The Calligrapher — Zhào Mèngfǔ 赵孟頫

Yuan master whose elegant regular and running script revived classical tradition.

Yuan calligrapher (1254–1322), master of regular script/running script/cursive script — Yuan reviver of classical elegance who could write any script beautifully and did. Yuan dynasty

Cultural Story

The 'Book of Documents' has King Wu Ding tell his minister Fu Yue that in a great drought the realm needs him 'as the 霖 rain,' the long, soaking fall that ends the dying. The 甘霖 of that promise became the classic image of relief sent from above. A 秋霖 that would not stop was its dark twin, the same 霖 turning from gift to weight on the flooded roofs.

Common words & phrases

• 甘霖 sweet rain · welcome rain
• 霖雨 long-lasting rain
• 秋霖 autumn rains

Read the story behind the character

A village watches the 甘霖 break a two-month dry spell, the 霖雨 soaking the cracked paddies at last. The co-op logs the 秋霖 forecast that may still flood the low fields, and farmers weigh the risk. A child holds a cup to the 甘霖 off the roof, and the elder calls the long 霖雨 a debt the sky has finally paid.