Poem in semi–cursive script

When writing, most calligraphers prefer to hold the brush upright and write with the central fine tip. But Zhang Ruitu, unlike most calligraphers, insisted on holding the brush at an angle and writing with its sides. As a result, he created an idiosyncratic mannerism characterized by sharp strokes, angular turns, uneasy movements, and restless visual effect. Regarded as one of the four great calligraphers of the late Ming period in China, Zhang was also admired in Japan. Many of his works were taken to Japan in 1654 by the Chinese monk Yinyuan Longqi (known as Ingen Ryuki in Japan, 1592–1673), who later established the Obaku Zen Buddhist sect there.