Life

Historical sources

Much of what is known about Wang Xizhi's life is derived from letters that he wrote during his lifetime and historical texts such as the (世說新語) and the (晉書). Wang makes 47 appearances within the 1,130 historical anecdotes of the , which was originally compiled during the 5th century. These anecdotes describe his interactions with contemporaries such as the statesman Xie An and the poet Sun Chuo. The , which details the history of the Jin dynasty (266–420), contains his official biography in its 80th volume. The work was commissioned in the 7th century by Emperor Taizong of Tang, who personally wrote a postscript to Wang's biography declaring him the greatest calligrapher in history.

Modern scholars have questioned the reliability and accuracy of these early sources. Xiaofei Tian, a scholar of Chinese literature, writes that the compilers of the , in an attempt to evoke feelings of nostalgia, were often "willing to sacrifice historical accuracy for the sake of a good story". Matthew V. Wells suggests that Emperor Taizong's unusual degree of involvement in the compilation of the may have been motivated by a desire to create a pro-imperial work and revise the presentation of historical events for his own purposes. In his analysis of the biography of Wang Dao, the uncle of Wang Xizhi, Wells observes that its authors selectively omitted anecdotes from the that were unflattering or otherwise did not depict Wang Dao as a model statesman. Because many other historical accounts of the Jin dynasty have not survived, the and the continue to be referenced as rich sources of information about the era, despite their limitations.

Early years and family

Wang Xizhi was born in Linyi in Langya Commandery (present-day Linyi, Shandong). During his childhood, his personal name was A'tu (阿菟). He was later given the courtesy name Yishao (逸少), and adopted the studio name Danzhai (澹齋). He was a member of an aristocratic family, the Wang clan of Langya, and his father, Wang Kuang (王旷), was the governor of Huainan. With the collapse of the Western Jin dynasty following the capture and execution of Emperor Huai, the Wang family fled to southern China and helped establish the Eastern Jin in 317. Together with other aristocratic immigrants such as the Xie clan of Chen, they dominated the regional politics of this period.

In his youth, Wang had difficulties with his speech, but he became a skilled orator later in life. He studied calligraphy under the tutelage of Wei Shuo, also known as "Lady Wei", who was Wang Kuang's cousin. Wang Kuang was also involved in his son's lessons, working with Wei to teach him the techniques of the calligrapher Cai Yong. Wei Shuo was a specialist in the clerical, regular, and semi-cursive script styles of Chinese calligraphy, and gave lessons on selection of calligraphy supplies, proper posture, and basic stroke techniques. Wang Xizhi also learned calligraphy from his uncle, Wang Yi (王廙), a painter and calligrapher who was married to the sister of Emperor Yuan of Jin. After his parents died, Wang Xizhi lived in the household of his uncle Wang Dao, a prominent politician and the patriarch of the Wang family. Wang Dao helped suppress attempted coups by his cousin Wang Dun in 322 and 324. Wang Xizhi's reaction to these conflicts between his uncles, which ultimately resulted in Wang Dun's death in 324, left him with a distaste for political and military affairs.

Around the year 323, Wang became engaged to Xi Xuan, the eldest daughter of the military general Xi Jian. In a well-known anecdote from the and the , Xi Jian sent an emissary to Wang Dao's household to find a suitable husband for his daughter. While the other young men flaunted themselves in fine clothing, an indifferent Wang Xizhi arrived late and sprawled across a bed, with his robes open and belly exposed due to the heat. The emissary was impressed by his spontaneity and reported back to Xi Jian, who agreed to the match. Xi Xuan was also skilled at calligraphy. She and Wang had eight recorded children: seven sons – Xuanzhi, Ningzhi, Huanzhi, Suzhi, Huizhi, Caozhi, and Xianzhi – and one daughter, Mengjiang. Wang Xianzhi, their youngest son, became a renowned calligrapher in his own right, and he and Wang Xizhi were later praised as the "Two Wangs" or "Two Kings" (二王).

Political career

Wang Xizhi was appointed to various government positions between 324 and 354. He started as an assistant in the Palace Library, and he served as a companion and mentor to the future Emperor Jianwen of Jin. Around the year 334, he became the military aide to the general Yu Liang, who later praised him as "pure and noble, a man with discriminating judgment". Wang was named governor of Linchuan (present-day Linchuan, Jiangxi) in 336. After declining several offers from Wang Dao to serve in the Department of Personnel, he became the regional inspector of Jiangzhou (near present-day Huangmei County, Hubei) and received the title of "General Who Brings Repose to the Distance" . In 346, he was reluctantly persuaded by his friend Yin Hao to accept the appointment of "General Who Defends the Army".

He then requested an appointment as the administrator of Xuancheng (present-day Xuancheng, Anhui), so that he could focus on his cultural interests in a remote area, away from dynastic politics. He was instead appointed administrator of Kuaiji (present-day Shaoxing, Zhejiang), and moved there with his family in 347. That same year, he received his highest title, (右軍將軍; "General of the Right Army"). Because of this title, he later received the nickname "Wang Youjun" (王右軍). Despite his military titles, Wang disliked war, never engaged in warfare himself, and often tried to prevent armed conflicts. He unsuccessfully attempted to convince Yin Hao, who was in a fierce rivalry with the ambitious general Huan Wen, to abandon his plans to lead an army into northern China; Yin Hao's expeditions ultimately ended in failure.

