Yan Zhenqing's calligraphy of the Dapota Pagoda (complete version without missing characters)

Author: None
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2001-01-01
Features: For anyone learning calligraphy, it is essential to start with regular script. For those studying regular script, they must master the four major styles: Ou, Yan, Liu, and Zhao. The representative works of these four styles are: Ou Yangxun's Nine Dragons Hall, Yan Zhenqing's Dapota Pagoda, Liu Gongquan's Xuanmi Pagoda, and Yue Mengfu's Shouchuntang. Therefore, these four calligraphy books have long been the textbooks for learning calligraphy, serving as popular and effective resources for both beginners and advanced learners. However, due to continuous rubbing and erosion over centuries, the ancient steles have become worn and fragmented. Even the best preserved copies are not immune to errors. Mr. Huang Yang (Shuzhou) of the Chinese Calligraphy and Painting Research Society, deeply devoted to the four styles, visited all four steles, meticulously examined and verified the damaged sections, proving what the original characters were. He also extensively studied the works of the four masters, selecting those with similar brushwork to fill in missing characters or heavily faded areas, integrating them seamlessly with the entire stele. For certain incomplete sections in existing calligraphy books, it was found that there were originally no missing characters—only because of residual traces in the original steles or rubbings that led to misplacements. These have now been identified and removed. Conversely, some sections in the steles that were originally text were mistakenly omitted in previous editions, which have now been corrected and restored. Thus, the "Four-Deficiency" edition of the four styles, combining academic research and practical value, is now presented for the first time. Because the "No-Deficiency" edition embodies the essence of the four masters' calligraphy, it fills the gaps in the steles for the first time, restoring their original appearance. It is highly valued by calligraphy scholars and is also eagerly welcomed by calligraphy enthusiasts!