to other works such as Hai Rui Dismissed from Office. Guo's claim that clerical script would have been used exclusively during Wang's lifetime was weakened in 1988 upon the discovery of an Eastern Jin tomb with an inscription written in regular script.

Legacy

Posthumous reputation

Wang's works were already popular during his lifetime, and in the centuries after Wang's death, collectors continued to seek out his calligraphy. The value of an imperial collection was often judged by the number of works written by the Two Wangs. As Wang Xizhi's works were the most valuable part of the collection, they surpassed "their aesthetic value and function as a symbol of power". Thus, emperors continually sought to expand their collection of Wang's calligraphy in order to strengthen their own perceived legitimacy. Around the time of the Tang dynasty, he was designated the "Sage of Calligraphy" (书圣; ), a title that is still used to describe him in the present day.

As a result of Emperor Taizong's patronage, Wang is generally considered to be the most significant Chinese calligrapher in history. The , according to Ledderose, is "the most celebrated piece of calligraphy of all time", admired for both its calligraphy and its text. He is an influential figure in Japanese calligraphy as well. After his calligraphy was established as the defining model in China during the Tang dynasty, it was transmitted to Japan during the Nara and Heian periods. In the 9th and 10th centuries, the Heian court standardized Wang's semi-cursive and cursive scripts and these were copied by Japanese calligraphers, resulting in a distinctive Japanese style of that time period. Extant tracing copies of Wang's work, which are rare, continue to be highly valued. In 2010, a scroll with four lines of Wang's calligraphy, copied during the Tang dynasty, was sold at a China Guardian auction in Beijing for.

Several locations associated with Wang's life have become visitor attractions in China. The site of his childhood residence in Linyi is open to tourists and features an "ink pond" where he reportedly washed his brush while writing. In Shaoxing, the site of the Orchid Pavilion contains a stone engraving of the and receives over one million visitors annually, and his tomb is popular with visitors as well. The Tishan Bridge (题扇桥; ; ) in Shaoxing is named after an anecdote in which Wang took pity on a struggling vendor and inscribed her fans with his calligraphy to increase their value. The fans were easily sold and the old woman reapproached Wang with even more fans, but he declined to sign them and slipped out through a side door.

Depictions in art

According to an anecdote from the Jin shu, Wang once received ten live geese in exchange for transcribing two chapters from the Tao Te Ching, a foundational Taoist text. After his lifetime, art theorists such as Guo Xi continued to associate him with geese, creating the narrative that his calligraphic brush technique was inspired by the way that the geese moved their necks. Wang's fondness for geese "has come to be the emblem of his artistic personality in popular and elite imagination alike", and his depictions in art typically show him in the presence of geese. A 14th-century rubbing of a painting from the Song dynasty is the earliest known depiction of Wang with geese. A well-known painting, Wang Xizhi Watching Geese by Qian Xuan, was painted and is housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Though the Orchid Pavilion Gathering in 353 did not involve geese, artists have often combined the two themes in their paintings of Wang. According to the art historian Kazuko Kameda-Madar, the gathering itself is "one of the most important painting themes in the cultural history of East Asia". Over time, Chinese and Japanese artists have added other recurring elements to their depictions of the Orchid Pavilion Gathering not mentioned in the , such as saucers in the shape of lotus leaves to carry the goblets of rice wine down the stream and the presence of a young boy stealing a sip of wine.

家世

王羲之出身名门望族。祖籍琅邪，琅邪王姓原本出自姬姓，其家史可以追溯到周灵王太子王子乔的后人，王羲之十七世祖王元为避秦朝时乱乃由咸阳迁至琅邪。王羲之的曾祖父王览是二十四孝里的「卧冰求鲤」王祥同父异母的弟弟。王祥于晋武帝时拜太保，王览亦官至光禄大夫。

匈奴击破晋朝之后，社会动荡，人心惶惶，晋元帝在江北和江南招揽人才，大批北方士族「渡江」南迁。313年，王羲之年仅十岁，随著琅邪王氏家族迁居金陵，王导为晋元帝丞相，王家子弟位居皇室朝廷的大部分重要权职。查考《晋书》，王氏列传占据很大的比例。