Orchid Pavilion Gathering

On 22 April 353, Wang hosted 41 of his friends, relatives, and pupils at the Orchid Pavilion on Mount Kuaiji for the Double Third Festival, which was celebrated annually on the third day of the third month of the Chinese calendar. Originating as a spring purification ritual, the festival became popular among scholars who gathered each year to discuss philosophical topics, compose poetry, and drink rice wine.

Wang's gathering included six of his sons (Xuanzhi, Ningzhi, Huanzhi, Suzhi, Huizhi, and Xianzhi), as well as Xie An, Sun Chuo, and the Buddhist monk Zhi Dun. The participants of the Orchid Pavilion Gathering took part in a "winding stream party", a customary drinking game in which they composed poetry while cups containing rice wine floated down the stream towards them. Those who were able to compose two poems before the cups reached them would have to drink only one cup of wine, whereas those who were unsuccessful had to drink more. The scholars composed a total of 41 poems that day.

The (蘭亭集序; "Preface to the Poems Composed at the Orchid Pavilion"), the most famous calligraphic work attributed to Wang (though its authenticity has been debated), is a preface to the collection of poems that were written that day. The Orchid Pavilion Gathering has been described as "one of the most famous events in Chinese literary history". It has been depicted in numerous works of art and literature, and features as a prominent theme in paintings from the Song and Ming dynasties in China and the Edo period in Japan.

Retirement and later years

In 355, Wang announced that he would resign from governmental service. This decision was precipitated when Wang Shu, a political rival, was appointed regional inspector of Yangzhou and gained oversight of Kuaiji and Wang Xizhi's administration. The two men had personally feuded for many years. Wang Shu subsequently opened an investigation into Kuaiji's finances, alleging that Wang Xizhi had mishandled the collection of taxes in the region. Resolving to leave his position rather than continue working under his new superior, Wang Xizhi retired, citing ill health.

After his retirement, Wang moved to Jinting (present-day Shengzhou, Zhejiang) and devoted himself to Taoist practices. The Wang clan of Langya were well-known adherents of the Way of the Celestial Masters movement of Taoism, and Wang's letters indicate that he was a follower of this movement as well. On one occasion when his granddaughter was ill, he composed a written confession of his own perceived moral failings, believing that these were linked to her illness and that he needed to petition the celestial masters to heal her. He regularly collected medicinal herbs that were believed to grant longevity, and together with his brother-in-law Xi Yin, he practiced (abstinence from cereals). During his lifetime, he transcribed several Taoist texts, including the (黄庭经; "Yellow Court Classic").

Wang died . Details about the circumstances of his death are unknown, but he had frequently mentioned his poor health in his letters to others. The maladies that were detailed in the letters include fatigue and weakness, insomnia, gastrointestinal issues, chronic pain, and chest discomfort. He sought out many treatments and therapies such as acupuncture, moxibustion, and various medicinal substances, including the psychoactive and toxic Cold-Food Powder which may have exacerbated his symptoms. He has been traditionally believed to be buried in a tomb in Jinting, which has become a major tourist attraction in Shengzhou. Some modern scholarship has suggested that he may have been actually buried in Jiankang (present-day Nanjing, Jiangsu), the capital of the Eastern Jin, alongside other members of his family.

Calligraphy

Provenance

The first known collector of Wang's calligraphy was Huan Xuan, a Jin dynasty warlord who collected two wrappers (each containing approximately ten scrolls) of works by Wang Xizhi and his son, Wang Xianzhi. Another early collector, Duke Hui, was tricked by dealers who soaked forgeries in dirty water to make them appear older and then sold them as originals. The emperors of the Liu Song dynasty (420–479) were enthusiastic art collectors whose imperial collection included many pieces by the Two Wangs. Emperor Xiaowu obtained ten scrolls of Wang Xizhi's calligraphy from private collectors, but collected many forgeries as well. A violent palace revolt during the reign of Liu Ziye caused the imperial collection to be scattered. His successor, Emperor Ming, reassembled and expanded the collection and tasked an expert calligrapher with cataloguing and authenticating the pieces. In total, 52 wrappers containing 520 scrolls of works by the Two Wangs were documented at the time. Over the next century, emperors continued to acquire new works of calligraphy, reacquire stolen ones, and hire expert authenticators. After Emperor Yuan of Liang reportedly set fire to his collection of 240,000 scrolls as an enemy army was approaching the capital, only about 4,000 scrolls were able to be salvaged from the ashes; it is unknown how many of these were produced by Wang.

Emperor Taizong of Tang, a great admirer of Wang, amassed a collection of over 2,000 of his works (including originals and copies) and required that the imperial court scholars study his calligraphic techniques. The emperor was particularly fascinated with the and went to great lengths to obtain the original, which he ordered to be buried in his mausoleum upon his death. He employed calligraphers to make tracing copies of the and other works by Wang, using semitransparent tracing paper that was placed over the original versions. They also produced copies using the ink rubbing technique, which involved carving a tracing copy into a stone block, placing a thin sheet of paper over the engraving, and pounding an inkpad onto the surface to transfer the characters to the paper. This process was more efficient than tracing by hand, but it was also less accurate. These reproductions, along with the creation of an imperial office to teach calligraphy to young scholars in the capital, firmly established Wang and his style as the defining standard for Chinese calligraphy. According to the art historian Lothar Ledderose, Emperor Taizong was the "one man who did most for the propagation of the Wang Xizhi tradition".

