Who are the famous calligraphers in ancient China?

Famous calligraphers include Wang Xizhi, Huang Tingjian, Yan Zhenqing, Zhong Yao, Liu Gongquan, etc.

1. Wang Xizhi

1. Character introduction

Wang Xizhi (303-361, 321-379), courtesy name Yishao, was a calligrapher in the Eastern Jin Dynasty. He is known as the "Sage of Calligraphy". Langya was born in Linyi (now Linyi, Shandong), and later moved to Shanyin, Huiji (now Shaoxing, Zhejiang), and lived in seclusion in Jinting, Shan County in his later years.

He successively served as secretary Ying, general Ningyuan, governor of Jiangzhou, and later as internal historian of Kuaiji, leading the right general. His calligraphy is good at Li, Cao, Kai, Xing and other styles. He studies the styles carefully, imitates them with his heart and hands, draws on the strengths of others, prepares various styles, and cultivates them in one furnace. He breaks away from the writing style of Han and Wei Dynasties and becomes his own style with far-reaching influence.

The style is peaceful and natural, the writing style is euphemistic and subtle, and it is beautiful and graceful. His representative work "Lanting Preface" is known as "the best running script in the world".

2. Introduction to representative works

The preface to the Lanting Collection is from the Jin Dynasty of China (AD 353). The calligrapher Wang Xizhi met his friends at the foot of Lanzhu Mountain in Shaoxing and wrote "The best line in the world" "Book", also known as "Lanting Preface", "Linhe Preface", "Han Tie", "March 3rd Lanting Poetry Preface", etc.

On April 22, 353 AD (the third day of March in the ninth year of Jin Yonghe, 1661 years ago), Wang Xizhi, then the internal historian of Kuaiji, and his friends Xie An, Sun Chuo and 41 other people At the Orchid Pavilion in Shanyin, Kuaiji, he drank wine and wrote poems.

Wang Xizhi compiled these poems into a collection and wrote a preface to describe the incident of drinking Qushui and express the inner feelings caused by it. This preface is the "Preface to the Lanting Collection". He also wrote a "Preface to the Lanting Collection".

Taizong of the Tang Dynasty admired him so much that he personally wrote the "Biography of Wang Xizhi" in "Book of Jin" and praised him as "perfect and perfect". Copies were also given to dignitaries and close ministers, and they were buried with the original works.

2. Huang Tingjian

1. Character introduction

Huang Tingjian (August 9, 1045 - May 24, 1105), courtesy name Luzhi, nicknamed Valley Taoist, later known as Fu Weng, was born in Fenning, Hongzhou (now Xiushui County, Jiujiang City, Jiangxi Province). He was a famous writer and calligrapher in the Northern Song Dynasty and the founder of the Jiangxi School of Poetry, who was famous for his work. He was closely related to Du Fu, Chen Shidao and Chen Yuyi. It is known as "one ancestor and three sects" (Huang Tingjian is one of them).

He, together with Zhang Lei, Chao Buzhi and Qin Guan, studied under Su Shi's sect, and together they were known as the "Four Scholars of Su Sect". During his lifetime, he was as famous as Su Shi and was known as "Su Huang" in the world.

2. Introduction to representative works

"Songfeng Pavilion Poems" is a seven-character poem written by Huang Tingjian in parallel script. It is ink on paper. It is 32.8 cm long and 219.2 cm wide. The full text is 29 OK, 153 words.

Collected by the National Palace Museum, Taipei. Songfeng Pavilion is located near Lingquan Temple in Xishan, west of Ezhou City, Hubei Province, with an altitude of more than 160 meters. It was called Fanshan in ancient times. It was the place where Sun Quan taught martial arts and culture, feasted and worshiped heaven.

In September of the first year of Chongning (1102), Emperor Huizong of the Song Dynasty, Huang Tingjian and his friends visited Fanshan Mountain in Echeng. They passed by a pavilion in the pine forest and spent the night here, listening to the waves of the pine trees.

3. Yan Zhenqing

1. Character introduction

Yan Zhenqing (709-August 23, 784), whose courtesy name was Qingchen and whose nickname was Xianmenzi. Nicknamed Yingfang, he was born in Jingzhao Wannian (now Xi'an, Shaanxi), and his ancestral home is Langya Linyi (now Linyi, Shandong). A famous official and calligrapher of the Tang Dynasty, he was the grandson of the fifth generation of Secretary Yan Shigu and the younger brother of Situ Yan Gaoqing.

Yan Zhenqing has exquisite calligraphy and is good at running and regular script. He first studied under Chu Suiliang and later under Zhang Xu, acquiring his brushwork techniques. His regular script is dignified and majestic, and his running script is powerful. He created the "Yan style" regular script and had a great influence on later generations.