陈郡谢氏在东晋中期崛起，与王氏齐名。王谢两家关系友好，也常联姻通婚，号称王谢。但王羲之的儿子们特长是清谈、书法等，较无政治才能；谢安为首的谢家子弟除了文艺之外，统领北府兵，也能征善战，多以军功身居国家要职。

生平

303年（晋惠帝太安二年），王羲之出生于琅邪郡临沂（今属山东）。父亲是王旷，母亲是卫氏，王羲之另有一胞兄王籍之。在时局混乱的西晋末年，父亲任丹阳太守，西晋朝灭亡之后，王羲之于313年（10岁）随父母迁居晋朝廷迁徙，父亲王旷也功不可没，可惜父亲早逝，丧父以后全靠母兄抚育成人。

结婚

323年（晋明帝太宁元年），王羲之时年21岁，太尉郗鉴想跟王氏结亲，派人去看王氏子弟哪个最适合当女婿。王导请郗鉴派去的人到东厢选婿。王氏的青年男子们都穿戴整齐，希望能被选上，唯有王羲之「坦腹东床」，露出肚子躺在东边的床上，一副不在乎的模样。郗鉴得知之后，反而欣赏王羲之的真诚朴实，选中了他，把女儿郗璇嫁给他。这是成语东床快婿的由来。王羲之与郗璇共育有七子一女。其中，七子王献之亦是知名的书法家，父子并称为「二王」。

仕途

王羲之最初的官职是秘书郎，其主要任务是整理和校阅宫中文库中的图书。东晋时期许多贵族子弟，年龄很小就获得官衔进入仕途了，唯独王羲之在他23岁左右才任秘书郎之职。有人认为，这是因为他伯父王导在掌握东晋大权时推行「愦愦之政」的政治纲领，王羲之持不同政见，所以他任官的时间一拖再拖。也有人认为，这是他父亲王旷受命救援上党之役失败的缘故。

王羲之年轻时即享有美誉，朝廷公卿皆爱其才器，最后终于在348年（永和四年）升为护军将军。护军将军权力很大，不但有一支保护皇帝和京师的军队，而且其下有属官，若受命出征，还可以设参军。王羲之恪尽职守，关心士卒的疾苦，他任护军将军时发了题为《临护军教》的第一道命令。

《兰亭集序》

353年（永和九年三月三日），50岁的王羲之与孙绰、许询、谢尚、支遁等当时一流名士42人于会稽山阴（浙江绍兴）之兰亭赏酒玩诗。兰亭之起源，是越王勾践在此种植兰花，而汉代在此建立驿站，故名「兰亭」。当天朗气清，惠风和畅，茂林修竹，又有清流激湍，映带左右，26名文人们「曲水流觞」，得诗37首，集为《兰亭诗》。《兰亭集序》为王羲之为《兰亭诗》写的序言，共计324字。《兰亭集序》历来被认为是书法经典杰作，有「行书第一」之称。王羲之以特选的鼠须笔和蚕茧纸书写。文章前半段叙事写景、描述聚会盛况、抒发人生感想；后半段则议论抒情，在静与躁的对比中，感慨人生苦短，世事无常，生与死一念间，转瞬即逝，企望长生之意。由于王羲之当时处于酒酣耳热、性情奔放之际，该序言通篇语言流畅，不勉强藻饰、通俗自然，骈散结合，灵活自如，堪称历代散文名篇。《兰亭集序》中虽有多字重复，但重复字各有气蕴，而不雷同。后来，「兰亭」成了书法家汇集之地。《兰亭集序》的真迹现在已经佚失，流传下来的均为临摹本。

辞官退隐

王羲之经常接触的亲朋好友不少是尚玄修道的名士，尤其与道士许迈深交，经常与道友一起浪迹山水、采集仙药，早有辞官修道之心。《兰亭集序》写成后两年，因不受朝廷重用，即「称病去郡」。终老嵊县金庭。

355年（穆帝永和十一年），王羲之写下后世流传的《告誓文》后，即离开官场，过著闲云野鹤的退隐生活。许询得知王氏隐居金庭，特从萧山赶来与之为邻。王羲之辞官后没有繁琐的政务纠缠，在精神上显然是得到了解放，只有自己身体日渐衰弱、病痛缠身使他痛苦，两个孙女夭折之事令他伤心。

