Mifei Cursive Writing Research

As the outstanding representative among nature adoration calligraphers in Song Dynasty, and a calligrapher who adores and fulfills former master’s works and experiences, Mi Fu was so called "Ji Gu Zi"(Gathering character styles from former master’s works in his calligraphy creation). During his imitating process in which his model always changing, Mi Fu always chasing calligraphy masters in Jin Dynasty as his ultimate ideal realm instead of works created by masters in Tang Dynasty, that’s is Mi Fu’s idea of "Shang Jin Bei Tang"(which means who adore masterpieces in Jin Dynasty rather than Tang Dynasty). In the few cursive script of Mi Fu, We can easily figure out his imitation and following of masterpieces in Jin Dynasty. Comparing with his running script creation which considered as more representative and individual style of himself, we can find out Mi Fu tried to repress his individual in calligraphy creation, and extremely imitation on masterpieces in Jin Dynasty. In other words, we can peek that Mi Fu’s adoration psychology on masterpieces created in Jin Dynasty and weakness thought during his cursive script creation, so some works seemed restrained and immature today. This paper argues with Mi Fu’s creation viewpoint on cursive script from the angle of cursive script itself, and the forming process and reason of his ideas of adoring masterpieces created by former masters in Jin Dynasty.