Editorial Department of Zhonghua Book Company 
Zhao Mengfu»s Thousand Characters in Xingshu 

Thousand Characters runs through Zhao Mengfu»s calligraphy practice and creation throughout his life. He once wrote after a volume of Thousand Characters: "In the past 20 years, I wrote Thousand Characters a hundred times." Today»s Thousand Characters by Zhao Mengfu covers the scriptures of Zhen, Xing, Cao, Li, and seal. There are works copied from the early years, as well as works created in his later years. Under the influence of him, writing Thousand Characters in various styles became a trend in the Yuan Dynasty. The Thousand Characters Writings in Xing Script in the Palace Museum»s collection, on silk, 26.5 centimeters in length and 37.4 centimeters in width, without age, should be Zhao Mengfu»s work in his later years. This volume is different from most of Zhao Mengfu»s exquisite works. The author eliminates the edges and corners of the stippling, and no longer deliberately pursues the rigor of knots and the subtlety of the pen, but pays attention to the weight and vigor of the pen, the font is strong and indulgent, calm and vigorous. This volume shows Zhao Mengfu»s new attempt at Zimeiyuan»s tone in his later years.