Ancient Chinese legal manuscript name scroll. Draft of Eulogy for My Nephew

Author: None
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Publish Date: 2004-06-01
Features: "Draft of a Eulogy for My Nephew," full title "Draft of a Eulogy for My Nephew, the Imperial Scholar of the Palace." The original is on paper, measuring 28.8 cm vertically and 75.5 cm horizontally, with a total of 234 characters (plus over 30 erased ones). It is now preserved in the Taipei Palace Museum. In the 12th year of the Tianbao era (753 AD) of the Tang Emperor Xuanzong, Yan Zhenqing was dismissed by Yang Guozhong and appointed as the governor of Pingyuan (now Dezhou, Shandong). In the 14th year of the Tianbao era (755 AD), An Lushan and Shi Siming rebelled in Fanyang (now southern Beijing), marking the beginning of the famous An-Shi Rebellion. The northern Hebei prefectures quickly collapsed, except for Yan Zhenqing’s Pingyuan prefecture, which raised the banner of rebellion and was elected as the leader of the rebel forces. At the time, Yan Zhenqing’s younger brother, Yan Gaoqing, the governor of Changshan (now Zhengding, Hebei), sent his third son, Yan Jiming, to contact Yan Zhenqing to join the rebellion. Yan Gaoqing and Yuan Lüqian planned to kill Li Qinciou, a follower of An Lushan and the commander of the Tumen fortress (now Jingjing, Hebei), and recapture the fortress. The situation improved temporarily. Yan Gaoqing sent his eldest son, Yan Quanning, to escort the captives to Chang’an to report the victory and request reinforcements. However, en route to Taiyuan, he was intercepted by Wang Chengye, the military governor of Taiyuan. Wang wanted to claim credit and refused to provide aid. Upon learning of the changes in Hebei, An Lushan sent Shi Siming to retake Changshan. Yan Gaoqing fought alone, enduring three days of fierce battle until his supplies ran out. The city fell, and he was captured. Yan Jiming and others were beheaded, and over 30 members of the Yan family were killed. Yan Gaoqing was escorted to Luoyang and remained unyielding. He was first amputated of one leg and then subjected to a slow death. It wasn’t until the first year of the Qianyuan era (758 AD) in May that the court posthumously honored him as the Grand Guardian of the Heir Apparent and bestowed the posthumous title "Loyal and Resolute." At the time, Yan Zhenqing was the governor of Puzhou. Upon hearing the news, he sent Yan Quanning, the eldest son of Yan Gaoqing, to Changshan and Luoyang to search for Yan Jiming and Yan Gaoqing’s remains. Only Yan Jiming’s head and some of Yan Gaoqing’s bones were found. To temporarily bury these remains, Yan Zhenqing wrote this draft of the eulogy. As the draft was written in extreme grief and fury, Yan Zhenqing did not pay attention to the skill of his brushwork. The characters fluctuated with his emotions, revealing his spirit and the natural result of his usual practice. This is rare in the history of calligraphy. It can be said that "Draft of a Eulogy for My Nephew" is one of the most valuable original ink works in terms of historical and artistic value, truly precious.