Preface to Lanting Collection was written in China Jin Dynasty (AD 353). Wang Xizhi, a book sage, wrote books and made friends at the foot of Zhu Lan Mountain in Shaoxing, Zhejiang Province, and wrote "the best running script in the world", also known as Preface to Lanting, Preface to He Lin, Preface to Lanting March 3, etc.
The Preface to the Lanting Pavilion, with 28 lines and 324 words, is charming and elegant, with exquisite words and dancing, which seems to help the gods and men. It has been regarded as a masterpiece in the calligraphy circles of past dynasties. Mi Fei, a great calligrapher in Song Dynasty, called it "the first post of China's running script". Anyone who studies running script in the future will fall in love with Lanting.
The graceful and dancing brushwork of Preface to Lanting really makes our younger generation sigh and admire Wang Xizhi's superb calligraphy skills and fluent literary talent.
Calligraphy appreciation:
Preface to Lanting is a book written by Wang Xizhi at the age of 47. It tells the story that Xihe and his good friend Yashi gathered in Lanting (now southwest of Lanqing, Shaoxing City, Zhejiang Province) for a grand tour. His book is calm, elegant and full of vitality. It is said that Li Shimin, Emperor Taizong of Tang Dynasty, loved his calligraphy and thought the Preface to Lanting was "perfect". After his death, he buried it in the mausoleum.
There has been a great debate about the authenticity of Preface to Lanting, and Li Shimin's tomb was almost dug. However, the artistic value of Preface to Lanting is generally acknowledged. Mi Songfei's poem said: "Mo Han is the most romantic in the world. Who doesn't love Yin Shan in Goose Pond? Although this book decays to Zhaoling, stone carving is particularly precious. "There are dozens of copies of calligraphers in past dynasties, which is also a rare cultural phenomenon in the history of calligraphy.