The four major calligraphers of the Qing Dynasty were Weng Fanggang, Liu Yong, Liang Tongshu, and Wang Wenzhi. The calligraphy of the four people was famous all over the country, and they were called "Weng, Liu, Liang, and Wang" at that time. Later generations called them the four Qing families. Calligraphy in the Qing Dynasty was the revival period of the stele style.
1. Weng Fanggang (1733~1818), with the courtesy name Zhengsan and Zhongxu, nicknamed Qinxi and later Suzhai, was born in Daxing, Shuntian (now Daxing District, Beijing). Calligrapher, litterateur, and epigrapher of the Qing Dynasty. In the 17th year of Qianlong's reign, he became a Jinshi and was awarded the title of editor. He successively supervised the academic affairs of Guangdong, Jiangxi and Shandong provinces, and became a bachelor in the cabinet. He died in the 23rd year of Jiaqing. Proficient in epigraphy, genealogy, calligraphy, painting, and poetry, his calligraphy is as famous as Liu Yong, Liang Tongshu, and Wang Wenzhi at the same time. On the "texture theory" of poetry creation, he is the author of "A Brief Introduction to the Epigraphy of Eastern Guangdong", "A Study of Sumi Zhai Lanting", "Collected Poems of Fuchuzhai", "Records of Xiaoshi Fanting", etc.
2. Liu Yong (1719-1804), courtesy name Chongru, nicknamed Shi'an, was a Qing Dynasty politician, calligrapher, and the eldest son of the great scholar Liu Tongxun. His ancestral home is Dangshan, Anhui, and he was born in Zhucheng, Shandong. He was a Jinshi in the 16th year of Qianlong's reign (1751), and successively served as a scholar of the Hanlin Academy, the prefect of Taiyuan Prefecture, the prefect of Jiangning Prefecture, the cabinet bachelor, and the Tiren Pavilion bachelor. He was famous for his law-abiding and integrity. Liu Yong had profound calligraphy attainments and was a famous master of calligraphy in the Qing Dynasty. He was known as the "Prime Minister of Heavy Ink" by the world. He died of illness in December of the ninth year of Jiaqing (January 1805) at the age of eighty-five. He was posthumously given the title of Taibao, the crown prince, and the posthumous title Wenqing.
3. Liang Tongshu (1723~1815), a calligrapher of the Qing Dynasty. His courtesy name was Yuanying and his nickname was Shanzhou. In his later years, he signed himself as Buweng and Xinwu Changweng. He was a native of Qiantang (now Hangzhou, Zhejiang). The son of the great scholar Liang Shizheng. Liang Tongshu promoted people in the twelfth year of Qianlong's reign (1747). In the seventeenth year of his reign, he was given the title of Jinshi and an official minister. He is the author of Pinluoan Collection. Liang Tongshu's family history. He was exposed to calligraphy since he was a child and was able to write big Chinese characters at the age of 12. I first learned Yan Zhenqing and Liu Gongquan, and after middle age I learned Famifu. After the age of 70, I integrated them all and just let nature take its course. He has been studying calligraphy for more than 60 years and has long been famous. He has written many books and inscriptions. Liang Tong's calligraphy skills were in regular script and running script. In his later years, he was still able to write in small regular script. His large characters were tight and elegant, and his small regular script was particularly precise.
4. Wang Wenzhi (1730-1802) was an official, poet, and calligrapher in the Qing Dynasty. The courtesy name is Yuqing, the name is Menglou, and he is from Jiangsu Province. Skilled calligraphy is won by charm. There are "Menglou Poetry Collection" and "Kaiyutang Inscriptions and Postscripts". He once went to Ryukyu to Ryukyu with Quan Kui, a member of the Imperial Academy. In the 25th year of Qianlong's reign, he became a Jinshi. He was awarded the title of editor and editor, promoted to be an attendant, and served as the prefect of Lin'an, Yunnan. After giving up, he had no intention of becoming an official.
Extended information:
The mainstream of calligraphy in the early Qing Dynasty was the calligraphy school. Kangxi favored Dong and Qianlong favored Zhao. Dong and Zhao's calligraphy style was popular all over the world. The "Taige style" in the early Ming Dynasty evolved from this It has become the "Guange style" characterized by large black light. Representative calligraphers include Zhang Zhao, Weng Fanggang, Liu Yong, Liang Tongshu, Wang Wenzhi, etc. The last four are known as the "Four Families of the Qing Dynasty", Liu You is known as the "Prime Minister with thick ink" and Wang You is known as "Tianhua with light ink". At the same time, a group of folk painters explored calligraphy, integrating various schools of calligraphy and traditional Chinese painting to produce special artistic effects
Of the "Four Qing Painters", only Liu Yong was actually more accomplished, and the rest Zhu Jia, just in the official calligraphy of the time, stepped out of the boundaries of Dong and Zhao, far or near, and therefore they were valued by people at the time. From an artistic point of view, there is not much that surpasses or catches up with the predecessors, and they all have their own shortcomings. Therefore, Mr. Qi Gong said: "There are four great masters of Qing Dynasty, and each has its own merits." (Prince) Ban, Liu (Yong) Jian, Weng (Fang Gang) Nan, Tie (Bao) Ruo. The one with Jian is straight-up, with a sharp look but a weak heart; the one with Nan hesitates and retreats when he wants to go forward. "
Baidu Encyclopedia - Four Qing Dynasties