The emperors of the Song dynasty continued to promote reproductions of Wang's calligraphy. Around this time, the "Dingwu stone", an engraving of the made by Ouyang Xun and widely considered to be most faithful to the original, was discovered in the Hebei province. During the Ming dynasty, Wang's works were mainly promoted by private collectors who accumulated compilation albums of his rubbings. In the present day, there are no known surviving original works by Wang Xizhi. The earliest extant reproductions of his work were produced during the Tang dynasty, including a small number of tracing copies. Numerous rubbings exist – including many copies of the Dingwu stone – but these have likely become less accurate over the centuries as inaccuracies are propagated over time when new engravings are made from older rubbings.

Technique and style

Wang is known for his proficiency in multiple Chinese script styles, particularly the regular, semi-cursive, and cursive forms. His calligraphy also contains traces of patterns found in the early seal script style, according to an analysis by Dong Qichang, an art theorist and calligrapher of the Ming dynasty who studied the stylistic effects of the brush tip in Wang's works. Although he produced famous works in multiple script styles, he remains best known for his innovations in semi-cursive script, the style of the . His works vary in length from a few lines to several hundred characters and, apart from the and his letters to others, are largely copies of existing texts.

A hallmark of Wang's calligraphy, according to the art historian Robert E. Harrist Jr., is the presence of "brushstrokes that are carefully formed and create a sense of disciplined energy flowing down the page", even for text that appears to have been rapidly written. He regularly experimented with varying the speed and direction of the brush, resulting in distinctive visual characteristics in different instances of recurring strokes. In the , for instance, characters that are repeated have different visual forms, creating a sense of spontaneity that reflects the scene during which it was written. In contrast to the relatively wide characters typically seen in clerical script, Wang's characters were more vertically elongated and compact.

The study of Wang's style is challenged by the lack of surviving original works. In debating the differences between Wang's calligraphy and archaeological texts produced by other writers around the same time period, some scholars have questioned the relative influence of Wang versus the Tang calligraphers who copied his pieces. Ledderose observes that the works attributed to Wang vary widely in style, precision, and balance, making a "correct assessment of his personal contribution quite difficult".

Representative works

Written in regular script:

• (樂毅論; "Essay on Yue Yi"): a transcription of an essay authored by Xiahou Xuan about Yue Yi, a military general during the Warring States period. Copied by Wang in 348, it is generally regarded as the best example of his regular script.

• (黄庭经; "Yellow Court Classic"): a transcription of a Taoist text describing methods of meditation. There are two versions of this text; the shorter one was copied by Wang in 356.

• (东方朔画贊; "Eulogy to a Portrait of Dongfang Shuo"): a transcription of a text authored by the poet Xiaohou Chen about a portrait of Dongfang Shuo, a court jester of the Han dynasty. Wang's original copy, written in 356, was reportedly buried in the tomb of his relative, Wang Xiu.

Written in semi-cursive script:

• (蘭亭集序; "Preface to the Poems Composed at the Orchid Pavilion"): Wang's most celebrated work of calligraphy, composed in 353 at the Orchid Pavilion Gathering.

• (喪亂帖; "Letter of Distress and Indignation"): a letter from Wang expressing despair that he is unable to mourn at his ancestors' tombs in the conquered north. Records indicate that a tracing copy was preserved in the Japanese imperial household and donated to the Shōsōin treasure house in the 8th century.

• (孔侍中帖; "Letter to Kong"): a letter from Wang asking about the well-being of one of his friends. Like the , a tracing copy of this letter was among a Japanese imperial collection of Wang's calligraphy that was later donated to the Shōsōin.

• (快雪時晴帖; "Sudden Clearing after a Lively Snowfall"): a letter from Wang addressed to a "Marquis of Zhang" in which he remarks on the clear weather.

• (奉橘帖; "Letter on Presenting Oranges"): a letter from Wang to a friend to accompany a gift of 300 oranges. It is Wang's shortest known letter, comprising 12 characters.

• (行穰帖; "Ritual to Pray for Good Harvest"): a 15-character fragment of a letter from Wang. Though the art historian Zhang Yanyuan identified the second half of the letter containing the remaining 17 characters, the meaning of the letter is still unclear. Wang appears to reference a ritual or ceremony involving the addressee and nine others. The is the only tracing copy of Wang's calligraphy held in a Western collection (the Princeton University Art Museum).

Written in cursive script:

• (十七贴; "Seventeen Posts"): a collection of 29 letters from Wang that were reportedly later engraved during the Tang dynasty. The name of the collection is derived from the first two characters in the opening letter.

• (王略帖; "National Territory"): a letter from Wang that was later owned by Mi Fu, a calligrapher of the Song dynasty, who treasured it and described it as "the foremost writing in existence".

Debates on authenticity

The complicated textual history of Wang's calligraphy has led to debates over the authenticity of his works, primarily the . During the Song dynasty, the poets Jiang Kui and Lu You began to question the authenticity of the preface. Several centuries later, some scholars of the Qing dynasty rejected the claim that Wang produced the based on arguments that it did not include characters written in clerical script, that its semi-cursive script may not have been developed until after Wang's lifetime, and that it was inconsistent with another recorded version, the (臨河序; "Preface to the Riverbank Gathering"). They instead hypothesized that it was written by a later calligrapher of the Sui or Tang dynasties, but this was a minority view at the time.

