The Calligrapher — Zhāng Yǔ 张雨

Yuan Taoist calligrapher who studied under Zhao Mengfu; known for regular and running script.

Yuan calligrapher (), master of regular script/running script — known for 《题画诗》. Yuan dynasty

Cultural Story

Su Shi, in his 'Red Cliff,' describes Cao Cao's fleet going east with the current, 顺流而东, the 顺 of a power riding the river it meant to conquer. The 顺利 turn of the water and the 顺从 of the oars to the tide both drew on that same old image of yielding to the stream. To move 顺 was not to give up the goal but to let the river carry the weight, the 顺便 of a journey that knew its own line.

Common words & phrases

• 顺利 smooth · successful
• 顺序 order · sequence
• 顺从 obey · submit
• 通顺 fluent · coherent
• 顺便 by the way · conveniently

Read the story behind the character

A traveler catches the 顺利 connection and files the forms in the right 顺序, the 顺风 of the schedule holding. The clerk 顺从 the queue without complaint, and a neighbor asks to 顺便 drop the parcel at the post. The 通顺 memo finally reads clean after three drafts, and the 顺利 day ends with the 顺序 of the week's tasks set straight.