Appreciation of Wang Xizhi's Preface to Lanting

The most representative of Wang Xizhi's running script is Preface to Lanting, which is known as "the best running script in the world". In 353 AD, that is, in the ninth year of Yonghe, Jin Mu, Wang Xizhi and a group of scholars met in Lanting, Shaoxing, drinking and writing poems, while writing Preface to Lanting. The whole sequence has 28 lines and 324 words. Full of emotion and writing, the unity of heart and hand, vivid charm, was regarded as a model of learning running script by calligraphers of all ages. Li Shimin, Emperor Taizong of Tang Dynasty, regarded the Preface to the Lanting Pavilion as a treasure, and ordered many copies to be copied and distributed to modern officials, which eventually became his sacrificial objects. A better copy is Tang's double hook copy, called Longben Lanting. Because hook imitation can better preserve the true face. Others, such as Ou Yangxun's, Yu Shinan's and Chu Suiliang's Linben, are all more or less mixed with each other's own pen and ink. It must be different from the original spirit. Preface to Lanting has strong artistic characteristics. Its outstanding features are natural composition and vivid charm. Throughout the whole article, I am comfortable and handy, which makes the artistic style and text content organically combined, and fully shows the gathering of Wang and his friends. Flowing through the water, I feel self-sufficient. As far as layout is concerned, The Preface to the Lanting Pavilion adopts the style of vertical lines and horizontal columns. The characters vary in size and length, and they are patchwork, while the stippling comes down in one continuous line. Subtle structural changes, such as regular script, not rigid, cursive script, not crazy, changeable and graceful. Using a pen is very accurate, paying attention to raising and lowering the pressure clearly, and collecting the pen properly, which can be described as "getting its nature and getting its beauty."