Behind everyone there are efforts and hardships that we cannot imagine. The achievements behind these masters must be the result of all-out efforts, and Yan Zhenqing is one of them.
When Yan Zhenqing was young, he was not only able to study diligently and hard, but also studied frugally. The early death of his father and the decline of his family also forced him to find ways to study in a very frugal way.
He knew that his family's livelihood was difficult, so he would never spend half a penny more if he could save a penny. The story his mother told him was deeply engraved in his heart: his father and his uncle Yuansun were fostered in their uncle Yin Zhongrong's home, and he learned calligraphy from Yin Zhongrong. Because the family was poor and lacked paper and pen, the two used loess and clay. They painted on the wall, used branches and stones as ghostwriters, and practiced calligraphy on the wall. Over time, they all developed good calligraphy. Especially my uncle, not only is he outstanding in calligraphy, but he also knows the beauty of calligraphy of various calligraphy schools. Emperor Xuanzong once ordered him to determine the authenticity of dozens of volumes of writings from various families. He clearly identified them one by one and was highly praised. He also wrote poems for Xuanzong, who commented: "The beauty of calligraphy and calligraphy cannot be compared to others." 20 Yan Zhenqing also imitated his father and uncle, painting the walls with loess mud and using the walls instead of paper to practice calligraphy. When the wall is full of writing, re-coat it with loess mud and write again. When it is full, re-paint it and then write it again... Day after day, I work tirelessly, never get bored, never get discouraged, never relax, never slack off. It goes without saying that the climate is pleasant in spring and autumn, but even in the dog days of midsummer when the sun is scorching hot, and the three or nine days of midwinter when the cold wind bites the bones and muscles, it never stops.
However, calligraphy is ultimately a method of writing, a method of writing well, making it durable and pleasing to the eyes; and words must be written on paper. How can there be calligraphy without paper? ? Writing on the wall or paper will not only have a completely different feeling, but also have a very different effect. You can practice "wall calligraphy" by using the wall as paper, but "wall calligraphy" is only a type of calligraphy after all. The so-called calligraphy often refers to "paper calligraphy"; although "using the wall as paper" can also be used for the sake of frugality. Practice the method of replacing "paper books", but the wall can only replace it, but it cannot replace paper in any case. After a period of hard practice using the wall as paper, Yan Zhenqing will also practice calligraphy on paper.
Similarly, in order to be frugal, he always used light ink first, then thicker ink, then thicker ink, and finally thicker ink to write on the front. After writing, turn it over and write on the back. After writing on the back, turn it over and write with thick ink... In this way, through the change of ink color from light to thick and the multiple flipping of the paper, a piece of paper can always be written four or five times. Over, even six or eight times, until the paper is full of ink and black and can no longer be written.
It was under such difficult conditions that Yan Zhenqing achieved his great life. His story always inspires those who are striving for their dreams.