1. Yan Zhenqing’s authentic works have been handed down from generation to generation.
The original works handed down by Yan Zhenqing include four ink inscriptions: "Manuscript of Memorial to Nephew", "Letter to Self-Advocate", "Tie of Liu Zhong Envoy" and "Tie of Huzhou".
2. Introduction to handed down authentic works:
"Manuscript of Memorial to My Nephew" - it was written when he was fifty years old in memory of his cousin's son Ji Ming who sacrificed himself unyieldingly during the "An-Shi Rebellion" funeral oration. The calligrapher poured his grief and anger into the tip of his pen and wrote this masterpiece of running script, which is known as "the second running script in the world". This volume of ink is on paper, measuring 28.3 centimeters in length and 70.5 centimeters in width. It is now in the collection of the National Palace Museum in Taipei.
"Zi Shu Jie Shen" - is a regular script ink written by Yan Zhenqing when he was seventy-two years old. The whole volume has forty-six lines and three hundred and eighty-six words. At this time, his calligraphy attainments have reached the level where everyone is old and proficient in calligraphy. This ink mark is on paper, measuring 30 centimeters in length and 220.8 centimeters in width. It is now stored in the Shukyo Calligraphy Museum in Japan.
"Liu Zhongshi's Letter" - also known as "Yingzhou Letter", this letter is a letter written by Yan Zhenqing when he was sixty years old when he was the governor of Huzhou. The writing style of this post is vigorous and varied. It is 28.5 centimeters long and 43.1 centimeters wide. It is stored in the National Palace Museum in Taipei.
"Huzhou Tie" - a copy made in the Song Dynasty, with a length of 27.6 cm and a width of 50.2 cm. It is hidden in the Palace Museum in Beijing. The original post was written by the calligrapher when he was the governor of Huzhou, talking about the floods in Huzhou and the people being comforted.
3. Introduction to the author:
Yan Zhenqing (709-785), whose ancestral home is Langye (today’s Linyi County, Shandong), his fifth ancestor Yan Zhitui moved to Jingzhao Wannian County (today’s Linyi County). Xi'an City), courtesy name Qingchen. In the 22nd year of Kaiyuan (734) of Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty, he passed the Jinshi examination and served as an official in Xuanzong, Suzong, Daizong and Dezong dynasties. He once served as the prefect of Pingyuan, known as "Yan Pingyuan" in the world.
In terms of the writing strokes, he used slightly thinner horizontal strokes and thicker vertical strokes, dots, strokes and strokes. The middle strokes of the thick strokes are full, and the sharp edges are emphasized at the beginning, making each character more vivid. All have thickness and even give a sense of relief. Showing integrity, simplicity and stubbornness.
In terms of the structure of the characters, he changed the long and thin characters of the early Tang Dynasty into squares, with circles in the squares, upright and informal, symmetrical, dignified and stable, and open and majestic, showing a graceful, generous and majestic spirit. .
In the whole text, he adopts a line-to-line arrangement, and the words are arranged relatively closely. The layout of the whole article is vivid, substantial and dense, and the lines are filled with the majestic and powerful Tang Dynasty. meteorological.
His cursive calligraphy is vigorous, full of true feelings, calm in structure, and full of stippling. It is a new chapter in cursive calligraphy after the "Two Kings".