《快雪时晴帖》

王羲之晚年墨宝《快雪时晴帖》是写给山阴张侯的一个帖文，全文只有28个字，此时，他已经辞去官职，享受著隐逸自然的生活。此帖材质为纸本，尺寸纵23公分，横14.8公分。全文如下：

「羲之顿首 快雪时晴 佳想安善 未果 为结 力不次 王羲之顿首 山阴张侯」

（白话翻译：山阴张先生你好，刚才下了一场雪，现在天又转晴了，想必你那里一切都好吧！上次的聚会我没能去，心里很郁闷。你家送信的人说不能在我这里多停留，要赶快回去，那我就先写这些吧。王羲之敬上。）

第一句「羲之顿首」是草书，笔墨流畅优雅，宛若游龙。第二句「快雪时晴」，笔画由草书转向行书，雍容古雅、圆浑妍媚。而第三、第四、第五句…字体也不尽相同，有不同的韵味。

逝世

王羲之信奉道教，认为服食药石可以成仙或长生不老（择药帖即是一例），因此有长年服食药石的习惯。晚年因病投注更多的时间到深山中采集药石服食，然而药石并没有使王羲之延寿，反而可能伤害了他的身体，最后在健康状况日益恶化的情况下，年仅59岁就与世长辞了。葬于孝嘉乡济度寺(今浙江省嵊州市金庭镇）。

而王羲之的妻子郗璇则非常长寿，活到了90岁。

现存作品（含刻本、摹本）列表

唐太宗时，王羲之的书法有3000多卷，到宋太宗时只剩160馀件。至今已知仅存摹本、碑文及拓本约30件，而书帖真迹已无存世。

• 快雪时晴帖（唐代摹本，藏于台北国立故宫博物院；和中秋帖及伯远帖合称「三希」）

• 兰亭序（被称为「天下第一行书」，唐代双勾填墨摹本《神龙本》藏于北京故宫博物院）

• 寒切帖（又名《廿七帖》、《谢司马帖》；唐代双勾填墨摹本，藏于天津博物馆）

• 黄庭经（亦名《换鹅帖》；曾摹刻上石，宋代拓本藏于北京故宫博物院）

• 平安帖、何如帖、奉橘帖（唐代双勾填墨摹本，藏于台北国立故宫博物院）

• 远宦帖（亦名《省别帖》，十七帖中的一封书信；唐代双勾填墨摹本，藏于台北国立故宫博物院）

• 丧乱帖、二谢帖、得示帖（唐代双勾填墨摹本，藏于日本皇室）

• 乐毅论（梁拓本）

• 忧悬帖（唐代双勾填墨摹本，藏于日本）

• 孔侍中帖和频有哀祸帖（唐代摹本，二帖连为一纸，藏于前田育德会）

• 姨母帖（《唐摹万岁通天帖》之一；唐代摹本，藏于辽宁省博物馆）

• 初月帖（《唐摹万岁通天帖》之二；唐代摹本，藏于辽宁省博物馆）

• 行穰帖（唐代双勾填墨摹本，藏于美国普林斯顿大学美术馆）

• 七月都下帖（唐代临本，藏于台北国立故宫博物院）

• 上虞帖（唐代摹本，藏于上海博物馆）

• 游目帖（又名《蜀都帖》；一般认为是唐代摹本，但因帖右有题跋言：「《晋会稽内史五羲之字逸少游目帖真迹》此真晋冷金纸，紧薄如金叶，索索有声，与《笔阵图》相类，载在《襄阳侍访录》」，故极有可能是王羲之的草书真迹。藏于日本，但二战时毁于广岛的原子弹爆炸，现存影印复制本）

• 大道帖（又名《一笔书》；唐代或米芾临本，藏于台北国立故宫博物院）

• 雨后帖（宋代临本，藏于北京故宫博物院）

• 其书帖（收录于贞松堂藏历代名人法书）

• 东方朔像赞（唐代临本，藏于台北国立故宫博物院）

• 孝女曹娥碑（现存拓本及东晋佚名绢本，后者藏于辽宁省博物馆）

• 兴福寺断碑（又名《吴文碑》，唐代僧人大雅集王羲之的字刻成，明代万历出土时就仅存下半截，藏于陕西省博物馆）

• 大唐三藏圣教序（唐代沙门怀仁集王羲之的字刻成，宋代拓本藏于天津博物馆）

• 妹至帖（唐代双鈎填墨摹本，藏于日本私人处）

• 大报帖（唐代双鈎填墨摹本，藏于日本私人处）

• 袁生帖（唐摹本，京都藤井有邻馆所藏）

• 淳化阁帖（丛帖，宋太宗集内府的书帖命人经双钩描摹后刻在石版或木版上再拓印装订成帖，收录10卷、总计420帖，第6、7、8卷是王羲之的书帖，共160多帖；宋代拓本藏于上海博物馆）

