small regular script
3 min readSize:vertical length of 33.4 cm，horizontal length of 33.9cm Memorial to the Throne for Recommending Ji Zhi is a calligraphic masterpiece in small regular script during the Three Kingdoms period.It was a memorial written by 71-year-old Zhong You for the purpose of recommending Guannei Marquis Ji Zhi to Emperor Ming of the Wei Kingdom，hoping to reinstate him.
Although this is a regular script artwork，calligraphic connotations of clerical script and running script are also shown，with artistic elegancy and simplicity and full of vitality.With softness outside and robustness inside，rounded and concise strokes are full of intensity.Spotting strokes stress echo with each other，and linking strokes appear to add mildness and jump to composition sometimes.With fat square shape the characters have seemingly loose but wide structure，with tilting changes.Small distance between the upper and lower characters takes smooth flavor between the lines.The large distance between the lines achieves wide sparse composition and fresh and crisp style.In simple and unsophisticated manner，this artwork appears to demonstrate primitive and actually unique delicate taste.
Calligraphic Connotation
Calligraphic connotation refers to the modality demonstrated in painting and calligraphy.In calligraphy，seal characters，clerical script，regular script，running script，cursive script and the like have their own unique calligraphic connotations.
Artistic Conception
Artistic conception refers to connotation and charm shown in calligraphy，paintings and articles.calligraphic connota-tions of clerical script and running script are also shown，which looks artisti-cally quaint and vivid.
The first three Chinese characters The first two lines carry thick “Chen Yao Yan”are extremely strokes in darker ink color.
compelling.一Occasionally calligraphic connotations of clerical script demonstrate artistic elegancy and simplicity.
achieves wide sparse compositionand fresh and crisp style.
Anecdote
Zhong You painted on quilt
In early years，Zhong You learned calligraphy on Baopu Mountain.He carefully concentrated on study，and did not left for three years.Later，Zhong You obtained Ways of Strokes authored by Cai Yong，a great calligrapher of the Han Dynasty.He highly valued this book and concentrated on study，who was so absorbed as to forget food and sleep.Even when others sat，Zhong You chatted and practised calligraphy in the surrounding places.In the sleep，he often used fingers to follow calligraphy strokes.After a long time，quilt surface was worn.
Zhong You finally realized the essence of Ways of Strokes so that his calligraphy skills made progress.
And Zhong You became a great calligrapher.
Long horizontal strokes are straight and Linking strokes are powerful so as to elongate horizontal posture omitted to increase on the left，and also increase the upper left the gap，which looks blank to make the atmosphere flow freely.sparse and clear.
Spotting strokes close upwards and take wave-like posture，giving a sense of dance movement.
-Linking short
spotting strokes look unique and interesting.
This is traditional Chinese character of”Xian”.
The corners are Although strokes are This short straight-left empty to cut off，calligraphic down stroke occupies echo each other.connotation remains space in left-half connected.structure，making the left and right halves linked closely.
Straight-down stroke is short and heavy，which compresses the vertical length.
-This weakens lower-half structure，and seems naive and cute.
Zhong You(151-230)
Zhong You was a famous calligrapher of the Wei Kingdom in the Three Kingdoms, who was a native of Changshe, Yingchuan(today’s east part of Changge, Henan). He was the founder of regular script, who is known as”originator of Regular Script”. He was good at clerical script and running script, who is collectively reputed as”Zhong and Wang(Wang Xizhi)”in calligraphy history.
Regular Script
Regular script is a kind of Chinese character forms, which is also called as”Zheng Shu”and”Zhen Shu”in Chinese language, which evolved from clerical script. It features neat strokes, structural symmetry, upright font and rigorous ways. It started in the late Han Dynasty, which was the official common standard since the Northern and Southern Dynasties. Regular script with diameter of about 1 cm is called as”Small Regular Script”.
