Appreciation of Calligraphy and Painting 008

\"Draft Memorial to My Nephew\" is a draft written by the Tang Dynasty calligrapher Yan Zhenqing to pay tribute to his nephew Yan Jiming. In running script on paper, 20.8 cm in height and 75.5 cm in width, with twenty-three lines and a total of 234 characters. Written in 758 AD (the first year of the Qianyuan era of the Tang Dynasty). This manuscript recounts the heroic deeds of Yan Gaoqing, the governor of Changshan, and his sons, who stood up and resisted bravely during An Lushan’s rebellion; as a result, \"the father was captured and the sons died, just as a nest is destroyed and its eggs are ruined\" (from \"Elegy for My Nephew\"), sacrificing their lives for justice and leaving behind a legacy of bravery and heroism. Mourning for his nephew Yan Jiming only deepened his anguish and sorrow. Throughout this post, the writing style is full of passion and vigor; the calligraphy is majestic and bold, with fluid strokes that seem to flow endlessly. Often, the brush is used to its limit, which only serves to enhance the strength and smoothness of the writing. Its heroic spirit is not only evident in the strokes but also in the emotions of sorrow and indignation that are reflected in every character. It was praised by Yuan dynasty artist Xian Yu Shu as the second-best running script in the world. Between the front and back covers of the original scroll, there are small seals from the Song dynasty’s Xuanhe and Zhenghe periods, as well as the Tianshuiyuan seal; there are also dozens of seals from various dynasties that were used for appreciation and collection. In addition, there are inscriptions by people such as Xianyu Shu, Zhang Yan, and Zhou Mi. It is recorded in Song Dynasty’s \"Xuanhe Shupu\"; it was brought into the imperial collection during the Qianlong era of the Qing Dynasty, and the original manuscript is now housed in the National Palace Museum in Taipei.