Practical Large Character Manuscript (Yan) - Tang Yan Zhenqing (Selected Characters from the Record of the Immortal Ma Gu)

Author: Li Zhiwei, edited by Gong Jianhua
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2002-06-01
Features: In daily life, writing standardized and aesthetically pleasing characters not only facilitates communication and interaction but also often brings people a sense of power and beauty effortlessly. Chinese calligraphy, with its millennia-old continuous development, remains radiant, primarily because it combines both aesthetic and practical functions. Even today, with the widespread use of hard-tip writing and computers, calligraphy still holds an unshakable position. In China, and even in East Asian regions deeply influenced by traditional Chinese culture such as Japan and South Korea, the ability to write well has long been one of the criteria for measuring a person's comprehensive cultural literacy. Calligraphy refers to the rules of writing Chinese characters in various scripts (including Seal, Clerical, Regular, Running, and Cursive) with a conical brush, as well as a traditional art that emphasizes holding the brush, strokes, pen movement, structure, spacing, layout, ink technique, and style. It typically requires the fingers to be firm yet relaxed, with all five fingers working together, the wrist kept level and suspended, and power generated from above. The strokes should be executed with the central axis of the brush, ensuring each stroke reaches its full potential; the structure must harmonize strokes with each other; the layout and spacing should be varied yet cohesive, with a unified flow of energy, as well as reflecting the calligrapher's aesthetic taste and personality. To help beginners start well, we have compiled this "Practical Large-Character Manuscript." We invited calligraphers to select commonly used and particularly outstanding examples from ancient masterpieces, arranging them in the sequence of strokes and structure for readers to grasp progressively. Each example is accompanied by supplementary illustrations showing the brush movement process, aiding readers in understanding and practicing. This manuscript is based on the regular script of "Record of Ma Gu Xi Tian in Nan Cheng County, Fuzhou Prefecture" by Yan Zhenqing at the age of 63. Yan Zhenqing, styled Qingchen, was from Xi'an, Shaanxi, with ancestral roots in Linyi, Shandong. He served as the Governor of Pingyuan, Minister of Personnel, and Grand Tutor of the Crown Prince, and was enfeoffed as Marquis of Lu. He died in battle suppressing rebellion, and both his character and calligraphy were highly regarded. Initially, he studied under Chu Suiliang, later learned brush techniques from Zhang Xu, and incorporated the style of Seal script. His regular and running scripts opened new horizons, with his regular script known as the "Yan Style," often paired with Liu Gongquan's "Yan's sinew and Liu's bone." In his early years, Yan's calligraphy was solemn and robust, with thin horizontal strokes and thick vertical ones, resembling the heads of silkworms and tails of swallows, with structures facing outward and an expansive atmosphere. In his later years, his brushwork became clear, vigorous, and refined, with square strokes softened into circles, showing a mature and effortless mastery, with structures facing inward and a majestic momentum. He had a profound influence on both his contemporaries and later generations. "Record of Ma Gu Xi Tian" was inscribed and carved during Yan's tenure as the Governor of Jiangxi Fuzhou Prefecture. As the original stele was destroyed by lightning and fire, it was later restored by Yuan and Ming dynasty scholars based on rubbings. This manuscript selects characters from a Ming dynasty carved rubbing preserved in the Palace Museum in Taipei. Although some characters show heavy wear, the craftsmanship is exquisite, far superior to ordinary carvings, and retains much of the original character's spirit. The Song dynasty scholar Ouyang Xiu highly praised the stele as "powerful, tight-knit, and exceptionally refined," noting that "the strokes are meticulous and the finer details follow strict rules, becoming even more impressive with closer inspection." It remains one of the important models for those studying Yan's calligraphy.