Zhang Zhi (calligrapher)

Zhang Zhi (, died 192), courtesy name Boying (伯英), was a Chinese calligrapher during the Han dynasty. Born in Jiuquan, Gansu, he was a pioneer of the modern cursive script, and was traditionally honored as the Sage of Cursive Script (草聖). Furthermore, he is known as one of the Four Talented Calligraphers (四賢) in Chinese calligraphy.

Biography
Despite the great fame he enjoyed in ancient times, no veritable works of Zhang Zhi's have survived. A catchphrase is attributed to him: "Too busy to write cursively" (匆匆不暇草書), which shows that the execution of cursive script, though originally invented for the sake of time-saving, requires a tranquil frame of mind.