Ouyang Xun (557-641), courtesy name Xinben, was born in Linxiang, Tanzhou (now Changsha, Hunan). His greatest achievements in calligraphy are regular script, which is characterized by strong penmanship and unique structure. Later generations called it "European style". It originated from the Han Dynasty. It has a strong character and strict laws. It is dangerous in the ordinary and elegant in the rules. The strokes are interspersed and arranged appropriately. The most famous ones are "Jiucheng Palace Liquan Ming" in regular script, and "Meng Dian Tie" and "Zhang Han Tie" in running script. Other calligraphy styles are also not bad. Zhang Huaiguan of the Tang Dynasty said in "Shujuan": "The eight styles of inquiry are as powerful as the writing, the writing is powerful, the seal style is especially fine, the flying white crown is outstanding, and it is superior to the ancients, like the image of a dragon and snake fighting, clouds and mist The momentum of light favor, the wind and thunder are stirring, the movement is like a god. The decay of the true action comes from the big orders, and they are integrated into one body. They are as dense as the arsenal of spears and halberds. The wind god is stricter than Zhishui, and the polish is less than that of Yu Shinan. , he looked at the two kings, he could be moved, but he was frightened and jumped, and he did not avoid danger, which harmed his elegance."
Yu Shinan said that he "can do whatever he wants regardless of paper and pen." And he can also write good official script. The "Stele of Xuzhou Governor Fang Yanqian" written in the fifth year of Zhenguan is his official script work. His calligraphy is best known as official script. Looking at his brushwork, he has both roundness and sharpness, as if a snake is frightened in the grass, and lightning flashes in the clouds. It is also like a diamond with angry eyes, and a powerful man shaking his fist." Among them, the strokes such as the vertical hook and so on are still official strokes. The "Inscription on the Relics of Zen Master Huadu Siyi", "The Monument of Yu Gonggong Wen Yanbo" and "The Monument of Huangfu's Birthday" written by him are known as "the first regular script in the Tang Dynasty". His regular script has a very serious formula both in pen and structure, making it the easiest for beginners to learn. The "Thirty-Six Methods of Ouyang's Form" passed down by later generations are the rules of the form summarized from his regular script. His regular script "Zhang Han Si Yu Tie" is long and vigorous in style. Ink marks passed down from generation to generation are particularly precious. Ouyang Xun's son Ouyang Tong has a family history of calligraphy. Both father and son are famous in the calligraphy world and are known as "Ouyang and Ouyang". Xiao Ouyang's "Master Daoyin's Monument" has a stronger sense of officialdom, but it is too sharp and subtle and not as subtle as his father's.
Ouyang Xun's calligraphy had become famous as early as the Sui Dynasty and spread far and wide overseas. Entering the Tang Dynasty, people were both old and proficient in writing. However, Ouyang Xun himself was not satisfied with the achievements he had made. He still read the inscriptions and copied the inscriptions, striving for excellence.
Once, Ouyang Xun went out for a trip and saw a Zhangcao stone tablet written by Suo Jing, a calligrapher of the Western Jin Dynasty. He looked at it a few times and felt that the writing was average. But then I thought, since Suo Jing is a calligrapher of a generation, his calligraphy must have its own characteristics. Why don't I see to the bottom of it. So I stood in front of the monument and watched it several times before discovering its profound and exquisite features. Ouyang Xun sat and lay down beside the stone tablet, groping and gesticulating for three days and three nights. Ouyang Xun finally understood the spirit of Suo Jing's calligraphy brush, and his calligraphy became more perfect.
Common European calligraphy inscriptions include:
1. "Jiucheng Palace Liquan Inscription": regular script, which is Ouyang Xun's representative work. Most European calligraphers use this as a model. Wei Zheng wrote, Tang Dazong was in Zhenguan for six years. AD 623) erected a monument. The calligraphy is rigorous and vigorous, without any awkwardness.
2. The full name of "The Monument of Duke Yu Gong" is "The Monument of Duke Yu Gong and Wen Gong of the State of Tang Dynasty." It is also called "The Monument of Wen Yanbo". When he wrote this inscription, he was already 80 years old. . The monument was erected in the eleventh year of Zhenguan (637 AD) by Emperor Dazong of the Tang Dynasty.
