Behind everyone, there are efforts and hardships that we can't compare. The achievements behind these masters must be the fruits of all-out efforts, and Yan Zhenqing is one of them.
As a child, Yan Zhenqing was not only diligent and hardworking, but also thrifty. The early death of his father and the decline of his family forced him to study in a very frugal way.
He knows that the family's livelihood is difficult, so he can save a dollar and never spend half more. His heart is deeply engraved with the story his mother told him: when his father was fostered with his uncle Yuan Sun in their uncle Yin Zhongrong's house, he studied calligraphy with Yin Zhongrong. Because of his poor family and lack of pen and paper, they painted the wall with loess and mud, used branches and stones instead of pens, and practiced calligraphy on the wall. After a long time, they both practiced good handwriting. Uncle, in particular, is not only outstanding in calligraphy, but also well aware of the wonderful calligraphy of various schools. Emperor Xuanzong ordered him to judge the authenticity of dozens of books, and he distinguished them clearly and was highly praised. He also wrote poems and Xuanzong, and Xuanzong criticized: "The beauty of calligraphy is the first." Yan Zhenqing also imitated his father and uncle, painted the walls with loess mud, replaced paper with walls, and practiced calligraphy. When the wall is full, daub it with loess mud before writing, daub it when it is full, daub it before writing ... day after day, I am tireless, not bored, not discouraged, not slack and not slack. It goes without saying that in the spring and autumn when the climate is pleasant, even in the dog days of hot summer and the three or nine days of cold winter, it never stops.
However, in the final analysis, calligraphy is the method of writing, which is the method of writing well, enduring and pleasing to the eye. While words are written on paper, how can there be calligraphy without paper? Writing on the wall and paper will not only have a very different feeling, but also have a very different effect. Taking the wall as paper, you can practice "wall book", but "wall book" is only a kind of calligraphy after all. The so-called calligraphy often refers to "paper book"; Although "taking the wall as paper" can also be an alternative to practicing "paper books" for thrift, the wall can only replace paper, but it can't replace paper in any case. After a period of hard practice with walls as paper, Yan Zhenqing will also practice calligraphy on paper.
Similarly, in order to be frugal, he always uses light ink first, then thicker ink, then thicker ink, and then writes with thicker ink. The front side is turned over and the back side is turned over and then written with thick ink ... In this way, a piece of paper can always be written four times, five times, or even six times through the change of ink color from light to thick and the repeated turning of the paper.
It is under such difficult conditions that Yan Zhenqing achieved his great life. His stories always inspire people who are struggling for their dreams.