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

屡 shows a net and 娄, meaning repeatedly or again and again; the Shuowen gives to repeat. One 屡次 (repeatedly) erred, and a thing seen 屡见不鲜 (commonplace, nothing new) lost its wonder. The 屡教不改 (refuse to reform despite teaching) was a stubborn pupil, yet a remedy 屡试不爽 (effective every time) never failed.

Common words & phrases

• 屡次 repeatedly · time and again · often
• 屡屡 repeatedly · again and again
• 屡见不鲜 commonplace · nothing new · often seen
• 屡教不改 refuse to reform despite teaching · incorrigible
• 屡试不爽 effective every time · never fail

Read the story behind the character

You 屡次 (repeatedly) forget your password and 屡屡 (again and again) reset it. Scams are 屡见不鲜 (commonplace) now, and a kid who's 屡教不改 (incorrigible) tests every teacher. But the old trick 屡试不爽 (never fails) — a kind word still calms most fights. The word is the rhythm of repetition in life.