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

In the classical tradition: 啥 is a northern dialect word for 'what,' from 口 with 舍, and never appears in classical prose, which used 何 or 奚. It belongs to the lively speech of the lanes and the stage, where a cook asks 干啥, what to do, and a child wonders 为啥, why. The character is the plain, friendly 'what' of everyday northern Chinese, blunt, warm, and unwilling to stand on ceremony.

Common words & phrases

• 干啥 what to do · why
• 为啥 why · for what

Read the story behind the character

In the modern world: Dad asks 干啥 — what are you doing, why — with the remote, and a kid cries 为啥, why, why, at bedtime. At the stall the vendor says 啥? to confirm your order, and friends text 啥货 with a meme. 啥 is the casual northern 'what' of markets and group chats, the word you use when being plain beats being polite, every single day.