When it comes to calligraphy, people think of Wang Xizhi first, and then Yan Zhenqing. They are often compared, but everyone likes Wang Xizhi better. In recent years, the museum in Tokyo held an exhibition of Yan Zhenqing calligraphy, which triggered a big topic at home and abroad. After reading it, many people think that Yan Zhenqing is a famous pen that surpasses Wang Xizhi, and only he can surpass it. This exhibition can also be said to be an exhibition dedicated to the rehabilitation of Yan Zhenqing.
Two people, who is higher or lower, have no decision. From the perspective of beauty, two people are not comparable and have different preferences. China's calligraphy is also very complicated. Its aesthetic way is not decided by a calligrapher of Wang Xizhi, but it has a different appearance. Yan Zhenqing is the only person who is most likely to compete with Wang Xizhi.
Judging from their contributions, Wang Xizhi basically laid the foundation for everyone's writing, but Yan Zhenqing really carried out reforms, which can be said to be a masterpiece beyond Wang Xizhi. Because some of our writing habits today, such as horizontal painting from left to right, are put forward according to Wang Xizhi's calligraphy style as an aesthetic standard and frame of reference.
It is worth mentioning that it was Yan Zhenqing who really completed the transformation of China's calligraphy history from "infighting" to "expanding". Before Yan Zhenqing, writing was basically tied to the center of characters, while Yan Zhenqing started from the center and spread out. Whether it is his regular script or running script, it should be said that he has done this to the extreme. Therefore, it can be said that Yan Zhenqing is "a masterpiece beyond Wang Xizhi" in this sense.