The Calligrapher — Lù Jiǎnzhī 陆柬之

Tang calligrapher and nephew of Yu Shinan; his running-script 'Essay on Literature' survives

Tang calligrapher (), master of running script — known for 《文赋》. Tang dynasty

Cultural Story

The Rites of Zhou list the 酏 among the five graded sacrificial wines, a thin sweet liquor drawn up for the altar alongside the heavier 醴, each ranked by the ceremony it served. The 酏剂 of later pharmacy kept that soft sweetness, a syrup drawn off for the sick. The character thus moved from the temple vessel to the medicine spoon without losing its gentle edge.

Common words & phrases

• 酏剂 elixir · syrup
• 酏醴 sweet wine
• 芳酏 fragrant wine

Read the story behind the character

A pharmacy shelves the 酏剂, a flavored syrup a pediatrician measures for a child's cough, while a recipe book lists 芳酏 among old cordials and 酏醴 as a feast drink. The 酏 now stands on a chemist's shelf and a cook's page. The character that once ranked a sacrificial wine now sweetens a measured dose and a festive cup alike.