• 澄清堂帖（集帖，南宋集王羲之的书帖刻成；宋代拓本残卷藏于北京故宫博物院）

历代评论

• 梁武帝萧衍评其书曰：「王羲之书，字势雄逸，如龙跳天门，虎卧凤阙。」

• 唐太宗李世民赞道：「详察古今，研精篆素，尽善尽美，其唯王逸少乎！观其点曳之工，裁成之妙，烟霏露结，壮若断而还连；凤翥龙蟠，势如斜而反直。玩之不觉为倦，览之莫识其端。心摹手追，此人而已，其馀区区之类，何足论哉！」

• 唐李白有诗《王右军》曰：「右军本清真，潇洒出风尘。山阴过羽客，爱此好鹅宾。扫素写道经，笔精妙入神。书罢笼鹅去，何曾别主人。」

• 《晋书·王羲之传》：「（右军）犹善隶书，为古今之冠，论者称其笔势，以为飘若浮云，矫如惊龙。」

轶事

• 王羲之七岁能写一手好书法，十二岁时，发现父亲经常待在书房里，拿出一本书来阅读，神态极其虔诚和认真，然后磨墨写字，最后小心翼翼地将那本书放在枕中。王羲之乘父亲一次外出的机会，「窃而读之」，此书原是卫夫人所藏的东汉蔡邕的《笔论》。他的父亲王旷发现了，对儿子说：「你为什么偷拿我秘藏之书来看？」王羲之只是笑而不答。母亲说「看用笔的方法、奥秘吧。」父亲觉得他年纪还小，怕他没办法领悟其中妙处（一说保守秘密），于是告诉羲之：「等你长大成人，我再教你。」羲之恳求道：「现在就学吧，假如等到长大后，恐怕会耽误到孩儿的天赋发展。」父亲很高兴，被小羲之的上进心感动，就将书借给了他。王羲之按《笔论》的教导练习笔法，一个月内便进步明显，笔法日渐老成。老师卫夫人见到后，流著泪说：「这孩子将来一定会比我还出名。」

• 羲之小时候不善于表达，话并不多，人们都不看好他。羲之十三岁那年，曾拜访当时的名士周顗，席间，周顗察觉到王羲之异于常人，定非庸才。于是将名贵的烤牛心切了，送到羲之面前——在座的宾客都还没吃——使羲之先饱口福，王羲之的名声因此传了开来。

• 郗鉴派门生往王府选婿，王府子弟均刻意保持矜持，唯独王羲之露著肚皮躺在东牀上吃饼，好像没听说这回事一样。郗鉴便认为他是适合的人选，便决定将女儿郗璇嫁给他。女婿因此而称为「东牀」，于是「东床坦腹」或「东床快婿」变成称赞有女之家嫁得好归宿的代名词。

• 王羲之爱鹅成癖，传说是因为他喜欢观察鹅游水时鹅掌的动作，从中学习，以提高自己的书法用腕技巧。山阴有一道士，希望王羲之能为他抄写一部《黄庭经》，但是又不敢贸然提出。他精心饲养白鹅，与之相赠，并提出写经的请求，王羲之答应他，抄写一部《黄庭经》送给他。后来这部《黄庭经》被称作右军正书第二，又被称作《换鹅帖》。该帖的宋拓本现藏于北京故宫博物院。有李白诗为证「镜湖流水漾清波，狂客归舟逸兴多。山阴道士如相见，应写黄庭换白鹅。」

• 相传王羲之住处附近有一小池，王羲之每日练完书法均在此洗笔，时间一久，池水为之黑，竟能直接蘸取充墨之用。当年王羲之在温州担任永嘉郡守之际，曾在今温州墨池坊挥洒文墨，故于温州旧鹿城区市政府前有一墨池。