Together with Zhao Mengfu, Liu Gongquan and Ouyang Xun, they are known as the "Four Masters of Regular Script". It is also called "Yan Liu" together with Liu Gongquan, and is also known as "Yan Jin Liu Gu".

2. Introduction to masterpieces

"Duobao Pagoda Stele", the full name is "Duobao Pagoda Induction Stele of Qianfu Temple, Xijing, Tang Dynasty", which was created in the 11th year of Tang Tianbao (752). It is a regular script calligraphy work written by the literati Cen Xun, inscribed on the forehead by the calligrapher Xu Hao, inscribed by the calligrapher Yan Zhenqing, and carved in stone by the stele engraver Shi Hua. It is now preserved in the second room of the Forest of Steles in Xi'an.

This stele has thirty-four lines and a full line of sixty-six characters. The content mainly records the origin and construction process of the Duobao Pagoda created by Zen Master Chu Jin of Longxing Temple in Xijing. The whole is beautiful and strong, fresh and pleasant, with a sense of simplicity and clarity, and every word is precious. The writing style is rich and beautiful, plump and steady.

The horizontal lines are thin and the vertical lines are thick, and the contrast is strong; the strokes start with many sharp edges, the strokes with many sharp edges, and the turning strokes have many pauses. The structure is rigorous and dense, compact and regular, stable and well-proportioned, and the tablet is well-made and has many characters. Many students who want to learn facial expressions start from this tablet and gain access to its secrets.

4. Zhong Yao

1. Character introduction

Zhong Yao (yáo) (151-230), with the character Chang. A native of Changshe County, Yingchuan County, Yuzhou (now Changgedong, Xuchang, Henan Province). He was a famous calligrapher and politician from the late Han Dynasty to the Cao and Wei Dynasties of the Three Kingdoms.

Zhong Yao was good at various calligraphy styles including seal, official, Zhen, Xing and Cao. He was quite accomplished in calligraphy and promoted the development of regular script (small regular script). He was revered as the "originator of regular script" by later generations. Zhong Yao had a profound influence on later calligraphy, and Wang Xizhi and others once devoted themselves to studying his calligraphy. Together with Wang Xizhi, a calligrapher of the Eastern Jin Dynasty, he is also known as the "Zhongwang".

2. Introduction to representative works

Also known as "Ronglu Biao" and "Ronglu Biao", it was written when Zhong Yao was 68 years old in the 24th year of Jian'an (219) of the Eastern Han Dynasty. The content is a congratulatory memorial written when he learned the good news that Shu general Guan Yu had been killed. This series of posts best represents the appearance of Zhongshu. "Xuanhe Shupu" says: "The modern standard script is also the official script. Zhong Yao's "He Ke Jie Biao" has all the legal standards and is the ancestor of the official script."

5. Liu Gongquan

1. Character introduction

Liu Gongquan (778-865), whose courtesy name was Chengxuan. A native of Jingzhao Huayuan (now Yaozhou District, Tongchuan City, Shaanxi Province). A famous calligrapher and poet in the mid-Tang Dynasty, he was the younger brother of Liu Gongchuo, Minister of War.

Liu Gongquan's calligraphy is famous for his regular script. He first studied Wang Xizhi, and later studied the calligraphy of famous calligraphers in the Tang Dynasty. He absorbed the strengths of Yan Zhenqing and Ouyang Xun, incorporated new ideas, and created his own unique "Liu style", which is based on the strength of bones. He was good at being strong and healthy, and was known as "a man with strong muscles and willow bones" in later generations.

2. Introduction to representative works

"Mysterious Pagoda Stele", the full name is "Tang Guzuo Street Monk Record Consecrating Three Religions and Talking about Leading Dade Anguo Temple to Master Zi Dada" "The Preface to the Inscription on the Mysterious Pagoda" was written by Pei Xiu, then prime minister, in the first year of Huichang (841) of the Tang Dynasty, and was written in elixirs by the calligrapher Liu Gongquan. It is a regular script calligraphy work. It is now preserved in the second room of the Forest of Steles in Xi'an. ?

"Mysterious Tower Stele" has 28 lines, each line has 54 words. It narrates the kindness that Master Dada received in the three dynasties of Dezong, Shunzong and Xianzong, and commemorates Master Dada's deeds and informs future generations. It has a tight structure, sharp brushwork, exposed muscles and bones, and is full of masculinity. The handwriting is like carving with a knife, and the thickness of the strokes varies, and the style is distinctive. ?

"Mysterious Tower Stele" is a milestone in Liu Gongquan's calligraphy career, marking the complete maturity of "Liu style" calligraphy. It has always been used as an authentic model for beginners to learn calligraphy, and has a profound influence on later generations.