Ouyang Xun's "Collective Characters from the Ji Cheng Gong"

Author: Zhu Peifeng
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2001-01-01
Features: The Collected Works of Nine Dragons Pavilion Inscription by Ouyang Xun is a standardized calligraphy model book with extensive content and diverse arrangements. From the famous poem Out of the Frontier by the Tang Dynasty poet Wang Changling to Du Fu's Eight Formation Map, it spans renowned verses from various dynasties. The selected works in this book exhibit exceptional calligraphic skill and have been emulated by later generations. Among the numerous steles, the style is striking, with a simple, ancient, and unrefined charm. This book is highly practical and collectible. With it in hand, readers who study diligently and train scientifically will undoubtedly benefit greatly. The Collected Works of Nine Dragons Pavilion Inscription by Ouyang Xun arranges characters in both recessed (yin) and raised (yang) styles, as well as in different sizes, to meet the needs of readers at various stages. It is accompanied by simplified Chinese character annotations and source references to facilitate appreciation, learning, and copying.
The Nine Dragons Pavilion Inscription is a masterpiece of the Ouyang style. The original text was composed by Wei Zheng and is hailed as the epitome of regular script. It records the story of Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty discovering a spring while vacationing at the Nine Dragons Pavilion. The stele was erected in the sixth year of the Zhenguan era (632 AD). It consists of 24 lines, each with 49 characters. The calligraphy is square and balanced, yet it reveals a sense of danger within its stability. The characters are arranged compactly and evenly, with broad and steady structures. The Ming Dynasty scholar Chen Jieru once remarked: "This collection is like a hermit in deep mountains—thin, hard, and frigid, yet its spirit is full and rich. It can make even a king kneel, and no other carving can match it."
The most distinctive feature of this stele is its solid and heavy strokes. Not only does it "keep the pen's heart within the stroke," but it also "requires the full force of the body to guide the pen at the end," resulting in exceptionally dense and composed lines, as sharp as iron and silver hooks. Combined with the roundness within its squareness, the calligraphy achieves a balanced harmony between bone and flesh, giving it a refined and subtle charm even in its ruggedness. The Ming Dynasty scholar Zhao Han, in Stone Inscriptions of Ink, called this stele a "perfect regular script."
The calligraphy of this stele is square yet reveals danger within its stability, with characters arranged compactly, evenly, and in broad, steady structures. The Ming Dynasty scholar Chen Jieru once remarked: "This collection is like a hermit in deep mountains—thin, hard, and frigid, yet its spirit is full and rich. It can make even a king kneel, and no other carving can match it."
To facilitate calligraphy practice and creation for enthusiasts, our publishing house has carefully selected famous steles and collections from past dynasties to compile this series of collected works. Its content includes Tang and Song Dynasty poems, famous couplets, and exquisite phrases, presented in diverse forms—a perfect blend of content and style. Through this series, readers can not only reinforce their understanding of penwork and structure but also appreciate the beauty of poetic imagery. It not only enhances interest in calligraphy but also makes learning enjoyable, cultivating one's character.
Learning calligraphy requires practice, and a model book can be studied for a period, or even for a lifetime. However, practice is merely a means to enter the style; mastering the penwork, structure, and layout of the model is the goal. Simply put, the initial stage of exiting the model is to write freely without reference, achieving the form and spirit of the original. Of course, this requires a long learning process. Many calligraphy enthusiasts often focus on entering the style but neglect exiting practice, making it difficult to successfully create in a certain style. Collected works practice is an important intermediate step between entering and exiting the style, as well as an effective way to assess the results of practice.
The Xiling Seal Society Collected Works Series is an excellent assistant for your calligraphy journey.