• 王羲之有一次替皇帝写祭文，书写在木板上，工人为了准备下一场祭祀，要削去旧木板的时候，却发现王羲之的笔迹竟然透入木板，深达三分，可知王羲之的笔力强健。

• 王羲之曾指导陈郡谢氏的谢安，谢安书法亦自成一格。

• 王羲之认为自己出身的琅琊王氏才是真正代表王氏的正统名门，瞧不起太原王氏出身的王述，因此两人势同水火互看不顺眼。王羲之后来发现王述之子王坦之是聪明优秀的国家栋梁，反观自己的儿子们是一群除了书法外近乎一无是处的废柴时，气急败坏，痛骂他们一群人都不如一个王坦之。

家庭

曾祖

• 王览（206－278），西晋宗正、光禄大夫，封爵即丘子。

祖

• 王正，王览四子，西晋尚书郎，王导、王敦的叔父。

• 夏侯氏，羊耽与辛宪英之外孙女，夏侯庄之女，夏侯湛之妹，晋元帝姨母。

父母

• 王旷（约274－328），王正长子，东晋淮南太守。

• 卫氏，卫夫人姐妹

叔父

• 王廙，王正次子，东晋骠骑将军。

• 王彬，王正三子，东晋卫将军。

妻

• 郗璇，东晋太尉郗鉴之女。

子女

• 长子王玄之

• 次子王凝之，妻谢道韫，谢奕之女

• 三子王涣之，妻颍川陈氏，淮南刺史陈逵之女

• 四子王肃之，东晋中书郎、骠骑府咨议，妻陈国殷氏，扬州刺史殷浩之女

• 五子王徽之

• 六子王操之，东晋侍中、尚书、豫章太守，妻济阳江氏，会稽内史江霖之女

• 七子王献之，前妻郗昙之女郗道茂，后妻新安公主，女王神爱，嗣子王静之

• 长女王孟姜，夫刘畅，子刘瑾

后代

• 孙女王神爱（王献之所生，为晋安帝皇后）

• 曾外孙谢元（王涣之女儿王德生所生）

• 曾外孙谢灵运（王孟姜女儿所生，为魏晋南北朝知名文人）

• 七世孙佛教大师智永（本姓王，名法极）。

个人年表

以下为王羲之生平大事及写帖之年份：

公元303年（西晋惠帝太安二年）

• 王羲之诞生，陶弘景《真诰》、尚杲《瀑布山展墓记》、张怀瑾《书断》皆有记载。

公元305年（西晋惠帝永兴二年）

• 王羲之三岁，王羲之父亲王旷时任丹阳（今南京市）太守。族伯王戎卒。

公元307年（西晋怀帝永嘉元年）

• 王羲之五岁，琅琊王司马睿都督扬州、江南诸军事，任命王羲之伯父王导为司马，并引为知己。王导携锺繇《宣示表》过江，后传给王羲之。

公元309年（西晋怀帝永嘉三年）

• 王羲之七岁，开始随老师卫夫人（卫铄）学习书法。汉刘聪进攻洛阳，淮南内史王旷与之交战，刘聪败退。

公元311年（西晋怀帝永嘉五年）

• 王羲之九岁。北方战乱，中原氏族大批南迁。

公元314年（西晋愍帝建兴二年）

• 王羲之十二岁，读其父所辑《笔论》，书法技术进步很快。卫夫人对王旷云：「近观是儿书，集有老成之智，必见笔诀也。」

公元315年（西晋愍帝建兴三年）

• 王羲之十三岁，拜谒周顗，周顗以牛心炙先啖王羲之，客皆惊奇，王羲之始知名。

公元318年（东晋元帝建武二年）

王羲之十六岁，开始随同叔父王廙学习书法及绘画。三月，司马睿在建康称帝即位，史称晋元帝。

公元322年（东晋元帝永昌元年）

• 王羲之二十岁。族伯王敦在武昌起兵，攻陷石头城，王导率王氏族人请罪。晋元帝卒，太子司马绍即位，史称晋明帝。王羲之叔父王廙卒。

公元323年（东晋明帝太宁元年）

• 王羲之二十一岁，郗鉴向王府求亲，王导请人到东厢选婿。王羲之坦腹东床，被郗鉴选中，召为婿。郗鉴女儿名浚，字子房，亦长于书法。

