In the long-term practice of calligraphy, Ou Yangxun summed up eight methods of practicing calligraphy, namely: "Like a falling peak, like a crescent moon in the sky, like a thousand miles of clouds, like a dead vine, like a pine tree hanging upside down, like a cliff, like a crossbow, like a sword breaking a rhinoceros horn, like a pen".
Ou Yangxun's Tactics of Teaching Calligraphy, Theory of Using Calligraphy, Eight Methods and Thirty-six Methods are all summaries of his own experience in learning calligraphy, which specifically summarize the formal skills and aesthetic requirements of calligraphy, such as using calligraphy, structure and composition, and are valuable heritages of calligraphy theory.
Introduction to Ou Yangxun:
Ou Yangxun (about 557-64 1) was born in Linxiang County (now Changsha City, Hunan Province). Tang dynasty minister and calligrapher. Son of Ouyang Yao.
Yang Di acceded to the throne, and Ou Yangxun was the doctor too often. In the third year of Wude (620), he took refuge in Dou Jiande, the king of Xia, and was named Taichangqing. In the fifth year of Wude (622), he surrendered to Tang Gaozu Li Yuan and became a teacher. He moved to Guanglu, Yin Qing, where he became a doctor. He was given a bachelor's degree in Hong Wen Pavilion, conferred the title of Duke of Bohai, and presided over the compilation of the Collection of Arts and Literature. Zhenguan died at the age of eighty-five.