1000 Characters Calligraphy 3.1

This application offers a comprehensive resource for learners worldwide seeking to acquire or refine their skills in Chinese characters (Hanzi), presenting four distinct calligraphic styles attributed to Wang Xizhi.

Wang Xizhi (Chinese: 王羲之, 303–361) is revered as a legendary calligrapher and is often called the Sage of Calligraphy (書聖). His influence is rooted in the Jin Dynasty era, spanning from 265 to 420 AD, and his works remain foundational in Chinese calligraphic studies.

The Thousand Character Classic (千字文) functions as an essential primer for teaching Chinese characters to children. Comprising exactly one thousand unique characters, the poem is traditionally attributed to Zhou Xingzi (周興嗣), who was commissioned by Emperor Wu of the Liang Dynasty (r. 502–549) to compose it for his prince’s calligraphy practice. The original title, 《次韻王羲之書千字》, reflects its association with Wang Xizhi’s calligraphy.

The poem consists of 250 four-character phrases, ranging from "天地玄黃" (tjind taai jyun4 wong4) to "焉哉乎也" (jin1 zoi1 fu1 jaa5), and has been used historically as a mnemonic device, similar to the alphabet song used by children learning Latin script. It was selected from among Wang Xizhi's calligraphy works and was composed by Zhou Xingsi (470–521), who lived during the Southern Dynasties period. Interestingly, the characters of the poem were sometimes employed numerically to represent numbers from one to one thousand.