Handan Chun (Chinese: 邯鄲淳), courtesy name Zishu (Chinese: 子叔) or Zili (Chinese: 子禮), also known as Handan Zhu (Chinese: 邯鄲竺), was a writer, calligrapher, and official from Yingchuan Commandery (modern day Yuzhou, Henan) who served the state of Cao Wei during the early 3rd century. As a calligrapher, he was an expert in many types of scripts and was one of the first scholars to study the Shuowen Jiezi. He is credited with restoring the archaic tadpole script tradition. His most famous work is the Xiaolin (笑林), a collection of humorous anecdotes.
The Shui Jing Zhu records that Handan Chun was a nephew of Du Shang, and accompanied him when he became county magistrate in Kuaiji.[1] In 151 Du Shang wanted to set up a stele commemorating Cao E, a girl who died trying to save her father from drowning eight years before. The Kuaiji dianlu , quoted in the Book of Later Han's commentary, records the following story: Du Shang first commissioned Wei Lang to write the inscription. When Du Shang asked if Wei Lang had completed the inscription at a drinking banquet, Wei Lang responded negatively and apologized for his lack of skill. Du Shang then promptly asked Handan, who was also at the banquet, to write the inscription. Handan quickly composed it without revising. The result was so good that Wei Lang destroyed his own draft. Handan, in this account, is described as being "just twenty years old, but has extraordinary talent."[2][1] According to this record, Handan was probably born sometime around 130.[1]
In early 190, Handan had a position in the court in Chang'an, but due to the turmoil in North China, he fled to Jing province the next year, serving in the staff of Liu Biao, which became an important literary salon.[3] In 199, he wrote the funerary stele for the official Chen Ji, who died the same year. At the time, Chen Ji was an important figure, so the choice to make Handan his funerary inscription's composer could imply that he had already established himself as a famous scholar.[4]
In 208, Handan accepted an invitation to join the court of Cao Cao in Ye (modern-day Linzhang County, Hebei). In 211, he became a literary scholar in the court of Cao Pi. When Cao Zhi requested for Handan to come to his court, Cao Cao obliged, and in 216 Handan arrived in Cao Zhi's court in Linzi. The Weilüe, quoted in Pei Songzhi's commentary on the Records of the Three Kingdoms, records the following story: When Handan Chun first arrived, Cao Zhi did not talk to him. The day was very hot, so Cao Zhi ordered his attendants to bring water for bathing. After bathing, they put powder on their faces, and sat bare-headed and bare-chested, watching various performances, including the "Dance of the Five Hammers", juggling of balls, the performance of swords, and performances of jesters. Only after the performances did Cao Zhi address Handan, saying "Scholar Handan, how are you?" Cao Zhi then changed clothes and started conversing with Handan Chun on topics such as the beginning of the universe and the "evaluation of men since the time of Fuxi". They also recited ancient and modern texts and discussed military strategies. After their conversations, Cao Zhi prepared a feast, after which Handan Chun returned home praising Cao Zhi, calling him a "heavenly man".[5][6][7]