During the 1960s, the question of the authenticity was revived by Guo Moruo, the chairman of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles. Guo published an article in 1965 rejecting Wang's authorship based on the recent discovery of tombs from the Jin dynasty whose inscriptions were written in clerical script. Guo also presented the argument that portions of the , which somberly reflect on the transience of life, were inconsistent with the celebratory nature of the Orchid Pavilion Gathering. He suggested that it was actually written by Zhiyong, a Buddhist monk who was a descendant of Wang. In the wake of the Socialist Education Movement, few scholars were willing to publicly challenge Guo's claims, and those who did were attacked by Guo and his political allies in the Chinese Communist Party.

He Jianjun, a scholar of Chinese history, wrote that Guo's motivation for challenging the authenticity of the was political, not academic, and that Guo was deliberately trying to subvert "the single most important Chinese work of art of past millennia", usher in the Cultural Revolution, and establish his own authority in cultural debates. These debates over Wang's calligraphy subsided after 1966 as critics shifted their focus to other works such as Hai Rui Dismissed from Office. Guo's claim that clerical script would have been used exclusively during Wang's lifetime was weakened in 1988 upon the discovery of an Eastern Jin tomb with an inscription written in regular script.

Legacy

Posthumous reputation

Wang's works were already popular during his lifetime, and in the centuries after Wang's death, collectors continued to seek out his calligraphy. The value of an imperial collection was often judged by the number of works written by the Two Wangs. As Wang Xizhi's works were the most valuable part of the collection, they surpassed "their aesthetic value and function as a symbol of power". Thus, emperors continually sought to expand their collection of Wang's calligraphy in order to strengthen their own perceived legitimacy. Around the time of the Tang dynasty, he was designated the "Sage of Calligraphy" (書聖; ), a title that is still used to describe him in the present day.

As a result of Emperor Taizong's patronage, Wang is generally considered to be the most significant Chinese calligrapher in history. The , according to Ledderose, is "the most celebrated piece of calligraphy of all time", admired for both its calligraphy and its text. He is an influential figure in Japanese calligraphy as well. After his calligraphy was established as the defining model in China during the Tang dynasty, it was transmitted to Japan during the Nara and Heian periods. In the 9th and 10th centuries, the Heian court standardized Wang's semi-cursive and cursive scripts and these were copied by Japanese calligraphers, resulting in a distinctive Japanese style of that time period. Extant tracing copies of Wang's work, which are rare, continue to be highly valued. In 2010, a scroll with four lines of Wang's calligraphy, copied during the Tang dynasty, was sold at a China Guardian auction in Beijing for.

Several locations associated with Wang's life have become visitor attractions in China. The site of his childhood residence in Linyi is open to tourists and features an "ink pond" where he reportedly washed his brush while writing. In Shaoxing, the site of the Orchid Pavilion contains a stone engraving of the and receives over one million visitors annually, and his tomb is popular with visitors as well. The Tishan Bridge (题扇桥; ; ) in Shaoxing is named after an anecdote in which Wang took pity on a struggling vendor and inscribed her fans with his calligraphy to increase their value. The fans were easily sold and the old woman reapproached Wang with even more fans, but he declined to sign them and slipped out through a side door.

Depictions in art

According to an anecdote from the Jin shu, Wang once received ten live geese in exchange for transcribing two chapters from the Tao Te Ching, a foundational Taoist text. After his lifetime, art theorists such as Guo Xi continued to associate him with geese, creating the narrative that his calligraphic brush technique was inspired by the way that the geese moved their necks. Wang's fondness for geese "has come to be the emblem of his artistic personality in popular and elite imagination alike", and his depictions in art typically show him in the presence of geese. A 14th-century rubbing of a painting from the Song dynasty is the earliest known depiction of Wang with geese. A well-known painting, Wang Xizhi Watching Geese by Qian Xuan, was painted and is housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Though the Orchid Pavilion Gathering in 353 did not involve geese, artists have often combined the two themes in their paintings of Wang. According to the art historian Kazuko Kameda-Madar, the gathering itself is "one of the most important painting themes in the cultural history of East Asia". Over time, Chinese and Japanese artists have added other recurring elements to their depictions of the Orchid Pavilion Gathering not mentioned in the , such as saucers in the shape of lotus leaves to carry the goblets of rice wine down the stream and the presence of a young boy stealing a sip of wine.

家世

王羲之出身名門望族。祖籍琅邪，琅邪王姓原本出自姬姓，其家史可以追溯到周靈王太子王子喬的後人，王羲之十七世祖王元為避秦朝時亂乃由咸陽遷至琅邪。王羲之的曾祖父王覽是二十四孝裡的「臥冰求鯉」王祥同父異母的弟弟。王祥於晉武帝時拜太保，王覽亦官至光祿大夫。

匈奴擊破晉朝之後，社會動盪，人心惶惶，晉元帝在江北和江南招攬人才，大批北方士族「渡江」南遷。313年，王羲之年僅十歲，隨著琅邪王氏家族遷居金陵，王導為晉元帝丞相，王家子弟位居皇室朝廷的大部分重要權職。查考《晉書》，王氏列傳佔據很大的比例。

陳郡謝氏在東晉中期崛起，與王氏齊名。王謝兩家關係友好，也常聯姻通婚，號稱王謝。但王羲之的兒子們特長是清談、書法等，較無政治才能；謝安為首的謝家子弟除了文藝之外，統領北府兵，也能征善戰，多以軍功身居國家要職。

