Yan Zhenqing's "Draft of Eulogy for His Nephew", "Seating Contest Letter", and "Draft of Eulogy for His Elder Brother"

Author: Ji Lin
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-01-01
Features: The full title of The Draft of Eulogy for My Nephew is The Draft of Eulogy for My Nephew Ji Ming, written in 758 AD. It is on hemp paper, measuring 28.2 cm in height and 72.3 cm in width, with a total of 23 lines and 234 characters. It is now preserved in the Taipei Palace Museum. This work was created by Yan Zhenqing when he was in extreme grief and sorrow, hence it expresses his emotions directly, with occasional corrections. Yet, precisely because of this, the piece is profound and vigorous yet spirited, with round and majestic brushwork, dynamic poses, and pure spiritual expression, exuding a powerful aura. In the Yuan Dynasty, Xian Yu Shu praised this piece as the "Second Best Running Script in the World." The Draft of the Seat Dispute (also known as The Discussion of Seats) was written in November 766 AD and is a draft letter from Yan Zhenqing to Guo Yingyou, the Right Vice Minister of State Affairs. Its stone carving is preserved in the Xi'an Stele Forest and is known as the "Guanzhong Version." The Zhejiang Provincial Museum houses the Zhongyi Hall Collection by Liu Yuangang of the Southern Song Dynasty. This draft was created by Yan Zhenqing as he fiercely condemned the arrogance and tyranny of the power-hungry officials, with a fierce spirit evident on every page. Each character is bold and spirited, displaying Yan Zhenqing's strong, upright, and sincere personality. The Draft of Eulogy for My Elder Brother (also known as The Draft of Eulogy for My Elder Brother, the Governor of Huaizhou) is the full title The Draft of Eulogy for My Elder Brother, the Governor of Huaizhou, written in 758 AD, with a total of 36 lines and 400 characters. The original carving is lost, and it is only preserved in the Song Dynasty's Jiaxiu Hall Collection. The rubbing is now housed in the Beijing Palace Museum. It was a draft of a eulogy hastily written by Yan Zhenqing upon passing by Yangjin and offering a farewell to his elder brother's tomb. This draft is stylistically connected to The Draft of Eulogy for My Nephew, though slightly less dynamic in its pauses and bursts. The Draft of Eulogy for My Nephew, The Draft of the Seat Dispute, and The Draft of Eulogy for My Elder Brother are all masterpieces of Yan Zhenqing's running script and are collectively known as the "Three Drafts of Yan."