The Calligrapher — Shěn Zhōu 沈周

Ming literati patriarch known for gentle, classical running script.

Ming calligrapher (), master of running script — known for 吴门画派之祖. Ming dynasty

Cultural Story

In the classical tradition: 哦 is a mouth character for an interjection of understanding and for the chanting, reciting tone of poetry. The scholar 吟哦, reciting and chanting, over his wine, tested each line's music before writing it down. 哦呀 was a cry of slight surprise in the vernacular drama. To 哦 was to let a verse breathe aloud, the poet's ear judging sense by sound in the lamplit study.

Common words & phrases

• 吟哦 recite · chant
• 哦呀 oh · interjection

Read the story behind the character

In the modern world: You text 哦 — oh, I see — when a friend explains the plan, and grandpa still 吟哦, recites and chants, old Tang poems on the balcony at dawn. A child gasps 哦呀, oh, at a magic trick, and the teacher nods 哦 to show she follows. It is the small sound of getting it, of polite listening, and of verse kept alive by the voice.