A calligraphy work by Tu Xiangdong. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Tu Xiangdong has mastery of several calligraphic forms.

Tu Xiangdong, a Shanxi native in his fifties, is already an important figure in the talent-laden field of calligraphy.

He is now the vice-president of the artists association affiliated with chinahln.com - a website built by a group of local artists - and heads several other art organizations.

Beginning in his teens, Tu developed a strong interest in calligraphy.

But unlike some other lovers of the art form who concentrate on one handwriting style, Tu never confined his interests.

He not only practiced regular script in small characters, but also exercised the running script that has almost the opposite style. Clerical script is a preference, too.