3. The full name of "The Monument of Huangfu's Birthday" is "The Monument of Dr. Zuo Guanglu of the Sui Dynasty, Hong Yi of Ming Gong Huangfu Mansion", also known as "The Monument of Huangfu Jun": regular script, it is the work of Ouyang Xun when he was young. There is no date when the monument was erected, but it is hidden in Xi'an, Shaanxi Province.
4. The full name of "Inscription on the Pagoda of Huadu Temple" is "Inscription on the Relic of Zen Master Yong, the Former Monk of Huadu Temple": regular script, which is Ouyang Xun's proud work and was established in the fifth year of Zhenguan in the Tang Dynasty (631 AD).
The calligraphy theory of "Ouyang Xun's Eight Secrets" created has unique insights. It is inspired by Li Chun's Eighty-Four Methods of the Ming Dynasty and Huang Ziyuan's 92 Methods of Structure in the Qing Dynasty. Its "eight battles" are: (point) like a falling stone from a high peak; (horizontal strike) like a crescent moon in the sky; (horizontal strike) like a formation of clouds thousands of miles away; (vertical strike) like a long-lived withered vine; (strength strike) like a falling pine tree Break, fall and hang on the stone cliff; (break) like the hair of a crossbow; (left) like a sharp sword cutting off the horns and tusks of a rhinoceros; (keep) a wave of Chang Sanguo. "Inscription". Li Baiyao of Tang Dynasty wrote the article and Ouyang Xunshu. The stele was erected in the fifth year of Zhenguan of the Tang Dynasty (AD 631), with 35 lines in regular script and 33 characters in running script. The original stone has been lost for a long time. The calligraphy on this stele is strong and tightly structured. "Jiucheng Palace" was written a year earlier, so the style is very similar, but it is more rigorous than "flexible". Zhao Mengfu of the Yuan Dynasty commented: "Of those who could calligraphy during the Zhenguan period of the Tang Dynasty, Ouyang Sui was the best, and the "Inscription on the Pagoda of Zen Master Yong" was also the best." Weng Fanggang, an epigrapher of the Qing Dynasty, spoke highly of the calligraphy of this stele and thought it was the best. The stele is better than the "Jiucheng Palace Liquan Inscription". Although the praise is excessive, it can be seen that the calligraphy of this stele is indeed unique. "Jiucheng Palace Liquan Inscription Stele" was written by Wei Zheng and written by Ouyang Xun. It records the discovery of spring water by Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty when he was vacationing in Jiucheng Palace. This stele was erected in the sixth year of Zhenguan in the Tang Dynasty (632 AD). There are 24 lines in regular script and 49 characters in each line. This stele is neatly arranged with a square brush, and the order of the calligraphy and painting is compact and well-proportioned, and the spaces between them are wide and stable. Chen Jiru of the Ming Dynasty once commented: "This post is like a person in the mountains. He is thin, hard and cold, but full of energy. It can make the king bend his knees. He can only drive it if he has carved it." Zhao Han of the Ming Dynasty called this stele "Graphite Engraved Flowers" The official book is number one.” The full name is "The Monument of Yu Gonggong and Wen Gong of the Tang Dynasty." It is also called "The Monument of Wen Yanbo".
