Cao Xiuxian (1708~1784), also known as Hengsuo, also spelled Zhitian, Bingzhi, No. Dishan, Nanchang Xinjian County, a famous qing Dynasty literary scholar and calligrapher, Qianlong Yuanzhong Jinshi, Xuanshu Jishi, Ren Hanlin Academy Editor, Guozi Supervisor Of Wine, Cabinet Bachelor, Li Gong, Household, official Three Right Attendants, Qianlong Thirty-six Years Jin Li Department Shangshu, was appointed to walk in the Shangshu Study, as the president of the "Four Libraries Quanshu" Library. Qianlong specially gave him special treatment for "riding horses in the Forbidden City". Cao Xiuxian was a clean and honest official, known as "sincere and diligent", impartial law enforcement, and won the hearts of the people. Many times, he used his salary to set up a righteous field in his hometown, set up a righteous school, and built water conservancy. The villagers hung the plaque of "Rank Emperor Yanze" in the Cao Clan Ancestral Hall in praise of his virtue. Cao Xiuxian was very knowledgeable and wrote a lot of books. Whenever the national ceremony is written, poetry is written, and it is repeatedly blessed by the sable literature. There are "Manuscript of Zhishutang", "Moving Qingtang 46", "Yiguang Collection", "Angel Star Collection", "First Draft of Dishan Mountain", "Provincial Cultivation Poetry Map", "Yan Pipa Xing" and so on. Died in Office, and was given the title of Crown Prince Taifu (太傅), Courtesy of Yuwen Ke (谥文恪).
Cao Xiuxian was a famous courtier of a generation and was known for his calligraphy art. The history books record that Cao Xiuxian, who started as a Confucian courtier, "wrote in poetry, and was especially good at calligraphy", "calligraphy is high and ancient, pure writing is strong in the back of the paper, and people have to think of it as a treasure." There are many stone inscriptions. Taste the engraved Jing'en Tang Qianqing Hall Book Lesson, give the Royal Lin Huang Ting Jian Zhi Mu, and give the Book Hall Collection." Qianlong once named three calligraphers "Heaven and Earth People", namely: Zhang Zhao (Detian), Cao Xiuxian (Dishan), and Wang Jie (Great Man).
Cao Xiuxian lived in the Qianjia period. From the perspective of calligraphy, in this special period, on the one hand, Thexue calligraphy still inherits the tradition of Theology from the Jin and Tang Dynasties, but without the wild and unrestrained calligraphy of the Tang and Song Dynasties, there is almost no achievement in cursive writing, and instead of Liu Yong's simple and quiet writing; on the other hand, the flourishing of epigraphical calligraphy triggered by the examination of jinshi evidence, and its strong influence began to appear, and the epigraphy represented by Yi Bingshou also continued to stir up a huge noise.
Although epigraphic calligraphy was a pioneer and trend at that time, in the official world, it was Dong Qichang and Zhao Ziang Thei, who were strongly promoted by Qianlong. Cao Xiuxian, as a high-powered courtier, was deeply influenced by the "Pavilion Style" because of his examination, and it was obviously unrealistic to go to the stele of Yeyi and write some statues of poor and remote areas like Jin Nong, one of the "Eight Monsters of Yangzhou". Therefore, his calligraphy must be "orthodox" all the way, and it is a famous practitioner and leader among them. Like Zhang Zhao, Liu Yong and others, his works are calm and dignified, round and skillful, leading the atmosphere of the times.
From the perspective of pen and ink, there are many ways to take the Fa Zhong Xuan and Wang Xizhi, but compared with the calligraphy of the former Dynasty Thesis, his works are more deep and flexible. The word method is real outside and virtual inside, external static and internal movement, steady in the sense of movement. Although the characters are mostly cursive, there is not much connection between the words, and most of them show people in an independent and upright posture. Gentle and elegant, fresh style, meticulous, no slack writing, exuding personal temperament and talent, ancient style. People often say, "Words are like their people." Through Cao Xiuxian's works, we can also think of his rigorous personality and profound knowledge.