The story of ancient calligraphers practicing calligraphy

Huai Su, a calligrapher of the Tang Dynasty, was very diligent and hardworking. Because he couldn't afford paper, he planted more than 10,000 banana trees near the temple. When the banana grew up, he picked off the banana leaves, spread them on the table, and wrote them down. As time passed, he used up the old banana leaves, so he simply took his pen and ink and stood in front of the banana tree to practice calligraphy on the fresh leaves. He practiced calligraphy unremittingly and finally became a calligrapher.

Huai Su (737-799, one theory says 725-785), with a courtesy name of Zangzhen and a common surname of Qian, was born in Lingling, Yongzhou (now Lingling, Hunan). He was a calligrapher in the Tang Dynasty, named "Kuaicao" world, known as the "Grass Saint" in history. He became a monk since he was a child. In his spare time, he practiced Zen and loved calligraphy. As famous as Zhang Xu, they are collectively known as "Bian Zhang Kuang Su". Huaisu

Ouyang Xun, the famous calligrapher of the Tang Dynasty, particularly liked the calligraphy of the "two kings" (Wang Xizhi and Wang Xianzhi). Whenever he saw the ink of Wang Xizhi and his son, he would buy it and study it. One day, he saw a copy of "Zhigui Tu" written by Wang Xizhi and Wang Xianzhi. He spent a lot of money to buy it and kept it at home to watch and study it every day. He was often so happy that he couldn't sleep all night. He studied for a whole month until he understood the essence of "Zhigui Tu".

Xiao Feng learned to write "Phoenix Tail"

Xiao Feng, also known as Xuanying and nicknamed An (àn) Li, was the twelfth son of Emperor Qi Gao of the Southern Dynasty. As the king of Jiangxia, he once served as a minister, a regular servant of Sanqi, Xuzhou governor, secretary and supervisor. When he was a child, he lived in Zhang's house and loved calligraphy. However, Zhang didn't have paper for him to practice calligraphy, so he practiced on the railings of the well. When the words are full, he rinses them with water before writing. He got up very early every morning, and instead of allowing anyone to clear the dust from the windows, he practiced writing on them. Practice like this day by day, never stopping. When he was five years old, Emperor Gaodi sent someone to teach him how to practice the calligraphy of "Phoenix Weinuo", and he learned it immediately. Emperor Gao was very happy and awarded him a precious jade unicorn. He also said to him humorously: "This is the unicorn that rewards the phoenix tail!" Xiao Feng later practiced even harder and became a highly respected calligrapher. Web link

Ouyang Xun lingers to view the monument

Ouyang Xun, the great calligrapher of the Tang Dynasty, was born in Linxiang, Tanzhou (now Changsha, Hunan). He practiced calligraphy very hard and learned from the strengths of others. He is proficient in eight kinds of calligraphy and has his own style, known as "European style". Once, when he was returning from a mission, he rode through a deserted wilderness and found a stone tablet written by Suo Jing, a calligrapher of the Western Jin Dynasty, among the tangled grass. He stopped to watch it for a long time and was reluctant to leave. After walking a few miles, he came back, dismounted and sat in front of the monument to watch carefully and appreciate the beauty of Suo Jing's cursive script. That night, he returned to his residence and stayed awake all night, thinking about the stone monument he saw during the day. The next day, at dawn, he rode horseback to the stone tablet, pondered over it, spread out the paper, and copied it stroke by stroke. In this way, he stayed next to the monument for three days and three nights. It was not until Suo Jing's cursive calligraphy was fully understood that he left happily.

Ouyang Xun (557-641), courtesy name Xinben, Han nationality, was born in Linxiang, Tanzhou (now Changsha, Hunan) in the Tang Dynasty. He was a famous calligrapher and official in the Tang Dynasty. He was one of the four masters of regular script in Nanliang. The grandson of Ouyang Li, the general who conquered the south, and the son of Ouyang He, the general of Zuowei of the Southern Chen Dynasty, was born in Hengzhou (now Hengyang, Hunan) in the second year of Taiping of Liang Dynasty in the Southern Dynasty (557 AD), and his ancestral home is Linxiang, Tanzhou (now Changsha, Hunan). Ouyang Xun, together with his contemporaries Yu Shinan, Chu Suiliang and Xue Ji, were called the Four Great Masters of the Early Tang Dynasty. Because his son Ouyang Tong was also good at calligraphy, he was also called "Da Ou". Both he and Yu Shinan were famous for their calligraphy in the early Tang Dynasty, and they were both called "European Yu". Later generations used their calligraphy to find danger in the ordinary and most convenient for beginners, so they called it "European style". Ouyang Xun

Ouyang Tong studied his father's calligraphy assiduously

Ouyang Tong, also known as Shitong. He is Ouyang Xun's fourth son. His father died when he was very young. His mother, Xu, taught him that he must learn to inherit his father's calligraphy. She was afraid that her son would be lazy and unwilling to learn calligraphy, so she often gave Ouyang Tong some money to buy the ink marks left by his father. After Ouyang Tong bought these ink marks, he was like a treasure, studying and copying hard, and determined to make his own Some people can buy and collect the characters like my father. After many years of hard study, he inherited his father's calligraphy. People call the calligraphy of father and son "big and small Ouyang style".

Ouyang Tong (625-691 AD) was a minister and calligrapher of the Tang Dynasty. The courtesy name is Tongshi, Han nationality, from Linxiang, Tanzhou (now Changsha, Hunan). Ouyang Xunzi. He was orphaned at an early age, and his mother Xu taught him to write to his father.

In the first year, he paid homage to Lantai Lang. In Yifengzhong, he moved to Zhongshushe and was granted the title of Duke of Bohai. In the first year of Tianshou, he was transferred to the Minister of Liqing to judge affairs. In the second year, he became the prime minister. He was killed because he rebelled against Wu Chengsi and became the prince. He worked in regular script, and his calligraphy was as good as his father's, and his father and son had the same name, "Big and Little Ouyang". His handed down works include "Master Daoyin's Monument" and "Quan Boy's Epitaph". Ouyang Tong