Yan Zhenqing's regular script is known as the first in the world, and he and Liu Gongquan are called "Yan Liu". As the origin of Langya Yan, Yan Zhenqing was personally raised by his mother after his father's death, so he was very filial to his mother. Yan Zhenqing made great achievements when he was young, and at the age of twenty-five, he was admitted to the Jinshi, and then served as the school secretary and the lieutenant of Liquan County. Despite his busy day-to-day work, he finds time to practice calligraphy.
Expansion: Yan Zhenqing has an outstanding talent in calligraphy, and has not slackened her pursuit of calligraphy because she comes from a cultural family. He was raised by his mother from an early age, which gave him a deeper affection for his family. As a young man, Yan Zhenqing achieved extraordinary results, he was promoted to the rank of sergeant with honors, and soon entered the political world to hold important positions. Although he was very busy with his work, he never neglected the practice of calligraphy. This perseverance and perseverance in calligraphy is the foundation of his ability to become a great calligrapher.
In order to improve his calligraphy level, Yan Zhenqing successively studied under Chu Suiliang and Zhang Xu. Although Zhang Xu was a very famous calligrapher at the time, he did not easily teach Yan Zhenqing the secrets of calligraphy, but let him copy the calligraphy day after day and observe the rhythm of nature in his life. Yan Zhenqing was once dissatisfied, but she understood that there was no shortcut to calligraphy practice. So, he persevered and eventually became a master of calligraphy.
Expansion: In order to improve his calligraphy skills, Yan Zhenqing found Chu Suiliang and Zhang Xu as his mentors. Although Zhang Xu was one of the most famous calligraphers of his time, he did not show a desire to share the secrets of calligraphy with Yan Zhenqing, but encouraged him to draw inspiration from life and nature. For a period of time, Yan Zhenqing continued to copy the calligraphy and observe the wonderful changes in nature. Although he was once dissatisfied with Zhang Xu's teachings, believing that these methods were not direct and practical enough, as time passed, he slowly understood the master's good intentions. He began to understand that learning calligraphy required constant diligence and perseverance, and that there were no quick shortcuts.
During the Tianbao years, Yan Zhenqing offended Yang Guozhong because of his direct advice and was transferred many times. In 752 AD, he was transferred to Pingyuan County as a taishou. During An Lushan's rebellion, Yan Zhenqing had insight into An Lushan's rebellion, but there was no conclusive evidence. In order to defend An Lushan, he secretly trained soldiers and horses and strengthened the city walls. However, An Lushan did not see it as a threat.
After the outbreak of the Anshi Rebellion, most of Hebei fell, and only Pingyuan County, where Yan Zhenqing was located, could still hold on. He used the army he had trained before to stop An Lushan, but he could not change people's hearts. At the instigation of Yang Guozhong, Tongguan was lost, 200,000 troops were killed, and Xuanzong was forced to flee Chang'an. Yan Zhenqing's cousins Yan Gaoqing and Yuan Luqian designed to recapture Tumen and asked for reinforcements from the imperial court. However, the reinforcements were intercepted by the Taiyuan Jiedu envoy, and the army led by Yan Gaoqing finally fell into a desperate situation, and the Yan family was full of heroes.
After learning of his nephew's death, Yan Zhenqing was deeply saddened and indignant, and wrote the "Manuscript for the Sacrifice of Nephew" seven times. This work shows his grief over his family's tragic plight. Although the Manuscript for the Sacrifice of Nephews is not a calligraphy work in the traditional sense, its irregularities and messiness reflect Yan Zhenqing's inner passion and pain. The typos and crossed-out words in this work vividly depict the author's grief-stricken state. Although it does not conform to the norms of calligraphy, the "Manuscript of the Sacrifice of Nephews" is still known as the second line of calligraphy in the world, precisely because it reflects Yan Zhenqing's deep affection for the motherland and family, as well as his feelings for his family and country. It is not just a tribute, but a cry of pain and perseverance in the face of adversity. "The Manuscript of the Sacrifice of Nephews" has become a bright pearl in Yan Zhenqing's calligraphy works, showing his perseverance and courage in difficult situations.
Expanded: Yan Zhenqing has experienced many setbacks and difficulties in the process of becoming an official. During An Lushan's rebellion, he tried to guard against An Lushan's attack, but in the end to no avail. Faced with the deteriorating situation, Yan Zhenqing deeply felt the danger of his family, especially the news of the death of his cousin Yan Gaoqing, which made him sad. In order to express the nostalgia for the deceased relatives and the annihilation of the family, Yan Zhenqing wrote the "Manuscript for the Sacrifice of Nephews". Although it is not a calligraphy work in the traditional sense, the manuscript of the nephew shows the pain and anger in the author's heart. It shows Yan Zhenqing's deep affection for his family and the motherland, revealing his deep feelings for his family and country. Although the manuscript of the nephew is full of typos and scribbles, it is precisely this irregular and chaotic form that more realistically depicts the author's inner pain and despair. Although the Manuscript for the Sacrifice of Nephews has many shortcomings in calligraphy, it is still known as the second line of calligraphy in the world, because it shows Yan Zhenqing's perseverance and courage in the face of adversity. It has become a bright pearl in Yan Zhenqing's calligraphy works, allowing people to feel the author's mood and family and country feelings more deeply.