Written by Cen Wenwen and written by Ouyang Xun, it was established in October of the 11th year of Zhenguan in the Tang Dynasty (AD 637). There are 36 lines of regular script and 77 characters in each line. On the forehead of the stele, there are 16 characters in Yangwen seal script: "The Tang Dynasty Gu Te Jin Shangshu Right Servant Shoots the Monument of Yu Gonggong and Wen Gong." Zhao Han of the Ming Dynasty commented on "Graphite Engraving Hua": "The characters on this stele are smaller than those of "Huangfu" and "Jiucheng", and the calligraphy is neat and neat, not inferior to the two steles." He also sighed: "The letter at that time was more than eighty years old. And the regular script is so exquisite." It is true that the "Yu Gonggong Stele" written by Ouyang Xun has reached the state of art. A closer look at the calligraphy of the second stele has broken away from the "European style" in "Jiucheng Palace" and "Huadu Temple". It has the characteristics of thick and rigorous, but tends to be more natural and smooth. At this time, Ouyang Xun was able to write regular script as he wished, and he could use his pen freely. It was also called "Ji Ying Tie", Ouyang Xun's calligraphy. Regular script, no money. Paper, length 25.2 cm, width 33 cm. There is a postscript written in thin gold script on the back paper: "The prince of the Tang Dynasty ordered Ouyang to inquire about the book and Zhang Han's calligraphy. The writing style was dangerous and sharp, and Zhiyong also avoided the front. Jilin sent an envoy to ask for the book. Emperor Gaozong heard about it and sighed: ''The book of Xun spread far and wide. In his later years, his writing became stronger and more vigorous, and he had the style of law enforcement and court fighting. The solitary peak rose and was cut from all sides. It is not a false reputation. ''" The style of this post is basically the same as Ouyang Xun's regular script style. They are the same, they both win by taking risks. The center of gravity of the characters is on the left side, and a strange stroke is pressed to the right side with a critical force, making the structure of each character form a reverse trend, and then using force to the right to turn the danger into safety. Seek stability, don’t have fun.” Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty commented: "It is good at taking advantage of the situation, and it is more than graceful." He was very discerning. This post is now in the collection of the Palace Museum in Beijing. The full name is "The Monument of Emperor Zuo Guanglu of the Sui Dynasty", also known as "The Monument of Emperor Huangfu of the Ming Dynasty". The article was written by Yu Zhining of Tang Dynasty and written by Ouyang Xun. This stele is now in Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, and there is no date or month written on it. There are 28 lines in regular script and 59 characters in each line. The seal script on the front of the stele reads "Sui Zhu Guohong discussed the Monument of Ming Gong Huangfu Mansion" with twelve characters. "Mo Lin Kuai Shi" states that this stele was erected in the Sui Dynasty and should have been written by Ouyang Xun in his early years. This monument was broken into two parts in the Ming Dynasty.
The writing style of "Huangfu's Birthday Monument" is tight and restrained, yet strong and unyielding. Pointillism focuses on engraving with the brush, which is a unique brushwork feature of the thin and vigorous calligraphy style of Wei and Sui steles in the early Tang Dynasty. Yang Shiqi said: "Xun Shu has a strong character and strict laws. Commentators say that Yu (Shi Nan) got the floating legacy of Jin, and Ou (Yang Xun) got the strictness of Jin. Looking at the "Huangfu Birthday Monument", it is full of vibrancy and turbulence. Isn't it extraordinary? "Isn't it the so-called person who does not violate the rules?" Weng Fanggang said: "The stele was made from Li to regular script. It is square because of the danger. It is the most impressive style of writing. It is the first way to learn Tang regular script." "This stele is polished with pen. Although it is an early work by Ouyang Xun, it already has the basic characteristics of "European style" of strictness and precision. Wang Shizhen of the Ming Dynasty said: "The stele of the Emperor of Huangfu Mansion is more dangerous than the other posts. It is the origin of Yijialantai (Ouyang Tong)." Yang Bin said in "Da Lao Oupi": "The letter of the stele is There is nothing more strict than "Yong Zen Master", nothing more elegant than "Liquan Ming", nothing more dangerous than "Huangfu's Birthday Stele", and it is especially difficult to be dangerous. "That's why Ouyang Xun named it in regular script." , in fact, his running script is also very good, among which "Meng Dian Tie" is the best. The full name of "Meng Dian Tie" is "Zhongni Meng Dian Tie", with seventy-eight characters and no inscription, but it has been circulated in an orderly manner. Guo Tianxi said in the postscript: "This force is as strong as a halberd in an arsenal. It turns back and has the style of the two kings. It is also the best calligraphy in the world." Ouyang Xun's son Ouyang Tong is a calligrapher. pass. Both father and son are famous in the calligraphy world and are known as "Ouyang and Ouyang". Xiao Ouyang's "Master Daoyin's Monument" has a stronger sense of officialdom, but it is too sharp and subtle and not as subtle as his father's.