What calligraphy post is Preface to Lanting?

Preface to Lanting, also known as Preface to Lanting Collection, Preface to Lanting Banquet Collection, Preface to Linhe, Preface to Zan and Zan Tie. Written by Wang Xizhi, a calligrapher in the Jin Dynasty, The Preface to Lanting narrates the beauty of the landscape around Lanting and the joy of the party, expressing the author's feelings that life and death are impermanent. The calligraphy is handed down from generation to generation, with 28 lines and 324 words. The composition, structure and brushwork are perfect, which is his masterpiece in middle age. His calligraphy is of great artistic value. Wang Xizhi, Yan Zhenqing's Manuscript of Ji Ming's Sacrifice to My Nephew and Su Shi's Cold Food Post are also called the three major calligraphy posts.

Preface to Lanting is the most important running script of Wang Xizhi. It is almost perfect in technique, and it has become a model of calligraphy in the future, with the reputation of "the best running script in the world". Wang Xizhi (33-361), whose nickname is Lian Zhai, was originally from Linyi (now Shandong), and later moved to Shanyin (now Shaoxing, Zhejiang). He was a general of the right army, and he was a great calligrapher in the Eastern Jin Dynasty. He was honored as a "book saint" by later generations. His son Wang Xianzhi's calligraphy is also very good. People call them "Two Kings", and another son, Wang Ningzhi, who was a general of the right army, is known as "Wang Youjun" and "Wang Huiji". Representative works include: Le Yi Lun in regular script, Huang Ting Jing, Seventeen Sticks in cursive script, Aunt Sticks in running script, Sunny Sticks in Fast Snow, Mourning Sticks, Preface to Lanting Collection in running script, etc.

This calligraphy is mainly centered on the pen, with many exposed strokes, delicate expression and smooth and beautiful ties. The structure of Chinese characters is vertical, with low left and high right. The size of the words is corresponding, the length is alternating, and the virtual and the real are born together. There are rows in the layout, but there are no columns in the layout, and each row is swaying and changing. The most commendable thing is that the style of "preface to Lanting" contains the author's skillful pen and ink skills, profound traditional skill, extensive cultural accomplishment and noble artistic sentiment, which has reached the peak.