Wang Xizhi regarded the Preface to the Lanting Pavilion as a family heirloom, which was handed down from generation to generation until the seventh generation of the Wangs used it. However, Zhiyong became a monk for some reason, and naturally there were no children behind him, so he passed the original ancestral book to disciple Cai Bian. In the early Tang Dynasty, Li Shimin collected a large number of Wang Xizhi's calligraphy treasures and studied them frequently. He praised the original "Preface to the Lanting Pavilion" and offered many rewards, all of which failed. Later, it was found that the original preface to Lanting Collection was in the hands of a monk named Cai Bian in Huiji, which led to the story that Emperor Taizong defrauded the original preface to Lanting Collection and was buried in Zhaoling with Emperor Taizong. This story adds a legendary and mysterious atmosphere to the Preface to Lanting. There are two versions of Lanting story recorded by Tang people. Liu Quan's Romance of Sui and Tang Dynasties: "Wang Youjun's Preface to Lanting is out of place. Chen Tian's family earned it for monks. ..... After the death of Guo Shi, the disciple monk got it through argumentation. After Emperor Taizong became the king of Qin, he was surprised to see the rubbings, a precious book for the city king. Lanting is meaningless in the end. Knowing by eloquence, Xiao Yi got it from Yuezhou and entered Qin for four years with Wude. Ten years of Zhenguan, ten books were extended to recent ministers. When the emperor collapsed, the secretariat ordered Chu Suiliang to play: "Lanting was highly valued by the first emperor and could not stay. So there was the secret of Zhaoling. The records of Lanting Collection collected in Taiping Guangji are quite different. He Wen said that during the Zhenguan period, Emperor Taizong decided to learn the books of the two kings and copy the original works, but Lanting did not get it. After the interview, I learned that I was in the eloquence department and was summoned three times. Eloquence lies that I don't know where the mess is. Fang Lingxuan suggested that suggestion Xiao Yizhi take him. Xiao Yi hides his identity, pretends to be a poor scholar, plays chess, intones and discusses books, and portrays them as forgetful friends. Only later, he boasted about his hidden things and showed his original work "Lanting" hanging on the roof beam, so he took this position to save Xiao Yi's life in Chang 'an. On his deathbed, Emperor Taizong ordered several copies to be given to the princes of the Prince. He said to Li Zhi, "I want something from you. If you are sincere and filial, how can you violate my heart? " what do you think? "So, the original Lanting was buried in Zhaoling. He Congyun said that the above story was told by the disciples of Wen Debate in the old room of Yongxing Temple Zhiyong Zen Master. Liu and Heer tell different stories. It is generally believed that the floating is inaccurate, and Liu's informative and credible, fraudulent and whispering are all gone. Although the plots of the two are different, the original work of Preface to Lanting was buried in Zhaoling, but the story is the same. This matter has repercussions. According to the Biography of the New Five Dynasties, Tao Wen, our ambassador in Yaozhou, Hou Liang, once stole Zhaoling: "Tao Cong walked on the road and saw the palace system, which was as majestic as the world. There is a stone bed in the middle east and west compartments. In the stone letters on the bed, there are iron boxes, books from past lives, Zhong Wang's handwriting, and new paper and ink, which Taoxi holds and passes on to the world. According to records, the original preface to Lanting Collection was rediscovered by Wen Tao, a grave robber. In addition, Cai Ting said in Episode of Song Dynasty that when the Preface to Lanting was buried together, it was made by Li Shimin's sisters and replaced with a fake, and the original remained in the world. But since then, the news of Lantingyuan is like a yellow crane, and its whereabouts are more mysterious. After Emperor Taizong got the Lanting Pavilion, he ordered Feng Chengsu, Yu Shinan and Chu Suiliang, the owners of the Hong Wen Pavilion, to copy several copies and give them to relatives and trusted ministers. When Emperor Taizong died, he was buried with the original. The Preface to Lanting handed down from generation to generation is no longer the original work of Wang Xizhi. There are many kinds of books handed down from ancient times, either woodcut, copy or copy. Famous people, such as Dingwu Lanting, were told that Ou Yangxun copied this stone and got its name because it was found in Dingwu in the Northern Song Dynasty (now Zhengding in Hebei Province). Emperor Taizong ordered Feng Chengsu to copy it, calling it "Dragon Book Lanting". Because its manuscript has the "Dragon" seal script in the Tang Dynasty, it was named "Preface to the Dragon Book Lanting" to distinguish it from other Tang manuscripts. This book has the most vivid ink color, vivid paper, fine imitation, fine thread binding and exquisite appearance. It has hundreds of words, no words, no strings, and elegant pitching, which many people don't know. Its brushwork, pen and ink, style and charm are all reflected, and we can basically get a glimpse of the original features of Xihe River. It is recognized as the best copy and regarded as a treasure. Feng Chengsu's manuscript Preface to Lanting is now in the Palace Museum. It is 24.5 cm high and 69.9 cm wide. It once entered the palace in Song Gaozong and was acquired by Guo Tianxi in the early Yuan Dynasty. Later, it was returned to the palace by great collectors.
Extension: Wang Xizhi (303-361year) Han nationality, Shao Yi,No. Lianzhai, originally from Linyi (now a mountain).
Portrait of Wang Xizhi
East Linyi), then moved to Yin Shan (now Shaoxing, Zhejiang). Because Wang Xizhi is a right-wing general, he is called "Wang Youjun" and "Wang Huiji". Wang Jianshan followed regular script and cursive script, wrote different forms, studied his body carefully, imitated his hand assiduously, learned from others' strengths, prepared his body, and melted into one furnace. He got rid of the style of writing in Han and Wei dynasties, became a family of his own, and had a far-reaching influence, creating a running script of "Nature is natural, and God is rich in the world". Representative works include: On Le Yi in Regular Script and Huang Tingjing. He was a calligrapher in the Eastern Jin Dynasty and was honored as a "book saint" by later generations. Together with his son Wang Xianzhi, he is called "Two Kings".