The Calligrapher — Zhào Mèngfǔ 赵孟頫

Yuan master whose elegant regular and running script revived classical tradition.

Yuan calligrapher (1254–1322), master of regular script/running script/cursive script — Yuan reviver of classical elegance who could write any script beautifully and did. Yuan dynasty

Cultural Story

To hold up with both hands, 捧, is reverence made into posture — the subject 捧著 the imperial edict, the offering borne as though it might burn. The character is the two palms cupped in deference, the body's way of saying this is heavier than me, and the edict did burn a few subjects who held it the wrong way, too low.

Common words & phrases

• 吹捧 flatter · boost
• 捧场 boost · support
• 手捧 hold in hands
• 捧腹 double up with laughter

Read the story behind the character

A flatterer 吹捧s the boss; a crowd 捧場s the debut; a man 捧腹, doubles up laughing; a girl 手捧s her phone. The edict is a review now. The two cupped palms are the same, whether bearing a decree, a joke, or a screen that weighs nothing and means everything, and the phone is only the edict, rewritten in notifications.

Why this character belongs on skin

Both hands rise, palms open, the thing offered as if it were fragile and holy, a bowl of water, a child, a heart. This is to hold up with two hands, the gesture of reverence that says: this matters, and I will not drop it. The disciple receives the teaching thus; the lover offers the small gift thus. It is humility made physical, the opposite of the greedy grasp. To carry this character is to choose the open palm over the closed fist. Ink it where your hands would rest. Let it mark the vow to handle what is precious with both hands and a bowed head. Some things must be held as if they might shatter. The world gives few such things; honor them.