生平

303年（晉惠帝太安二年），王羲之出生於琅邪郡臨沂（今屬山東）。父親是王曠，母親是衛氏，王羲之另有一胞兄王籍之。在時局混亂的西晉末年，父親任丹陽太守，西晉朝滅亡之後，王羲之於313年（10歲）隨父母遷居晉朝廷遷徙，父親王曠也功不可沒，可惜父親早逝，喪父以後全靠母兄撫育成人。

結婚

323年（晉明帝太寧元年），王羲之時年21歲，太尉郗鑒想跟王氏結親，派人去看王氏子弟哪個最適合當女婿。王導請郗鑒派去的人到東廂選婿。王氏的青年男子們都穿戴整齊，希望能被選上，唯有王羲之「坦腹東床」，露出肚子躺在東邊的床上，一副不在乎的模樣。郗鑒得知之後，反而欣賞王羲之的真誠樸實，選中了他，把女兒郗璿嫁給他。這是成語東床快婿的由來。王羲之與郗璿共育有七子一女。其中，七子王獻之亦是知名的書法家，父子並稱為「二王」。

仕途

王羲之最初的官職是秘書郎，其主要任務是整理和校閱宮中文庫中的圖書。東晉時期許多貴族子弟，年齡很小就獲得官銜進入仕途了，唯獨王羲之在他23歲左右才任秘書郎之職。有人認為，這是因為他伯父王導在掌握東晉大權時推行「憒憒之政」的政治綱領，王羲之持不同政見，所以他任官的時間一拖再拖。也有人認為，這是他父親王曠受命救援上黨之役失敗的緣故。

王羲之年輕時即享有美譽，朝廷公卿皆愛其才器，最後終於在348年（永和四年）升為護軍將軍。護軍將軍權力很大，不但有一支保護皇帝和京師的軍隊，而且其下有屬官，若受命出征，還可以設參軍。王羲之恪盡職守，關心士卒的疾苦，他任護軍將軍時發了題為《臨護軍教》的第一道命令。

《蘭亭集序》

353年（永和九年三月三日），50歲的王羲之與孫綽、許詢、謝尚、支遁等當時一流名士42人於會稽山陰（浙江紹興）之蘭亭賞酒玩詩。蘭亭之起源，是越王勾踐在此種植蘭花，而漢代在此建立驛站，故名「蘭亭」。當天朗氣清，惠風和暢，茂林脩竹，又有清流激湍，映帶左右，26名文人們「曲水流觴」，得詩37首，集為《蘭亭詩》。《蘭亭集序》為王羲之為《蘭亭詩》寫的序言，共計324字。《蘭亭集序》歷來被認為是書法經典傑作，有「行書第一」之稱。王羲之以特選的鼠鬚筆和蠶繭紙書寫。文章前半段敘事寫景、描述聚會盛況、抒發人生感想；後半段則議論抒情，在靜與躁的對比中，感慨人生苦短，世事無常，生與死一念間，轉瞬即逝，企望長生之意。由於王羲之當時處於酒酣耳熱、性情奔放之際，該序言通篇語言流暢，不勉強藻飾、通俗自然，駢散結合，靈活自如，堪稱歷代散文名篇。《蘭亭集序》中雖有多字重複，但重複字各有氣蘊，而不雷同。後來，「蘭亭」成了書法家匯集之地。《蘭亭集序》的真跡現在已經佚失，流傳下來的均為臨摹本。

辭官退隱

王羲之經常接觸的親朋好友不少是尚玄修道的名士，尤其與道士許邁深交，經常與道友一起浪跡山水、採集仙藥，早有辭官修道之心。《蘭亭集序》寫成後兩年，因不受朝廷重用，即「稱病去郡」。終老嵊縣金庭。

355年（穆帝永和十一年），王羲之寫下後世流傳的《告誓文》後，即離開官場，過著閒雲野鶴的退隱生活。許詢得知王氏隱居金庭，特從蕭山趕來與之為鄰。王羲之辭官後沒有繁瑣的政務糾纏，在精神上顯然是得到了解放，只有自己身體日漸衰弱、病痛纏身使他痛苦，兩個孫女夭折之事令他傷心。

《快雪時晴帖》

王羲之晚年墨寶《快雪時晴帖》是寫給山陰張侯的一個帖文，全文只有28個字，此時，他已經辭去官職，享受著隱逸自然的生活。此帖材質為紙本，尺寸縱23公分，橫14.8公分。全文如下：

「羲之頓首 快雪時晴 佳想安善 未果 為結 力不次 王羲之頓首 山陰張侯」

（白話翻譯：山陰張先生你好，剛才下了一場雪，現在天又轉晴了，想必你那裡一切都好吧！上次的聚會我沒能去，心裡很鬱悶。你家送信的人說不能在我這裡多停留，要趕快回去，那我就先寫這些吧。王羲之敬上。）

第一句「羲之頓首」是草書，筆墨流暢優雅，宛若遊龍。第二句「快雪時晴」，筆畫由草書轉向行書，雍容古雅、圓渾妍媚。而第三、第四、第五句…字體也不盡相同，有不同的韻味。

逝世

王羲之信奉道教，認為服食藥石可以成仙或長生不老（擇藥帖即是一例），因此有長年服食藥石的習慣。晚年因病投注更多的時間到深山中採集藥石服食，然而藥石並沒有使王羲之延壽，反而可能傷害了他的身體，最後在健康狀況日益惡化的情況下，年僅59歲就與世長辭了。葬于孝嘉鄉濟度寺(今浙江省嵊州市金庭鎮）。

