Introduction of Ancient Calligraphers in China

Wang Xizhi

Wang Xizhi (303-36 1, 32 1-379), a calligrapher in the Eastern Jin Dynasty, was born in Linyi (now Shandong), Han nationality, and later moved to Huiji (now Shaoxing, Zhejiang). In his later years, he lived in seclusion in Shanxian County. Later, he was the secretariat of Huiji, who led the right general and was called "Wang Youjun" and "Wang Huiji". He was a great calligrapher in the Eastern Jin Dynasty. His son, Wang Xianzhi, is also good at calligraphy, and the world is collectively known as the "two kings". Since then, the Wangs' calligraphy talents have come forth in large numbers. He died in the fifth year of the Eastern Jin Dynasty (36 1) and was buried in Jinting Waterfall Mountain (also known as Ziteng Mountain). The fifth house in Sun Heng is Jinting Temple, and the website still exists.

Wang Xizhi's representative works include: Huang Tingjing in regular script, On Le Yi, Seventeen Guas in cursive script, Gua for Aunt, Gua for Quick Snow, Gua for Funeral, Preface to Lanting Collection, etc. Among them, Preface to Lanting Collection is highly praised by calligraphers of all ages and is known as "the best running script in the world". Wang Jian is good at following the laws of Li, Cao, Kai and Xing, carefully studying the shape, imitating the shape with his heart, learning from others' strengths, preparing everything in one furnace, getting rid of the style of writing in Han and Wei Dynasties, and becoming a family of his own, which has far-reaching influence. His calligraphy is peaceful and natural, and his brushwork is euphemistic and subtle, graceful and graceful. Later generations commented: "If you float in the clouds, you will be surprised if you are agile." Dragons leap into Tianmen, tigers lie in Fengge, "Nature is natural, and God is rich in the world", and they are praised as "book saints" by later generations.

Wang Xianzhi (344-386), born in Huiji (now Shaoxing, Zhejiang) and the seventh son of Wang Xizhi, was born in Han nationality. In order to distinguish it from later calligrapher Wang Min, people called it Wang Daling. He and his father are also called "two kings". Wang Xianzhi had two wives in his life. One is his cousin Xi, who is hypocritical; One is the daughter of Jian Wendi in the Eastern Jin Dynasty and Princess Sima Daoqian in Xin 'an. Wang Shen Ai, the daughter of Princess Xin 'an, is the queen of Sima Dezong, a famous dementia emperor in China history. Besides, the story of Wang Xianzhi and his concubine Ye Tao has always been a hot topic in folklore. It is said that he once wrote "Peach Leaf Song" to send beauty. Wang Xianzhi's calligraphy art mainly inherited the family style, but did not stick to the rules and made a breakthrough. In his calligraphy works handed down from generation to generation, it is not difficult to see his inheritance of family studies and traces of his own new way. The predecessors commented on Wang Xianzhi's calligraphy "Dancing in the snow, Yue Long in the clear spring". Precise and ingenious, unexpected. "His pen, from" extension "to" extension ".

"Four masters of regular script" refers to Ou Yangxun in the early Tang Dynasty, Yan Zhenqing in the prosperous Tang Dynasty, Liu Gongquan in the late Tang Dynasty and Zhao Mengfu in the Yuan Dynasty.

Yan Zhenqing (709-785) was born in Jingzhao Wannian (now Xi, Shaanxi). He comes from a noble family and is the fifth grandson of Yan Shigu, a famous scholar. Yan Zhenqing is honest and clean, and is famous for his loyalty and loyalty in officialdom. He used to be a veteran of the four dynasties, and his career was ups and downs, and he didn't care. Later, I was ordered to recruit me from Huaixi to make Li Xilie and Li Xilie rebel and was killed by Li.

Yan Zhenqing's calligraphy originated from his own school, but its transformation was initiated by Wu Xu. Because he can choose one hundred schools at the same time, he can choose freely, leaving a lot of books and posts to show his skills. When Fan Wenlan, a historian, mentioned books in the Tang Dynasty in his works, he said that "Yan Zhenqing in the heyday of the Tang Dynasty was the creator of the new book style in the Tang Dynasty". Yan kaishu embodies a prosperous style and momentum; And his cursive script made Mi Fei in the Song Dynasty like the Four Books, because those book posts were often written in a state of extreme grief and indignation, and readers can appreciate the flavor from this article. Emotion is dissolved in art, and artistic talent breeds soul. Most excellent arts in history have not violated this standard.

