Ou Yangxun (557-64 1), a native of Linxiang, Tanzhou (now Changsha, Hunan), is one of the four masters of regular script (Ou Yangxun, Yan Zhenqing, Liu Gongquan and Zhao Mengfu). Dr. Taichang, the official of Sui Dynasty, was named Prince Geng Ling in Tang Dynasty, also known as "Ouyang Lvgeng". Together with the other three contemporaries (Yu Shinan, Chu Suiliang, Xue Qi), they are called the four masters of the early Tang Dynasty. Because his son Ouyang Tong is also good at calligraphy, he is also called "Big Europe". Ou Yangxun is known as the first regular script in Tang Dynasty for his rigorous brushwork and precipitous brushwork. He and Yu Shinan were both famous for their calligraphy in the early Tang Dynasty, also known as "Ou Yu". Later generations saw danger in peace with their books, and Xi Zhi, the first one, was named "Ou Ti".
Ou Yangxun is clever and diligent. He has read several lines at the same time. When he was a teenager, he was proficient in Historical Records, Hanshu, Dongguan Han Ji, especially calligraphy, almost to the point of obsession. It is said that Ou Yangxun once rode out and happened to see a stone tablet written by Li Jing, a famous calligrapher in Jin Dynasty. He rode on a horse and watched it carefully for a while before leaving, but just a few steps later, he couldn't help but return to dismount and watch. He boasted many times that he didn't want to leave, so he simply laid a blanket and sat down to ponder over it. Finally, he sat by the monument for three days before leaving.
Ou Yangxun first imitated Wang Xizhi in calligraphy, and then found his own method. In particular, his bold and vigorous block letters and rigorous statutes were regarded as the standard by later calligraphers and handed down as "European style". In the Tang Dynasty, the calligraphy evaluation work "Shu Duan" said: "Ask eight styles, and the pen is strong and dangerous. Seal script is particularly refined, flying white crown, superior to the ancients. Disturbed the image of the dragon and snake fighting, the cloud is as light as a cage, just like a god. The book of true behavior is out of order and incomplete. As dense as an armory spear and halberd, Shen Feng is stricter than wise and brave, not as good as Shinan. His cursive script has been circulated repeatedly and can be regarded as two kings. But he was shocked and didn't avoid danger, and he was hurt by Qing. "
The Song Dynasty's Xuan He Shu Pu was praised as "the crown of calligraphy" by printing. According to historical records, Ou Yangxun is ugly, but his calligraphy is world-famous. People are scrambling to get his handwriting. Once they get it, they will regard it as Gui Bao's model of their own calligraphy. During the period of Tang Wude (6 18-624), Korea (now North Korea) sent envoys to Chang 'an to ask for Ou Yangxun's calligraphy. Tang Gaozu Tang Gaozu sighed: "I didn't expect Ou Yangxun's reputation to be so great that even Yidi in the distance knew it. When they see Ou Yangxun's handwriting, they must think he is a big man. "
Ou Yangxun died in the Zhenguan period (672-649) at the age of 80. The ink marks handed down behind him include Ten Shang Notes and Hans Zhang Notes, and the inscriptions include Jiuchenggong Liquan Ming and Huangfu Birthday Monument, all of which are treasures of calligraphy art. Later generations called him "the four great calligraphers of the early Tang Dynasty" together with Yu Shinan, Chu Suiliang and Xue Qi. Ou Yangxun is not only a great calligrapher, but also a calligraphy theorist. In his long-term calligraphy practice, he summed up eight methods of practicing calligraphy, namely, "like a peak falling from a rock, like a crescent moon in the sky, like a thousand miles of clouds, like a dead vine, like a loose tree, 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.
In his later years, Ouyang Tong cherished his reputation very much. Every time he wrote, he paid great attention to calligraphy tools. His pen has raccoon hair inside and rabbit hair outside. The pen tube must be made of rhinoceros horn or ivory. Without such a calligraphy tool, he would never write. During the period of Wu Zetian, Ouyang Tong was framed by cruel officials and arrested by loyal officials. He was tortured, refused to give in, and was killed. His legacy works include Monument to the Master of Sound Guidance and Epitaph of Quannansheng. At present, there are still traces of Ouyang and his son reading and writing at the foot of Shutang Mountain in Wangcheng County, Changsha City.