而王羲之的妻子郗璿則非常長壽，活到了90歲。

現存作品（含刻本、摹本）列表

唐太宗時，王羲之的書法有3000多卷，到宋太宗時只剩160餘件。至今已知僅存摹本、碑文及拓本約30件，而書帖真跡已無存世。

• 快雪時晴帖（唐代摹本，藏於台北國立故宮博物院；和中秋帖及伯遠帖合稱「三希」）

• 蘭亭序（被稱為「天下第一行書」，唐代雙勾填墨摹本《神龍本》藏於北京故宮博物院）

• 寒切帖（又名《廿七帖》、《謝司馬帖》；唐代雙勾填墨摹本，藏於天津博物館）

• 黃庭經（亦名《換鵝帖》；曾摹刻上石，宋代拓本藏於北京故宮博物院）

• 平安帖、何如帖、奉橘帖（唐代雙勾填墨摹本，藏於台北國立故宮博物院）

• 遠宦帖（亦名《省別帖》，十七帖中的一封書信；唐代雙勾填墨摹本，藏於台北國立故宮博物院）

• 喪亂帖、二謝帖、得示帖（唐代雙勾填墨摹本，藏於日本皇室）

• 樂毅論（梁拓本）

• 憂懸帖（唐代雙勾填墨摹本，藏于日本）

• 孔侍中帖和頻有哀禍帖（唐代摹本，二帖連為一紙，藏于前田育德會）

• 姨母帖（《唐摹萬歲通天帖》之一；唐代摹本，藏於遼寧省博物館）

• 初月帖（《唐摹萬歲通天帖》之二；唐代摹本，藏於遼寧省博物館）

• 行穰帖（唐代雙勾填墨摹本，藏於美國普林斯頓大學美術館）

• 七月都下帖（唐代臨本，藏於台北國立故宮博物院）

• 上虞帖（唐代摹本，藏於上海博物館）

• 游目帖（又名《蜀都帖》；一般認為是唐代摹本，但因帖右有題跋言：「《晉會稽內史五羲之字逸少遊目帖真蹟》此真晉冷金紙，緊薄如金葉，索索有聲，與《筆陣圖》相類，載在《襄陽侍訪錄》」，故極有可能是王羲之的草書真蹟。藏於日本，但二戰時毀於廣島的原子彈爆炸，現存影印複製本）

• 大道帖（又名《一筆書》；唐代或米芾臨本，藏於台北國立故宮博物院）

• 雨後帖（宋代臨本，藏於北京故宮博物院）

• 其書帖（收錄于貞松堂藏歷代名人法書）

• 東方朔像讚（唐代臨本，藏於台北國立故宮博物院）

• 孝女曹娥碑（現存拓本及東晉佚名絹本，後者藏於遼寧省博物館）

• 興福寺斷碑（又名《吳文碑》，唐代僧人大雅集王羲之的字刻成，明代萬曆出土時就僅存下半截，藏於陝西省博物館）

• 大唐三藏聖教序（唐代沙門懷仁集王羲之的字刻成，宋代拓本藏於天津博物館）

• 妹至帖（唐代雙鈎填墨摹本，藏於日本私人處）

• 大報帖（唐代雙鈎填墨摹本，藏於日本私人處）

• 袁生帖（唐摹本，京都藤井有鄰館所藏）

• 淳化閣帖（叢帖，宋太宗集內府的書帖命人經雙鉤描摹後刻在石版或木版上再拓印裝訂成帖，收錄10卷、總計420帖，第6、7、8卷是王羲之的書帖，共160多帖；宋代拓本藏於上海博物館）

• 澄清堂帖（集帖，南宋集王羲之的書帖刻成；宋代拓本殘卷藏於北京故宮博物院）

歷代評論

• 梁武帝蕭衍評其書曰：「王羲之書，字勢雄逸，如龍跳天門，虎臥鳳闕。」

• 唐太宗李世民讚道：「詳察古今，研精篆素，盡善盡美，其唯王逸少乎！觀其點曳之工，裁成之妙，煙霏露結，壯若斷而還連；鳳翥龍蟠，勢如斜而反直。玩之不覺為倦，覽之莫識其端。心摹手追，此人而已，其餘區區之類，何足論哉！」

• 唐李白有詩《王右軍》曰：「右軍本清真，瀟灑出風塵。山陰過羽客，愛此好鵝賓。掃素寫道經，筆精妙入神。書罷籠鵝去，何曾別主人。」

• 《晉書·王羲之傳》：「（右軍）猶善隸書，為古今之冠，論者稱其筆勢，以為飄若浮雲，矯如驚龍。」

軼事

• 王羲之七歲能寫一手好書法，十二歲時，發現父親經常待在書房裡，拿出一本書來閱讀，神態極其虔誠和認真，然後磨墨寫字，最後小心翼翼地將那本書放在枕中。王羲之乘父親一次外出的機會，「竊而讀之」，此書原是衛夫人所藏的東漢蔡邕的《筆論》。他的父親王曠發現了，對兒子說：「你為什麼偷拿我秘藏之書來看？」王羲之只是笑而不答。母親說「看用筆的方法、奧秘吧。」父親覺得他年紀還小，怕他沒辦法領悟其中妙處（一說保守秘密），於是告訴羲之：「等你長大成人，我再教你。」羲之懇求道：「現在就學吧，假如等到長大後，恐怕會耽誤到孩兒的天賦發展。」父親很高興，被小羲之的上進心感動，就將書借給了他。王羲之按《筆論》的教導練習筆法，一個月內便進步明顯，筆法日漸老成。老師衛夫人見到後，流著淚說：「這孩子將來一定會比我還出名。」

