Yuan Zhao Mengfu's "Record of Miaoyan Temple"

Author: Wu Xiaoyi
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-11-01
Features: "The Calligraphy Practice Course for Famous Masters of Regular Script" is specially planned and edited for calligraphy enthusiasts who love regular script. Regular script is primarily a static script style, with its strokes, radicals, and structures having certain norms and relatively fixed patterns to follow. Therefore, many calligraphy enthusiasts regard regular script as the entry-level script for learning calligraphy, and many teachers also choose it as the first script for students to learn. Many people have written regular script throughout history, leaving behind a wealth of calligraphy relics with varying styles, providing ample choices for later learners. However, the famous calligraphy works that have had a profound impact on calligraphy history remain excellent models for study. Based on this consideration, this "The Calligraphy Practice Course for Famous Masters of Regular Script" selects eight works: the Northern Wei Dynasty's "Zhang Menglong Stele" and "Zhang He'nu Mausoleum Inscription," the Tang Dynasty's "Liquan Temple Stele" by Ouyang Xun, "Yanta Holy Teaching Order" by Chu Suiliang, "Dabao Pagoda Stele" and "Yanqin Temple Stele" by Yan Zhenqing, and "Xuanmi Pagoda Stele" by Liu Gongquan, as well as the Yuan Dynasty's "Moyan Temple Record" by Zhao Mengfu. This course focuses on techniques, covering aspects such as strokes, radicals, structure, and layout in regular script. Its features are: first, enhancing editorial content. From the development and argumentation of topics, the drafting of outlines, the selection of authors, the choice of calligraphy book versions, and the design of covers and layouts, the editorial team is fully involved and actively seeks expert advice, striving to present high-quality content to readers. Second, improving writing quality. This course emphasizes making basic techniques comprehensive, microscopic, specific, and highly operational. The selected examples are highly targeted, and the accompanying explanations are concise yet to the point. "Moyan Temple Record" is Zhao Mengfu's representative work. This calligraphy piece features precise brushwork, rigorous structure, and often incorporates elements of running script. When practicing this piece, attention should be paid to the light and flexible brushwork, with the starting and ending strokes not being too rigidly conventional.