Calligraphy attainments
His calligraphy achievements are based on regular script, with bold brushwork and unique structure, which is called "European style" by later generations. Originally from Han Li, he was vigorous and rigorous in statutes. He sees risks in plain sight, with elegant composition, interspersed strokes and proper arrangement. Regular script is the Ming Dynasty of Liquan in Jiucheng Palace, and the most famous running scripts are Meng Diantie and Hans Zhang Tie. All other calligraphy styles are poor. Zhang Huaiguan said in the Book of Broken Tang Dynasty: "The eight forms of inquiry are perfect, and the brushwork is dangerous and energetic. The Indian style is particularly fine, flying white, as strict as the ancients. Like a dragon and snake fighting, the clouds are light and the wind is light. The wind whirls and thunders, and exercise is like a god. The decay of the true line comes from the big order, so don't become one. As dense as an armory spear and halberd, Shen Feng is stricter than wise water and less polished than Shinan. Its cursive script is circulated, which can be regarded as two kings. It can be used as a dynamic color, but it scares him to jump, does not avoid danger, and hurts elegance. "
Yu Shinan said that he "can get what he wants without choosing a pen and paper". Besides, he can write a good official script. In the fifth year of Zhenguan, the tablet of Xuzhou Cishifang was his official script. His calligraphy, with official script as the most. Examining its pen, it is both round and powerful. "Surprised in the grass, sending between clouds. Another example is King Kong glaring and Lux punching. " Among them, strokes such as vertical hook are still official strokes. The inscription he wrote on the Buddhist stupa of Huadu Temple, the inscription on the grandfather Wen Yanbo and the inscription on Huangfu's birthday are called "the first regular script in the Tang Dynasty". His regular script has a very serious procedure, both in pen and structure, which is most convenient for beginners. The Thirty-six Methods of Ouyang's Structure, which was circulated by later generations, is a structure writing method summarized from his regular script. His regular script "Zhang Hansi's Lu Tie" is long and vigorous. Ink handed down from generation to generation is especially precious. Ou Yangxun's son Ouyang Tong has a family of calligraphers. Both father and son are very famous in the book world and are called "Ouyang". Xiao Ouyang's "Taoist Monument" has a stronger sense of propriety, but it is too revealing and implicit.
Ou Yangxun's calligraphy was famous in the world as early as the Sui Dynasty, and spread abroad. When I entered the Tang Dynasty, people and books were old and perfect. However, Ou Yangxun himself was not satisfied with his achievements, and he continued to learn and improve.
On one occasion, Ou Yangxun went out for sightseeing and saw an inscription on Cao Zhang written by Suo Jing, a calligrapher in the Western Jin Dynasty. After reading it several times, he thought it was average. But on second thought, since Suo Jing is a generation of calligraphers, his books will also have their own characteristics. Why not let me get to the bottom of it? So I stood in front of the monument and looked at it several times, only to find the profound and wonderful place. Ou Yangxun sat down beside the stone tablet and groped for three days and nights. Ou Yangxun finally realized the spirit of Suo Jing's calligraphy pen, so calligraphy became more perfect.
Regular script is Ou Yangxun's masterpiece, which was written in the fifth year of Zhenguan in Tang Dynasty (AD 63 1).
Calligraphy theory, the "Eight Laws of Ou Yangxun", has unique opinions. Mason Lee's 84 laws in Ming Dynasty and Huang Zi's 92 laws in Qing Dynasty are instructive. Its "eight decisions" are: (points) such as the peak falling rocks; (Yoko) is like the new moon in the sky; (horizontal) like a thousand miles of clouds; (Vertical) Long live the withered vine; (Jiange) If Jinsong falls, it will fall on a cliff; (folded) like a crossbow of hosts; (left) If a sword breaks a rhinoceros horn; A wave of strokes is often repeated three times.