• 羲之小時候不善於表達，話並不多，人們都不看好他。羲之十三歲那年，曾拜訪當時的名士周顗，席間，周顗察覺到王羲之異於常人，定非庸才。於是將名貴的烤牛心切了，送到羲之面前——在座的賓客都還沒吃——使羲之先飽口福，王羲之的名聲因此傳了開來。

• 郗鑒派門生往王府選婿，王府子弟均刻意保持矜持，唯獨王羲之露著肚皮躺在東牀上吃餅，好像沒聽說這回事一樣。郗鑒便認為他是適合的人選，便決定將女兒郗璿嫁給他。女婿因此而稱為「東牀」，於是「東床坦腹」或「東床快婿」變成稱讚有女之家嫁得好歸宿的代名詞。

• 王羲之愛鵝成癖，傳說是因為他喜歡觀察鵝游水時鵝掌的動作，從中學習，以提高自己的書法用腕技巧。山陰有一道士，希望王羲之能為他抄寫一部《黃庭經》，但是又不敢貿然提出。他精心飼養白鵝，與之相贈，並提出寫經的請求，王羲之答應他，抄寫一部《黃庭經》送給他。後來這部《黃庭經》被稱作右軍正書第二，又被稱作《換鵝帖》。該帖的宋拓本現藏于北京故宮博物院。有李白詩為証「鏡湖流水漾清波，狂客歸舟逸興多。山陰道士如相見，應寫黃庭換白鵝。」

• 相傳王羲之住處附近有一小池，王羲之每日練完書法均在此洗筆，時間一久，池水為之黑，竟能直接蘸取充墨之用。當年王羲之在溫州擔任永嘉郡守之際，曾在今溫州墨池坊揮灑文墨，故於溫州舊鹿城區市政府前有一墨池。

• 王羲之有一次替皇帝寫祭文，書寫在木板上，工人為了準備下一場祭祀，要削去舊木板的時候，卻發現王羲之的筆跡竟然透入木板，深達三分，可知王羲之的筆力強健。

• 王羲之曾指導陳郡謝氏的謝安，謝安書法亦自成一格。

• 王羲之認為自己出身的瑯琊王氏才是真正代表王氏的正統名門，瞧不起太原王氏出身的王述，因此兩人勢同水火互看不順眼。王羲之後來發現王述之子王坦之是聰明優秀的國家棟樑，反觀自己的兒子們是一群除了書法外近乎一無是處的廢柴時，氣急敗壞，痛罵他們一群人都不如一個王坦之。

