The Calligrapher — Táo Hóngjǐng 陶弘景

Liang Daoist recluse and calligrapher; master of running script, author of letters on calligraphy

南朝梁 calligrapher (), master of running script/cursive script — known for 《瘗鹤铭》. Liang dynasty (Southern Dynasties)

Cultural Story

The hermit Xu You, offered the throne by the sage-king Yao, refused so firmly that he went to a stream to wash the very offer from his ears. His name, xu, became the word for granting and permitting, and for the freedom to say no. The character joins words to a tally, the small assent that can also be withheld. To xu was to grant, to promise, or to let be, the quiet hinge of every agreement.

Common words & phrases

• 许多 many · much · a lot
• 允许 to permit · to allow
• 许可 to permit · permission
• 或许 perhaps · maybe
• 也许 maybe · perhaps

Read the story behind the character

A shop has xu duo, many, colors; a parent yun xu, permits, the late walk; a permit is a xu ke, a license, to build; a forecast adds huo xu, perhaps, a storm; a shrug says ye xu, maybe. The character runs from the firm yes to the soft maybe, every degree of letting. It names the scale of assent, from the signed permission to the hopeful guess, the word that opens a door a crack or throws it wide.