The Calligrapher — Dèng Wényuán 邓文原

Yuan scholar-official calligrapher of classical regular script.

Yuan calligrapher (1258–1328), master of running script/cursive script — known for 《急就章》. Yuan dynasty

Cultural Story

The Book of Songs complains that a troubled heart is like one 酲, heavy and clouded as after too much wine, and the word named the hungover haze before the cup was even near. The 解酲 was the cure, the clear draught that lifted the fog. From that early line the character kept the dull weight of a head that will not wake clean.

Common words & phrases

• 宿酲 hangover from previous night
• 醉酲 drunk · intoxicated
• 解酲 cure a hangover

Read the story behind the character

A man wakes with a 宿酲 from the night before and searches the kitchen for the 解酲 of water and tea, while a roommate laughs at his slow shuffle to the sofa. The 醉酲 of the weekend lingers past noon. The character now closes a Saturday morning at home, the old hungover cloud carried from a bronze vessel's complaint into a plain ache behind the eyes.