公元324年（东晋明帝太宁二年）

• 王羲之二十二岁。王敦再次起兵，王导、温峤、郗鉴、庾亮等人受命平叛。王敦病死军中。王羲之被朝廷任命为秘书郎。

公元325年（东晋明帝太宁三年）

• 王羲之二十三岁。晋明帝卒，太子司马衍即位，史称晋成帝。太子年幼，由中书令庾亮辅政。

公元334年（东晋成帝咸和九年）

• 王羲之三十二岁。朝廷任命庾亮都督江、荆、豫、益、梁、雍六州诸军事，领江、荆、豫三州刺史，镇守武昌。王羲之为庾亮的参军、选长史，殷浩、王胡之亦在庾亮军中供职。

公元335年（东晋成帝咸康元年）

• 王羲之三十三岁，改任临川太守。晋《中兴书》载：羲之自会稽王友改授临川太守。

公元336年（东晋成帝咸康二年）

• 王羲之三十四岁。叔父尚书仆射王彬卒。

公元339年（东晋成帝咸康五年）

• 王羲之三十七岁。七月，王导卒。

公元341年（东晋成帝咸康七年）

• 王羲之三十九岁，写《敬伦帖》。

公元343年（东晋康帝建元元年）

• 王羲之四十一岁，写《稚恭进镇帖》。

公元344年（东晋康帝建元二年）

• 王羲之四十二岁，子王献之生。晋康帝卒，二岁的太子司马聃即位，史称晋穆帝。

公元345年（东晋穆帝永和元年）

• 王羲之四十三岁，写有《颜刘氏墓志》、《李柏文书》等帖。桓温都督荆、司、雍、益、梁、宁六州诸军事，领南蛮校尉、荆州刺史。

公元347年（东晋穆帝永和三年）

• 王羲之四十五岁，时任护军将军。朝廷引殷浩为心腹，参预朝政，已牵制桓温的势力。王羲之写《答殷浩书》，希望殷浩顾全大局，与桓温合作。王羲之写有《谯周有孙》等帖。

公元348年（东晋穆帝永和四年）

• 王羲之四十六岁，写《王兴之妇宋和之墓志》。

公元349年（东晋穆帝永和五年）

• 王羲之四十七岁，写《司州供给寥落帖》。卫夫人卒。

公元350年（东晋穆帝永和六年）

• 王羲之四十八岁，由护军将军升迁为右军将军、会稽内史职。写有《致邛竹杖》帖。

公元352年（东晋穆帝永和八年）

• 王羲之五十岁，写有《与会稽王帖》及《报殷浩书》，遗书制止殷浩北伐，殷浩未听。

公元353年（东晋穆帝永和九年）

• 王羲之五十一岁。三月三日王羲之和谢安、孙绰、郝昙、支遁及其子徽之、凝之、献之等41人，在会稽山阴之兰亭修袚禊之礼。众人『曲水流觞』饮酒作诗。王羲之为所集诗作序，写下了著名的《兰亭集序》。

• 殷浩北伐，王羲之再次阻止，殷浩未采纳王谏大败而归。

公元354年（东晋穆帝永和十年）

• 王羲之五十二岁。桓温以殷浩兵败之事上疏朝廷，朝廷废殷浩为庶人。

公元355年（东晋穆帝永和十一年）

• 王羲之五十三岁，誓墓辞官，结束了他的仕途生涯。写有《誓墓文》及《来禽帖》等。

公元356年（东晋穆帝永和十二年）

• 王羲之五十四岁，写《归京帖》、《丧乱帖》。

公元358年（东晋穆帝升平二年）

• 王羲之五十六岁，与友人终日游山玩水，采服药石。写《与桓公笺》、《重熙书帖》。

公元360年（东晋穆帝升平四年）

• 王羲之五十八岁。谢安出山为官，王羲之写有《寒切帖》（又名《谢司马帖》，有唐摹本传世，天津博物馆藏）。

公元361年（东晋穆帝升平五年）

• 王羲之五十九岁，误服药石身亡。写有《登汶岭帖》、《年垂耳顺帖》。

注释

外部链接