Ou Yangxun 1
Ou Yangxun, Han nationality, was born in Hengzhou (now Hengyang) in 557 AD. His ancestral home is Linxiang (now Changsha, Hunan) and he is one of the four masters of regular script (Ou Yangxun, Yan Zhenqing, Liu Gongquan and Zhao Mengfu). Dr. Taichang, the official of Sui Dynasty, was named Prince of Gengling in Tang Dynasty, also known as "Ouyang Gengling". Together with the other three contemporaries (Yu Shinan, Chu Suiliang, Xue Qi), they are called the four masters of the early Tang Dynasty.
2. Yan Zhenqing
Yan Zhenqing was an outstanding calligrapher and a great patriot in the middle Tang Dynasty. His "Yan Ti" regular script, together with Zhao Mengfu, Liu Gongquan and Ou Yangxun, is also called "the four masters of regular script". Yan Zhenqing, Han nationality, a native of Jingzhao Wanzhao, was originally from Linyi (now Linyi, Shandong) in the Tang Dynasty.
Kaiyuan Jinshi An Shi Rebellion, who made meritorious service in resisting thieves, entered Beijing as an official, prince and founder of the county, so it was also called Yan. When Li Xilie rebelled in Dezong, he put the country first and went to the enemy camp to know what was right. He was finally killed by Li Xilie at the age of 77.
3. Liu Gongquan
Liu Gongquan, the last famous calligrapher in the Tang Dynasty, was born in Huayuan (now Yaoxian County, Shaanxi Province). The official Crown Prince is known as "Liu" in the world. His calligraphy is a beginner of Wang Xizhi. Later, he visited the famous calligraphers in the Tang Dynasty and thought that Yan Zhenqing and his calligraphy were the best, so he absorbed the advantages of Yan and Europe and formed his own family.
4. Zhao Mengfu
Famous painter in Yuan Dynasty, one of the four masters of regular script (Ou Yangxun, Yan Zhenqing, Liu Gongquan and Zhao Mengfu). Zhao Mengfu is well-read, good at poetry and prose, familiar with economy, industrial calligraphy, fine painting, good at epigraphy, fluent in temperament and appreciation. In particular, calligraphy and painting achieved the highest achievements in the Yuan Dynasty, creating a new style of painting, which was called "the crown of Yuan people".
The historical position of the four masters of regular script
The four masters of regular script had a far-reaching influence on the history of calligraphy and painting in East Asia, pushed our calligraphy art to a historical climax and laid a solid foundation for later calligraphy writing.
Ou Yangxun's calligraphy is widely used by various schools, because it combines the characteristics of regular script in Han Li and Jin Dynasties, and also participates in the inscriptions in the Six Dynasties. The main features of Ou Yangxun's calligraphy style are rigor, neatness, honest and frank and vigor.
Yan Zhenqing occupies a special position in the history of China's calligraphy. Only Yan Zhenqing can shine with the great calligrapher Wang Xizhi. His calligraphy features regular script and cursive script. The inscriptions written in regular script are correct, beautiful and powerful. He was born when regular script was popular, which was contrary to Wang Xizhi's typical example and led the new trend of calligraphy.
Liu Gongquan began to learn from Wang Xizhi, the brushwork of Ou Yangxun and Yan Zhenqing, and established his own family. The regular script written is beautiful and strong. Compared with Yan Ti, Liuzi is slightly thinner, so it is called "Yan Liu Jin Gu".
Zhao Mengfu was one of the most outstanding calligraphers in Yuan Dynasty. He was born in a famous family and experienced changes in Song and Yuan Dynasties all his life. His beautiful calligraphy is in sharp contrast with the vigorous style of the other three famous regular script writers.
The above contents refer to Baidu Encyclopedia-Four Masters of Regular Script.