Thousand-character Essay in Cursive Script （《草書千字文》）

Thousand-character Essay in Cursive Script

The "Thousand-character Essay in Cursive Script" was written by Zhao Ji (1082-1135), Emperor Huizong in the Song Dynasty (960-1279). He was not a very successful emperor, but a remarkably accomplished poet, painter, calligrapher, and musician.

This wild cursive-script calligraphy works, 1172 x 31.5 cm, consists of 1,000 characters. It was a reading material for children, covering natural science and social knowledge. Completed in 1112, the emperor wrote the essay on a long scroll with golden background patterns painted by imperial painters. The writings and background were perfectly matched, creating this exquisite masterpiece.

The unique style that the emperor developed – slender gold script resembling gold filament, twisted and turned, has exerted far-reaching influence on later generations of calligraphers. His works have become classic models for imitation and study.

This work is now exhibited in the Liaoning Provincial Museum in Shenyang.