家庭

曾祖

• 王覽（206－278），西晉宗正、光祿大夫，封爵即丘子。

祖

• 王正，王覽四子，西晉尚書郎，王導、王敦的叔父。

• 夏侯氏，羊耽與辛憲英之外孫女，夏侯莊之女，夏侯湛之妹，晉元帝姨母。

父母

• 王曠（約274－328），王正長子，東晉淮南太守。

• 衛氏，衛夫人姐妹

叔父

• 王廙，王正次子，東晉驃騎將軍。

• 王彬，王正三子，東晉衛將軍。

妻

• 郗璿，東晉太尉郗鑒之女。

子女

• 長子王玄之

• 次子王凝之，妻謝道韞，謝奕之女

• 三子王渙之，妻潁川陳氏，淮南刺史陳逵之女

• 四子王肅之，東晉中書郎、驃騎府咨議，妻陳國殷氏，揚州刺史殷浩之女

• 五子王徽之

• 六子王操之，東晉侍中、尚書、豫章太守，妻濟陽江氏，會稽內史江霖之女

• 七子王獻之，前妻郗曇之女郗道茂，後妻新安公主，女王神愛，嗣子王靜之

• 長女王孟姜，夫劉暢，子劉瑾

後代

• 孫女王神愛（王獻之所生，為晉安帝皇后）

• 曾外孫謝元（王渙之女兒王德生所生）

• 曾外孫謝靈運（王孟姜女兒所生，為魏晉南北朝知名文人）

• 七世孫佛教大師智永（本姓王，名法極）。

個人年表

以下為王羲之生平大事及寫帖之年份：

公元303年（西晉惠帝太安二年）

• 王羲之誕生，陶弘景《真誥》、尚杲《瀑布山展墓記》、張懷瑾《書斷》皆有記載。

公元305年（西晉惠帝永興二年）

• 王羲之三歲，王羲之父親王曠時任丹陽（今南京市）太守。族伯王戎卒。

公元307年（西晉懷帝永嘉元年）

• 王羲之五歲，琅琊王司馬睿都督揚州、江南諸軍事，任命王羲之伯父王導為司馬，並引為知己。王導攜鍾繇《宣示表》過江，後傳給王羲之。

公元309年（西晉懷帝永嘉三年）

• 王羲之七歲，開始隨老師衛夫人（衛鑠）學習書法。漢劉聰進攻洛陽，淮南內史王曠與之交戰，劉聰敗退。

公元311年（西晉懷帝永嘉五年）

• 王羲之九歲。北方戰亂，中原氏族大批南遷。

公元314年（西晉愍帝建興二年）

• 王羲之十二歲，讀其父所輯《筆論》，書法技術進步很快。衛夫人對王曠云：「近觀是兒書，集有老成之智，必見筆訣也。」

公元315年（西晉愍帝建興三年）

• 王羲之十三歲，拜謁周顗，周顗以牛心炙先啖王羲之，客皆驚奇，王羲之始知名。

公元318年（東晉元帝建武二年）

王羲之十六歲，開始隨同叔父王廙學習書法及繪畫。三月，司馬睿在建康稱帝即位，史稱晉元帝。

公元322年（東晉元帝永昌元年）

• 王羲之二十歲。族伯王敦在武昌起兵，攻陷石頭城，王導率王氏族人請罪。晉元帝卒，太子司馬紹即位，史稱晉明帝。王羲之叔父王廙卒。

公元323年（東晉明帝太寧元年）

• 王羲之二十一歲，郗鑒向王府求親，王導請人到東廂選婿。王羲之坦腹東床，被郗鑒選中，召為婿。郗鑒女兒名浚，字子房，亦長於書法。

公元324年（東晉明帝太寧二年）

• 王羲之二十二歲。王敦再次起兵，王導、溫嶠、郗鑒、庾亮等人受命平叛。王敦病死軍中。王羲之被朝廷任命為秘書郎。

公元325年（東晉明帝太寧三年）

• 王羲之二十三歲。晉明帝卒，太子司馬衍即位，史稱晉成帝。太子年幼，由中書令庾亮輔政。

公元334年（東晉成帝咸和九年）

• 王羲之三十二歲。朝廷任命庾亮都督江、荊、豫、益、梁、雍六州諸軍事，領江、荊、豫三州刺史，鎮守武昌。王羲之為庾亮的參軍、選長史，殷浩、王胡之亦在庾亮軍中供職。

公元335年（東晉成帝咸康元年）

• 王羲之三十三歲，改任臨川太守。晉《中興書》載：羲之自會稽王友改授臨川太守。

公元336年（東晉成帝咸康二年）

• 王羲之三十四歲。叔父尚書僕射王彬卒。

公元339年（東晉成帝咸康五年）

• 王羲之三十七歲。七月，王導卒。

公元341年（東晉成帝咸康七年）

• 王羲之三十九歲，寫《敬倫帖》。

公元343年（東晉康帝建元元年）

• 王羲之四十一歲，寫《稚恭進鎮帖》。

公元344年（東晉康帝建元二年）

• 王羲之四十二歲，子王獻之生。晉康帝卒，二歲的太子司馬聃即位，史稱晉穆帝。

公元345年（東晉穆帝永和元年）

• 王羲之四十三歲，寫有《顏劉氏墓誌》、《李柏文書》等帖。桓溫都督荊、司、雍、益、梁、寧六州諸軍事，領南蠻校尉、荊州刺史。

公元347年（東晉穆帝永和三年）

• 王羲之四十五歲，時任護軍將軍。朝廷引殷浩為心腹，參預朝政，已牽制桓溫的勢力。王羲之寫《答殷浩書》，希望殷浩顧全大局，與桓溫合作。王羲之寫有《譙周有孫》等帖。

公元348年（東晉穆帝永和四年）

• 王羲之四十六歲，寫《王興之婦宋和之墓誌》。

公元349年（東晉穆帝永和五年）

• 王羲之四十七歲，寫《司州供給寥落帖》。衛夫人卒。

公元350年（東晉穆帝永和六年）

• 王羲之四十八歲，由護軍將軍升遷為右軍將軍、會稽內史職。寫有《致邛竹杖》帖。

公元352年（東晉穆帝永和八年）

• 王羲之五十歲，寫有《與會稽王帖》及《報殷浩書》，遺書制止殷浩北伐，殷浩未聽。

公元353年（東晉穆帝永和九年）

• 王羲之五十一歲。三月三日王羲之和謝安、孫綽、郝曇、支遁及其子徽之、凝之、獻之等41人，在會稽山陰之蘭亭修袚禊之禮。眾人『曲水流觴』飲酒作詩。王羲之為所集詩作序，寫下了著名的《蘭亭集序》。

• 殷浩北伐，王羲之再次阻止，殷浩未採納王諫大敗而歸。

公元354年（東晉穆帝永和十年）

• 王羲之五十二歲。桓溫以殷浩兵敗之事上疏朝廷，朝廷廢殷浩為庶人。

公元355年（東晉穆帝永和十一年）

• 王羲之五十三歲，誓墓辭官，結束了他的仕途生涯。寫有《誓墓文》及《來禽帖》等。

公元356年（東晉穆帝永和十二年）

• 王羲之五十四歲，寫《歸京帖》、《喪亂帖》。

公元358年（東晉穆帝昇平二年）

• 王羲之五十六歲，與友人終日遊山玩水，採服藥石。寫《與桓公箋》、《重熙書帖》。

公元360年（東晉穆帝昇平四年）

• 王羲之五十八歲。謝安出山為官，王羲之寫有《寒切帖》（又名《謝司馬帖》，有唐摹本傳世，天津博物館藏）。

公元361年（東晉穆帝昇平五年）

• 王羲之五十九歲，誤服藥石身亡。寫有《登汶嶺帖》、《年垂耳順帖》。

注釋

外部鏈接