The Calligrapher — Yán Zhēnqīng 颜真卿

Tang master of robust regular script; co-creator of the enduring 'Yan style'.

Tang calligrapher (709–784), master of regular script/running script — the Tang moral paragon whose upright, muscular regular script became the model of Chinese integrity in writing. Tang dynasty

Cultural Story

剎 is the temple and the instant, the southern form of 刹. At 灵隐寺 in Hangzhou the monks still call the hall 宝刹, the precious place; the word travelled from the stupa's finial to mean any sacred roof. A 剎 is where the brief moment meets the long devotion.

Common words & phrases

• 刹那 instant · moment · second
• 古刹 ancient temple
• 宝刹 temple · honored monastery

Read the story behind the character

In a 刹那 the message lands and the room laughs. The travel map pins the 古刹 on the hill road. A 宝刹 receives the pilgrims at dawn. The word names the blink of time and the old gate the visitor seeks. In a 刹那 the message lands and the room laughs, while the travel map pins the 古刹 on the hill.