Yan Zhenqing has the following calligraphy masterpieces:
1. "Duobao Pagoda Stele"
The full name of "Duobao Pagoda Stele" is "Induction of Duobao Pagoda at Qianfu Temple in Xijing, Tang Dynasty" "Stele" was written in the eleventh year of Tianbao in the Tang Dynasty (752) by Cen Xun, a literati at that time, and inscribed on the forehead by calligrapher Xu Hao, calligrapher Yan Zhenqing and inscription Shi Hua, and was carved in stone. It is a regular script calligraphy work. It is now preserved in the second room of the Forest of Steles in Xi'an.
This stele has thirty-four lines and sixty-six characters in it. The content mainly records the origin and construction process of the Duobao Pagoda created by Zen Master Chu Jin of Longxing Temple in Xijing. The whole is beautiful and strong, fresh and pleasant, with a sense of simplicity and clarity, and every word is precious.
The brush strokes are rich and beautiful, plump and steady; the horizontal strokes are thin and the vertical strokes are thick, with strong contrast; the strokes start with more sharp edges, the strokes with more sharp edges, and the strokes with more turning points. The structure is rigorous and dense, compact and regular, stable and well-proportioned, and the tablet version is excellent, with many preserved characters. Most students of facial expressions and styles start from this tablet and gain access to its secrets.
2. "Yan Qin Li Monument"
"Yan Qin Li Monument", the full name is "Tang Gu Secretary Provincial Works Langkui Prefecture Governor Shi Hujun Yan Jun Shinto Monument", which was created by Yan Zhenqing The Shinto tablet composed and written by his grandfather Yan Qinli is the representative work of Yan Zhenqing's regular script in his later years.
This stele was erected in the 14th year of the Tang Dynasty (779). It was unearthed in Xi'an, Shaanxi in October of the 11th year of the Republic of China (1922). It is now in the Xi'an Stele Forest Museum.
The "Yan Qin Li Stele" has inscriptions on all sides, three of which are extant. There are 19 lines on the top of the stele and 20 lines on the bottom of the stele, with 38 characters in each line. There are 5 lines on the side of the stele, with 37 characters in each line. The inscription traces the merits of the Yan family's ancestors and narrates it. The achievements of later generations in the Tang Dynasty.
The brush used is thin horizontally and thick vertically, hiding the head and protecting the tail, and uses both square and round strokes; the structure is dignified and generous, broad and stretched, showing skill in clumsiness; the breath is strong, powerful, and full of vitality, representing the aesthetic style of the prosperous Tang Dynasty. .
3. "Manuscripts for Nephews"
"Manuscripts for Nephews" (full name "Manuscripts for Nephews in Praise of the Good Doctor Ji Ming") was written by Yan Zhenqing, a calligrapher of the Tang Dynasty, in the first year of Qianyuan of the Tang Dynasty (758), his calligraphy works on running script paper are now collected in the National Palace Museum in Taipei.
"Manuscript of Memorials to My Nephew" is a draft for memorializing my nephew Yan Jiming. ***Twenty-three lines, two hundred and thirty-four words. This manuscript traces the story of Yan Gaoqing, the governor of Changshan, and his son's family, who stood up and resisted resolutely during the rebellion in Anlu Mountain. As a result, "the father was trapped and the son died, and the nest overturned the eggs." There is a surge of emotion in the writing throughout the article, the calligraphy is majestic, the vertical strokes are bold, and everything is done in one go.
The "Manuscript of Sacrifice to My Nephew", together with "Lanting Preface" by Wang Xizhi of the Eastern Jin Dynasty and "Huangzhou Hanshitie" in running script by Su Shi of the Northern Song Dynasty, are known as "the three major running scripts in the world", and are also known as "the second running script in the world" ".
And this manuscript was written in a state of extreme grief and indignation, regardless of the clumsiness of the pen and ink. Therefore, the words fluctuate with the calligrapher's mood, which is purely a natural expression of the calligrapher's spirit and daily workmanship. This is rare in the entire history of calligraphy. Therefore, "Manuscript of Memorial to My Nephew" is one of the original ink works of great historical and artistic value.