Yan Zhenqing lost his father when he was a child, and his family was poor. But he is diligent and studious, and he keeps practicing calligraphy. In order to learn calligraphy, Yan Zhenqing first learned from Chu Suiliang, and later worshipped Zhang Xu. Zhang Xu was a leading calligrapher in the Tang Dynasty, who could write in all kinds of fonts, especially in cursive script. Yan Zhenqing hopes that under the guidance of this famous teacher, he will soon learn the tricks of writing, thus becoming famous in one fell swoop.
But after his apprenticeship, Zhang Xu didn't reveal any secrets of calligraphy. He just introduced some famous copybooks to Yan Zhenqing, and simply pointed out the characteristics of copybooks for Yan Zhenqing to copy. Sometimes, he took Yan Zhenqing to climb mountains, go swimming, go to the market and go to the theatre. When he got home, he asked Yan Zhenqing to practice calligraphy, or watched him write calligraphy.
Extended information
The most works handed down from ancient times in Yan Zhenqing are steles, with regular script such as Many Pagoda Induction Monument, Magu Fairy Altar, Portrait Monument of Dong Fangshuo, Yan Qinli Monument and Yanshi Family Temple Monument, etc., running script such as Fighting for Seats, and book trace such as Confession of My Own Book and Memorial to My Nephew Ji Ming Manuscript. Among them, Yan Qin Li Bei is dignified and vigorous, but the thin strokes are not the same as other steles.
The Monument to Yan's Family Temple, which is rich in calligraphy, is one of his proud works in his later years. Compared with his works in his early years, it is more vigorous and atmospheric, and it is a masterpiece in his later years. In addition, there are also some epitaphs in Yan Zhenqing's calligraphy works found in contemporary times, such as Guo Xuji's Epitaph, Wang Lin's Epitaph and Luo Wanshun's Epitaph. Most of them belong to Yan Zhenqing's early works.
Yan Zhenqing wrote Yun Hai Jing Yuan, Li Yue Ji, Wu Xing Ji, Lu Ling Ji and Linchuan Ji, all of which are lost. Later generations compiled his poems into 15 volumes of Collected Works of Yan Lugong.
His works are also included in Complete Tang Poetry, Complete Tang Poetry Supplement and Complete Tang Poetry.