Yan Zhenqing (August 23, 709-784) was born in Jingzhao Wannian (now Xi 'an, Shaanxi) and Linyi (now Linyi, Shandong). Yan Shigu V, the secretary supervisor, is a grandson, and Situ Qing is his younger brother, a famous official and calligrapher in the Tang Dynasty. In the 22nd year of Kaiyuan (734), Yan Zhenqing became a scholar and served as a supervisor in the temple. Later, because he offended Yang, the powerful minister, he was demoted to be the prefect of the plain and was called "Yan Plain" by the world. During the Anshi Rebellion, Yan Zhenqing led a crusade against the rebels. Later, he went to Fengxiang and was made a minister. When Tang Daizong was an official, he went to the official department of Shangshu Province, and a prince and a surname named him Duke Lu, which was called Duke Yan Lu in history. In the first year of Xingyuan (784), he was sent to tell the rebel Li Xilie that he refused the thief in awe and was finally slapped to death. After he was killed, Cao's heirs and soldiers of the three armed forces cried. Posthumous title Si Tuleideng, posthumous title "in the text". Yan Zhenqing's calligraphy is exquisite and good at it. Chu Suiliang, a beginner, studied under Zhang Xu and got his brushwork. Its regular script is dignified and majestic, and its running script is vigorous and powerful, which has created a "Yan style" regular script and has a great influence on later generations. Together with Zhao Mengfu, Liu Gongquan and Ou Yangxun, they are also called "four masters of regular script". Together with Liu Gongquan, they are called "Yan Liu" and "Yangu".
He is also good at poetry, such as You, Ji, Wu, Ji, Lu Ji and Linchuan Ji, all of which have been lost. The Song people compiled Yan Ji. Yan Zhenqing's calligraphy was a beginner of Chu Suiliang, then he learned to write in Zhang Xu and discussed calligraphy with Huai Su. He deeply studied the calligraphy of Erwang and Chu Suiliang, absorbed their strengths, completely got rid of the style of the early Tang Dynasty and created a new era of calligraphy style. Yan Zhenqing's calligraphy style is called "Yan Ti", and it is also called "Yan Liu" with Liu Gongquan, and has the reputation of "Yan Liu Jin Gu". Yan Zhenqing's original calligraphy is magnificent and dignified, and its handwriting has changed from slender in the early Tang Dynasty to square and has a centripetal force. The pen is vigorous and powerful, and the central brushwork is good. Full of bones and muscles, but also sharp. Generally, horizontal painting is slightly thinner, vertical painting, point, skimming and pressing are slightly thicker. This book is magnificent in style and momentum, and has the spirit of flourishing Tang Dynasty. His cursive script is vigorous, expressive, calm and vigorous, which opens up a complete life for the cursive script after Wang School. Yan Zhenqing's running script is vigorous and vigorous. This style also reflects the prosperous style of the Tang Dynasty empire and conforms to his noble personality. It is a typical example of the perfect combination of calligraphy beauty and personality beauty, so it is praised as "the second running script in the world" by later generations.