The Calligrapher — Wáng Xīzhī 王羲之

The 'Sage of Calligraphy'; his running script has set the standard for 1,700 years.

Eastern Jin calligrapher (303–361), master of running script/cursive script/regular script — the Sage of Calligraphy; his Orchid Pavilion Preface is the most celebrated work in the tradition, and nearly every later master traces lineage to his hand. Eastern Jin dynasty

Cultural Story

濟 shows a boat crossing a river, to ferry across, then to help. The Yi jing praises 济, success, after struggle, and the Lun yu urges 济, relieving, the suffering. 同舟共济 became the image of solidarity; a 济世 doctor gave medicine freely. To 济 was to carry others safely over the water.

Common words & phrases

• 经济 economy · economic · finance · wealth
• 救济 relieve · aid · help · assist
• 济世 help world · benefit society · save · serve
• 同舟共济 unite · cooperate · pull together · solidarity
• 济贫 relieve poor · aid poor · charity · help needy
• 无济于事 useless · no help · ineffective · vain

Read the story behind the character

We read 经济 (economy, economic, finance) news with our breakfast and donate to 救济 (relieve, aid) funds after a disaster. A 济世 (help the world) clinic serves the poor, neighbors 济贫 (relieve the poor) at festival time, and when advice fails we admit it is 无济于事 (useless, no help).

Why this character belongs on skin

The far shore is only a promise until someone rows. The character joins water with a word for crossing, the act of ferrying the stranded from one side of trouble to the other, and the sages made it the very name of relief. To help the world is to haul the floundering boat, to feed the widow, to stand in the cold river yourself so another may walk dry. The Confucian gentleman measured his life by how many he carried over. We admire the solitary peak, but the mark worth wearing is the hand extended across the water. Think of the soldier who carries his wounded brother through the ford, or the stranger who pays the toll. To bear this word is to swear you will not reach the bank alone. Let it sit where your arm bends, the muscle that lifts. The ink is the oar you become. Someone is still waiting in the water.