Poem

An innovative calligrapher of the Ming dynasty, the teacher and scholar Chen Zianzhang is noted for his "reed brush style"—named for Chen’s unorthodox use of a brush made from cut reeds rather than the usual animal hair. Defying traditional standards of beauty, the caoshu or cursive style displayed here is notable for its originality and spontaneity, reminiscent of the calligraphy of Chinese Chan or Japanese Zen Buddhist monks.

While his dramatic characters, large and small, show a certain clumsiness, they are nonetheless inspired in the freedom of their movement. After writing only a few characters, the stiff-less absorbent reed brush would begin to dry and its fibers would separate, producing uneven marks across the white paper, an effect known as feibai or "flying white."