So, dear friends. Today, we continue to tell you about the greatest calligraphers in the history of China. Today, we're going to speak about Chu Sui-Liang, the third of the greatest calligraphers of the beginning of Tang dynasty. The case is that in his youth, Chu Sui-Liang was copying the great works of calligraphy of the previous ages in different styles in drawing in Lishu, and so on and so forth. But, his greatest impact and his greatest achievements were inseparably connected with the style of Kaishu. So, he was one of those who made Kaishu looking like it actually did after Tang and up to nowadays. Chu Sui-Liang was the royal calligrapher and one of the most high-ranked officials in Tang dynasty, and at the same time during the rebel of Wu Zetian, he was exiled and died very far from the capital, but well all in good time. So, he started his career as a historian, and once he was asked by the emperor if the emperor did something very wrong, something very bad, would Chu Sui-Liang fix that for the historical records, so that the people, ages, and centuries after that would know. He said that for sure he would fix that because all the deeds of the emperor must be fixed and all the good and told him that he did must be known to people. He was expecting at least a reprimand for such an attitude. But, vice versa, he was not punished and he even got a promotion. He became the royal calligrapher, and being the governor of the province, he faced the rebel of Wu Zetian, and Wu Zetian was absolutely not tolerant to those who didn't approve her deeds. So, those who even silently spoke of their disapproval, were persecuted, punished, mainly executed. What did Chu Sui-Liang do? Actually, he abdicated, he said he didn't want to serve the new ruler of China, and he was expecting the arrest and the execution. Neither he was arrested nor executed because his fame as a calligrapher was extraordinary, and Wu Zetian didn't dare to kill such a genius in front of everybody, but he was exiled. He stayed in the same high rank, but he had to go in a very distant province, then to another, then to a third one where he died and never returned back. So, that's how it was. In the later years, Chu Sui-Liang wasn't only adored as the genius in calligraphy, but was also very highly respected as a decent official. Official of the very Confucian attitude, and even in the 17th century, one of the greatest story writers of Qing dynasty. Posonline, he wrote a short story about a man who was the reincarnation of Chu Sui-Liang, and they haven't sent a ferry to help him, to assist him, to save him from all the misfortunes and things. So, you see the fame of Chu Sui-Liang even in Qing dynasty was unparalleled and he still was highly respected, and his works were still well-known as well as they are known now. The works by Chu Sui-Liang are numerous, but only few of them survived until today. The most prominent of his works is this one. The inscription at the pagoda of the Wild Geese, so please have a look at his calligraphy. One of the most distinguishing features by Chu Sui-Liang, is the work with the lines. The lines are very, very thin. Very unlike what we had in the previous ages and in the previous centuries. Though this thin aesthetic of the Chu Sui-Liang line, it has also one peculiarity. The ends of the line are far more heavier than its center. Actually, when the ends of the line are heavier than the center and it's vivid, it is recognized as one of the so-called calligraphy illnesses. But, here it is not a calligraphy illness at all. Here, it is done absolutely harmoniously, and in horizontal lines, in vertical lines, in turning lines, even everywhere, the ends are heavier and much heavier than the center. But, generally, all the lines in the character are very, very thin. Though the lines are that thin, the expression those characters produce is absolutely marvelous. It has a lot of strength inside. So, the appearance is very delicate. But, the strength of the power of the talent. The power of the personality of Chu Sui-Liang can be seen in those characters very, very vividly, just have a look how marvelously it is done. So, very thin lines with very thick, very solid ends of it. Here, you can see it even better, we'll just have a look. The right falling line starting from the very, very, very thin thread and ending with such a, look with such an ending, and here, the horizontal line, and here the left falling line. So, all this is absolutely incredible. One of the calligraphers who actually did a lot in founding, in working out the aesthetics of Kaishu style, Chu Sui-Liang.
