The Calligrapher — Xī Chāo 郗超

Eastern Jin statesman and calligrapher of cursive script, follower of the two Wangs.

Eastern Jin calligrapher (), master of cursive script — known for 郗愔之子. Eastern Jin dynasty

Cultural Story

伍 is a rank of five, the basic squad in the old militia, five men who marched and were counted together. The 說文 reads it as the rank of five. 入伍 was to enter the ranks; 伍長 the squad leader. 隊伍 is the column that files by. The character is the military five, the unit smaller than a company, the men who stood shoulder to shoulder and were taxed as one.

Common words & phrases

• 队伍 team · ranks
• 入伍 enlist · join army
• 退伍 retire from army
• 伍长 squad leader

Read the story behind the character

队伍 is the queue and the parade; 入伍 the enlistment the families dread. 退伍 is the discharge and the discount; 伍长 the squad leader of history. The character names the squad and the file, the five who marched, the team that forms. It still means the rank of men and the line they make, now the crowd at the station as much as the platoon at the gate.