Yan Zhenqing - Gan Shinqing

Chinese politician and calligrapher in the mid-Tang dynasty. Langya was from Linyi (Shandong Province) but was born in Chang'an, Shaanxi. His courtesy name was Qingmin. His father was Weizhen. He was a cousin of the 5th Yan Zhitui of the Northern Qi dynasty and came from a distinguished family that had produced scholars and calligraphers for generations. Although he lost his father at a young age, he was taught by his uncle and older brother, and improved his calligraphy from a young age. He was well-educated and skilled in writing letters. In 734 (Kaiyuan 22) at the age of 26, he passed the Jinshi examination and later rose to high ranks such as Minister of Justice, Minister of Personnel, and Etiquette. During the An Lushan Rebellion in 755 (Tianbao 14) during the reign of Emperor Xuanzong, he was the only one to raise an army as the Governor of Pingyuan and to demonstrate his courage for the Tang dynasty. He was later appointed as the founder of Lu County and given the title of Prince and Grand Tutor, but because of his naturally upright and old-school personality, he did not get along with people and was often shunned, so he moved from one government position to another. When Li Xilie rebelled, he went to admonish him, prepared to die, but was instead arrested and, after three years in custody, was killed at Longxing Temple in Caizhou (Henan Province).

It is said that he learned his calligraphy from Zhang Xu, a master of cursive script, and he created a style of calligraphy that is fleshy and bony in both regular, running, and cursive styles. Gan Zhenqing's bold lines, taut body, and solid volume express the whole humanity of Gan, and it is no exaggeration to say that he was a central figure in establishing the style of the Kaiyuan and Tianbao periods. He is known as one of the "Four Great Masters of the Tang Dynasty" along with Yu Shinan, Ouyang Xun, and Chu Suiliang, but his style is very different from the elegant style of Wang Xizhi that was popular in the early Tang Dynasty. His major works include the Tahoto Pagoda Monument, the Manuscript on the Memorial to His Niece, the Records of the Mago Immortal Altar, the Manuscripts on the Contest for Position, and the Monument to the Yan Family Temple, and he also wrote the Collected Works of Gong Yan.

[Hiroshi Kakui]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

中国、唐代中期の政治家、書家。琅邪臨沂(ろうやりんぎ)（山東省）の人であるが、陝西(せんせい)長安に生まれる。字(あざな)は清臣。父は惟貞(いてい)。北斉の顔之推(がんしすい)5世の従孫にあたり、代々学者、能書家を輩出した名家の出である。幼くして父を亡くしたが、伯父や兄から教えを受け、少壮より書をよくし、博学で辞章に巧みであった。734年（開元22）26歳で進士に合格し、のち刑部尚書(ぎょうぶしょうしょ)、吏部尚書、礼儀使などの高位に上った。玄宗皇帝の755年（天宝14）安禄山(あんろくざん)の反乱時には、平原太守としてただ1人義兵をあげ、唐朝のために気を吐いた。その後、魯(ろ)郡開国公を封ぜられ太子太師(たいしたいし)を授けられたが、生来剛直な性格の旧派の彼は、人と相いれることなく、とかく敬遠されがちで官界を転々とした。やがて李希烈(りきれつ)謀反のとき、死を覚悟して諭(さと)しに出向き逆に捕らえられ、拘留3年ののち蔡(さい)州（河南省）竜興寺(りゅうこうじ)において殺された。

　書は草書の名手張旭(ちょうきょく)から筆法を授かったというが、楷行草各体に多肉多骨の書風を創始した。肉太の線と胴中を張らせた構成、それにどっしりした量感は顔真卿の全人間性を表出したものであり、開元・天宝期の様式を確立した中心人物であるといっても過言ではない。虞世南(ぐせいなん)、欧陽詢(おうようじゅん)、褚遂良(ちょすいりょう)と並び「唐四大家」と称せられるが、初唐のころ盛行した優美な王羲之(おうぎし)風とはまったく異なる、強烈な書風を示している。おもな作品に多宝塔碑、祭姪(さいてつ)文稿、麻姑仙壇記(まこせんだんき)、争坐位稿(そうざいこう)、顔氏家廟碑(がんしかびょうのひ)などがあり、『顔魯公文集』などの著がある。

［角井　博］

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