Preface to Lanting is the most important running script of Wang Xizhi, which is almost perfect in technique and has become a model of calligraphy in later generations, and has the reputation of "the best running script in the world". Wang Xizhi (303-361), a quiet man, was originally from Linyi (present-day Shandong) and later moved to Yin Shan (present-day Shaoxing, Zhejiang) as a general of the right army. He was a great calligrapher in the Eastern Jin Dynasty and was honored as a "book saint" by later generations. His son Wang Xianzhi's handwriting is also very good. People call them "Two Kings", and another son, Wang Ningzhi, is a general of the right army, and is called "Wang Youjun" and "Wang Huiji". Representative works include: Le Yi Lun in regular script, Huang Ting Jing, Seventeen Guas in cursive script, Gua for Aunt in Running Script, Gua for Quick Snow Clear, Gua for Mourning, Preface to Lanting Collection in Running Script, etc.
This calligraphy is mainly based on brush strokes, with many exposed strokes, delicate expression and smooth and beautiful lines. The structure of Chinese characters is vertical, with low left and high right. The size of the word corresponds, the length alternates, and the virtual and the real are born together. There are rows in the layout, but there are no columns in the layout, and each row is swaying. The most commendable thing is that the style of Preface to Lanting contains the author's skillful pen and ink skills, profound traditional skills, extensive cultural accomplishment and noble artistic sentiment, which has reached the peak.