The Calligrapher — Liǔ Gōngquán 柳公权

Tang regular-script master famed for 'bones' of strength; rival to Yan Zhenqing.

Tang calligrapher (778–865), master of regular script — Tang master of bone-strength regular script, paired forever with Yan Zhenqing as 'Yan sinew, Liu bone'. Tang dynasty

Cultural Story

At the Hong Gate banquet Xiang Zhuang offered to perform the sword dance, '意在沛公,' his 项 a cover for the blade meant for Liu Bang — the 项庄舞剑 that turned a feast into a trap. The 项 as neck and as item both appear in that old scene of courtesy masking intent. To read the 项 of a list or the 项 of a man was, sometimes, to read a danger held just under the surface.

Common words & phrases

• 项目 project · item
• 事项 item · matter
• 项链 necklace
• 项圈 collar
• 选项 option

Read the story behind the character

A project lead reviews the open 项目 and ticks each 事项 off the board, while a pet wears a new 项圈 with the clinic tag. The survey offers three 选项 and the analyst picks the safest, the 项链 on her desk a gift from the last 项目 that shipped. The 项 of unpaid work grows, and the 项圈 order reminds her the dog still needs walking.