Yan Zhenqing is the most important representative of regular script in the Tang Dynasty. He learned from the best of others, absorbed the essence of calligraphy of previous dynasties, and was brave in innovation, forming his own unique style. His calligraphy is called Yan style. Yan Zhenqing's regular script is round, thick, and magnificent. At that time, people vividly compared it to "Jing Qing presses his sword, Fan Kuai holds his shield, Vajra glares, and a strong man shakes his fist." Just like his words, Yan Zhenqing's character is as upright and upright as his words. He hated evil as much as his enemies and dared to remonstrate directly. Later, he was framed and died for offending the powerful officials in the court. Precisely because Yan Zhenqing was equally outstanding in terms of character and calligraphy art, he has always been praised by future generations. Yan Zhenqing plays an important role in connecting the past and the future in the history of Chinese calligraphy. The facial expressions are not as gorgeous and beautiful as Wang Xizhi's calligraphy, but more sublime, and will gradually develop into another mainstream of calligraphy art in the future.

In fact, there is a ranking of running scripts in the history of calligraphy, such as Wang Xizhi's "Preface to the Lanting Collection", Yan Zhenqing's "Manuscript for Nephew Memorials", Su Dongpo's "Huangzhou Cold Food Poems", among the three famous running scripts in the world. , later people continued to rank down on the basis of the three major running scripts, and some even ranked the top ten running scripts in the world.

But for regular script, there is no ranking in history. It is only recognized that Zhong Yao is the ancestor of regular script. There are also many masters of regular script. Wang Xizhi, Wang Xizhi, and Zhong Yao are all masters of regular script. Later, Ouyang Xun and Liu Gongquan , Yu Shinan are also masters of regular script, but why can Yan Zhenqing become "the first master of regular script"?

I think this is first of all related to the major innovations Yan Zhenqing made in style. First of all, Yan Zhenqing innovated the writing method, integrating the seal and official writing methods into regular script, adding the vigorous brushwork of the inscriptions in the Southern and Northern Dynasties, and writing The calligraphy style is completely different from Wang Xizhi's, and he changed the internal brushwork to the external brushwork. The calligraphy style is grand and calm, and he has found his own direction for regular script writing.

On the other hand, there are so many calligraphy works by Yan Zhenqing, and their styles are also diverse. Each copybook has its own unique characteristics, such as the work-style "Duobao Pagoda Stele" and the elegant "Yan Qinli" "Stele", the powerful "Stele of Yanjia Temple", and the sophisticated "Record of Magu Immortal Altar" are only one or two different styles from calligraphers such as Ouyang Xun and Liu Gongquan. Only true masters can do this.

Yan Zhenqing is probably called "the first regular script calligrapher" because of his innovation in calligraphy and diversification of styles.