Cui Xuelu Calligraphy Art
Yan Zhenqing's regular script is broad and powerful, and he stands alone in his greatness. There are over 40 surviving inscriptions of his regular script, known as "Yan Kai", which is among the Four Great Calligraphers along with Ouyang Xun, Liu Gongquan, and Zhao Mengfu. Yan Zhenqing is considered the greatest among them and is revered as the "saint".
The inscriptions on the Lu Gong stele have been studied by calligraphers throughout the ages. I also hold Lu Gong's regular script inscriptions in high regard as the "Bible" of calligraphy learning. In my old age, I was fortunate enough to understand the essence of Yan Zhenqing's calligraphy from the "Three Steles of Lu Gong," namely the "Da Zi Magu Xiantan Record," "Li Ting Bi," and "Yan Shijia Temple Stele."
#1
《Ma Gu》Embodiment of Zen with an Upright Backbone
In his later years, Lu Gong spoke his mind freely and incurred the displeasure of the authorities, leading to his exile to a remote region for ten years. "To achieve both worldly success and self-cultivation in poverty" was his guiding principle. He devoted himself to cultivating his mind through Zen meditation, and his inner clarity and purity were reflected in his calligraphy, which entered a realm of unique and independent expression.
At the age of 63, Lu Gong wrote the "Da Zi Ma Gu Xian Tan Ji", which I regard as the turning point from his conventional "worldly" style to his unique and unconventional style. The "Ma Gu Tie" is a classic calligraphic work that marks the watershed in the evolution of Yan's Kai style.
There are three versions of the "Ma Gu Tie" handed down through the ages, known as the "large, medium and small" versions, all of which reflect Lu Gong's painstaking efforts.
#2
《Xuan Jing》Pure Harmony Zen Clarity
In his old age, Duke Lu was oppressed by the court and was banished to Huzhou for six years. He and his family had a close relationship with the Taoist master Li Aoqing and engaged in the pursuit of truth and harmony in accordance with their natural tendencies, remaining sincere and open-minded.
The content of this stele is to commemorate the process of the Taoist master Li Aoqing's writing, carving, and erecting of the stele, which lasted for ten years, and to show Duke Lu's admiration for him.
Wang Shu said in his inscription, 'This stele style lies between Guangping and Jiamiao, and it is believed to be Duke Lu's most accomplished work.'
Duke Lu was banished to be the governor of Shengzhou and the military governor of West Zhejiang. For nearly ten years, his family, including his wife, children, nephews, and more than ten followers, all worshipped the Taoist master Li Aoqing, and were encouraged to pursue a transcendent state of mind. As a result, the stele was erected to commemorate this. I also regard it as the most lively and spirited inscription of Duke Lu.
#3
《Jia Miao》comprehensive and abundant spirit
At the age of seventy-two, Duke Lu wrote, carved, and erected the "Yan Shi Jiamiao Stele". The stele traced back to the ancient times of the Yellow Emperor and included the descendants of the Yan Shi family. Reflecting on the distant past, he expressed his thoughts on three generations, creating a text that would last for thousands of years.
Duke Lu embodied the Taoist principle of naturalness and blended the styles of "regular script, seal script, clerical script, running script, and cursive script," showcasing the clarity and endlessness of Taoist and philosophical thoughts.
