Cai Xiang (蔡襄) (7 March 1012 – 27 September 1067), courtesy name Junmo, was a Han Chinese from Xianyou County (present-day Qingzeting, Fengting Town), a native of Xinghua Junxian County. Famous calligrapher, politician and tea expert of the Northern Song Dynasty. Cai Xianggong calligraphy, poetry is clear and wonderful, its calligraphy is thick and dignified, simple and elegant, self-contained, one of the "Four Houses of song".
Cai Xiang's "Menghui Ti"
In the Song Fourth Family, he was of the same age, before Su, Huang, and Mi. In the song four families, Su, Huang, and Mi were all known for their grass and line letters, and it was Cai Xiang who liked to write rules and regulations. His calligraphy studied Wang Xizhi, Yan Zhenqing, and Liu Gongquan, and he was dignified and majestic. Su Dongpo said: "Jun mo is both highly talented, deep in accumulation of learning, corresponding in heart and hand, and endless changes, so he is the first in this dynasty." Shen Kuo said that he was good at "using scattered pens to make cursive writing, called scattered grass, or flying grass, and its methods are all born in feibai and become a family of its own." This shows that Cai Xiang, a calligrapher who is slightly less in the spirit of reform, is not yet in the mud, he is also pursuing ancient fun and innovating ideas.
"Poetry of the Void Hall" 1048 On paper, 22.6cm x16cm, the collection is unknown
Cai Xiang is also a well-known tea identification expert. During the reign of Emperor Renzong of Song (1041-1048), he served as a transport envoy in Fujian, responsible for supervising the production of Beiyuan tribute tea, and created a small group of tea, which was famous in the world. Cai Xiang's "Tea Record" is another important tea monograph after the > of the < Tea Classic, and is a famous work on tea culture in the Song Dynasty. Translated into English and French and disseminated abroad. There is also "Lychee Spectrum", which is the world's earliest monograph on fruit cultivation. He is the author of the "Duanming Collection".
《Door Screen Post》
Finally, I have to add that in the history of calligraphy, there is a saying that the "Cai" in the "Su Huang Mi Cai" of the Song Dynasty should be Cai Jing, only because of its "treacherous character", and later people replaced Cai Jing with Cai Xiang, which is debatable.