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

篙 is a long bamboo pole for pushing flat-bottomed boats through shallow water, older on inland rivers than sail. Poets loved the image: a 篙工 stands at the bow, tilting his 竹篙 against the riverbed, and the skiff glides past gorges, willows and ferry landings — travel by 撑篙 fills Tang and Song verse with river songs.

Common words & phrases

• 竹篙 bamboo punt-pole
• 撑篙 punt · pole a boat
• 篙工 boatman · punter

Read the story behind the character

In water towns like Wuzhen and Zhouzhuang, tourists pay a 篙工 to 撑篙 them along canals beneath stone bridges, the 竹篙 clicking against ancient quay stones. Raft operators on scenic rivers still pole instead of row, and locals say 撑篙 whenever anyone pushes a punt off the mud — the technique unchanged for centuries.