The Calligrapher — Chǔ Suíliáng 褚遂良

Tang chancellor and regular-script master of elegant, balanced strokes.

Tang calligrapher (596–658), master of regular script — Tang master of graceful, tensile regular script favored by the imperial court. Tang dynasty

Cultural Story

(The 尔雅 defines 劉 as 杀, to cut down, a sense older than the surname. The clan took it to a dynasty when 刘邦, the Han founder, rose from a minor post to the throne; the 史记 follows the climb. The character 劉 first meant the stroke that ends, then the name of a house.

Common words & phrases

• 姓刘 surname Liu

Read the story behind the character

(A third of the roll 姓刘, the commonest name in the book. The 刘海 frames the child's face. The 三国 app lets the player rule as 劉. The word names the surname and the fringe on the brow. A third of the roll 姓刘, the 刘海 frames the child's face, and the 三国 app lets you rule as 劉.