Zhencao Qianzi Wen by Zhi Yong [Chinese calligraphy]

Zhi Yong or Zhiyong (active late 6th–early 7th century CE) was a Buddhist monk and a celebrated calligrapher of the Sui Dynasty, traditionally regarded as a descendant of Wang Xizhi, China’s most revered calligrapher. He is best known for his work Thousand Character Classic in Regular and Cursive Scripts (Zhencao Qianzi Wen), a masterpiece that showcases both standard or regular (kaishu) and cursive (caoshu) scripts side by side.

Zhiyong reportedly copied this text over 800 times and distributed it to temples across China, playing a crucial role in preserving and transmitting the Wang family’s calligraphic tradition. His version of the Thousand Character Classic became a foundational model for calligraphy students and remains highly influential in East Asian calligraphy.