Memorial Recommending Ji Zhi [Chinese calligraphy]

Zhong Yao (151–230 CE) was a statesman and calligrapher of the late Eastern Han and early Three Kingdoms period, traditionally regarded as the “Father of Regular Script” (kaishu) in Chinese calligraphy. His work Jian Jizhi Biao (Memorial Recommending Ji Zhi) is one of his most famous surviving pieces, originally written as a court memorial to recommend an official named Ji Zhi for reappointment.

Although the original no longer exists, later copies – especially rubbings from Tang dynasty tracings – preserve Zhong Yao’s distinctive style: a transitional script between clerical (lishu) and early regular script (kaishu), characterized by natural simplicity, subtle brush variation, and structural innovation. His calligraphy laid the foundation for the development of regular script (kaishu) and deeply influenced later masters like Wang Xizhi.