Liu Gongquan was born in Dali, Tang Daizong in the 13th year (AD 778)-Xian Tong, Tang Yizong in the 6th year (AD 865), at the age of 88. Jingzhao Huayuan (now Yaoxian County, Shaanxi Province) was born. The palace is a prince, so the deceased called it "Liu". He began to learn from Wang Xizhi, the brushwork of Ou Yangxun and Yan Zhenqing, and then set up 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". Mu Zong asked Liu Gongquan how to use a pen, and Gong Quan replied: "Use a pen in your heart, and your mind is right." "Mu Gong changed his face and remonstrated with his pen. In the Song Dynasty, Zhu Zai said: "The public power official book has the best operation mode, but the grass can't. "Its method is based on beauty, but it is rich and famous in the world." He began to learn Wang Xizhi's brushwork, and later read the modern calligraphy, so he tried his best to change the right army method, learn from Yan Zhenqing, and assimilate his new ideas, so that his calligraphy avoided the tendency of horizontal and vertical, adopted a balanced and thin and hard approach, and steadily chased Wei Bei, making his brushwork simply beautiful, vigorous and tight. Many scholars in later generations took Liu Zi as a model.

Zhao Mengfu (1254—— 1322), a passerby in Song Xue, is the tenth grandson of Song Taizu. This is a complicated number. He is a descendant of the royal family in the Song Dynasty, but he is an official of a foreign court. Although he has a high position, he is actually not taken seriously and his heart is very depressed. He can only sing poems and draw pictures. He is a rare all-rounder in the history of China literature, and only Su Dongpo in the Song Dynasty and Dong Qichang in the Qing Dynasty can compare with him. In addition to calligraphy, he is also good at painting and is proficient in literature, temperament and Taoism. It was he who first combined "poetry, books and paintings" into one. Besides, there are many famous artists in his family: his wife Guan Daosheng and his son Zhao Yong are both proficient in calligraphy and painting, and his nephew Wang Meng is one of the famous "Yuan Sijia".

Zhao Mengfu's calligraphy, the highest achievements are regular script and running script. The famous regular script handed down includes Danba Monument, Huzhou Miao Yan Temple and Qiuhua Monument. In lower case, there are biographies of Ji An and so on. There are many running script works, such as Luo Shen Fu Juan, Luo Shen Fu Juan, Tao Te Ching (partial) and Ji An Biography.

Ou Yangxun (557 ~ 44 1) was born in Linxiang (now Changsha, Hunan) of Tanzhou in the Tang Dynasty. The higher the rank of official to prince, the more Hong Wen learned from natural history and soil, and sealed the Duke of Bohai Sea. Exposing ancient and modern times, books will do their best, especially for incorruptibility and running. Beginners Wang Xizhi and Wang Xianzhi absorbed the model essays of Han Li and Wei and Jin Dynasties and made innovations. Their brushwork is bold, thin and hard, and their attitude is rigorous and elegant, forming their own "European style", which has a far-reaching impact on future generations. According to historical records, Ou Yangxun was ugly, but he was extremely clever. He is well-read and proficient in classics and history, especially the three histories. " Ou Yangxun, Yu Shinan, Chu Suiliang and Xue Qi were also called "four schools in the early Tang Dynasty".

Zhang Tang said, "The Theory of Practice in Ou Yangxun is based on the grand sequence, which is incomplete. As dense as an armory spear and halberd, Shen Feng is stricter than the wise and brave, and the ornament is not as good as the south of the city. "There are many books in Europe, including Zhong Ni Meng Diantie, Shang Bo Tie and Hans Zhang Tie. Inscriptions include Huadu Temple Pagoda Inscription, Jiuchenggong Inscription, Huangfushengchen Inscription, Yugong Gonggong Inscription, Zongsheng Temple Record and 1990 Pagoda Monk Inscription.