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

尔 is the ancient you, softened from 爾. The Analects has Confucius say 尔 — you — to disciples, and 尔后 (thereafter) marked what followed. A rare smile was 莞尔, and 尔等 (you all) addressed a group. Its use faded to literary and colloquial particles like 偶尔 (occasionally) that survive in speech.

Common words & phrases

• 偶尔 occasionally · once in a while
• 尔等 you all
• 尔后 thereafter · henceforth
• 莞尔 smile

Read the story behind the character

You 偶尔 (occasionally) text an old friend, and 尔后 (thereafter) life drifts on. We laugh at 莞尔 (a smile) in a candid photo, and history dramas use 尔等 (you all) for royal scolding. The character mostly hides inside modern words now, a fossil of the old you that still warms a sentence.