Wang Xizhi was a renowned calligrapher of China's Eastern Jin Dynasty. He practiced diligently from a young age and never ceased his efforts.
Later, he absorbed the strengths of various calligraphic schools and developed his own unique style. His achievements earned him the honor of being considered one of China's sages of calligraphy.
Once, Wang Xizhi wrote characters on a piece of wood for an engraver to carve. The engraver later discovered that the ink had penetrated one centimeter deep into the wood.
The idiom "Ru Mu San Fen" (literally "enter wood three-tenths of an inch") originates from this story. It originally described calligraphy of such vigor that it seemed to penetrate the surface. Today, it is commonly used to describe sharp, insightful, or profoundly expressed ideas.