The author of Preface to Lanting is Wang Xizhi.
Wang Xizhi, Yi Shao, Han nationality, was a famous calligrapher in the Eastern Jin Dynasty, and was known as the "Book Sage". A native of Linyi, Langya moved to Shanyin (now Shaoxing, Zhejiang) and lived in seclusion in Jinting County in his later years. Successive secretaries, general Ning Yuan, Jiangzhou secretariat, and later the civil history of Huiji, leading the right general.
His calligraphy is good at all aspects, such as Li, Cao, Kai, and Xing. He studies the style carefully, imitates the style by hand, draws on the strengths of others, prepares the styles, and melts them in one furnace. He has got rid of the style of writing in Han and Wei Dynasties and has a far-reaching influence. The style is peaceful and natural, the brushwork is euphemistic and subtle, and it is beautiful and beautiful.
The preface to the collection of Lanting was written in the Jin Dynasty in China (AD 353). Wang Xizhi, a book sage, made friends by writing at the foot of the Lanzhu Mountain in Shaoxing, and wrote "the best running script in the world", also known as Preface to Lanting, Preface to Linhe, Preface to Zan, Preface to Poems of Lanting on March 3rd, etc.
Extended information:
In the ninth year of Emperor Yonghe of Jin Dynasty (AD 353), 42 people, including Wang Xizhi and Xie An, who were the internal history of Huiji at that time, held a grand ceremony to amend the contract in Lanting, Shanyin on March 3rd. It is said that on the third day of the third month of the lunar calendar every year, people can "get rid of the evil spirits and get rid of the filth", so Wang Xizhi and others gathered in Lanting to compose poems and write a preface for this purpose.
In the first three days of the lunar calendar, people dip fragrant grass in water at the water's edge, or bathe to wash dirt, feel the spring, and pray to eliminate the disease and ominous. Forty-two celebrities were sitting on both sides of the winding stream, and then the book boy put the wine-filled cup into the stream and let it flow down the river. If the cup stopped in front of anyone, he would have to compose poems. If he could not sing poems, he would be fined three cups of wine.
At that time, it was a cheerful and romantic atmosphere. It was in this emotional atmosphere that Wang Xizhi wrote Preface to the Lanting Pavilion. His book was elegant and vigorous, and it was very varied in terms of pen use, structure and stippling.
Reference: Baidu Encyclopedia-Wang Xizhi