Huairen

CHINA; Tang dynasty

Huairen was a monk and calligrapher. He resided at Hongfu Temple in Shaanxi, diligently studying the calligraphy of Wang Xizhi for several years. After Emperor Taizong (reigned 627–649) of the Tang dynasty composed the Preface to Sagely Teachings, he was convinced that the stele it would be engraved upon could only be written in the writing style of Wang Xizhi. Since the era of famed calligrapher had long passed, he ordered Huairen, whom he knew could reproduce the style, to compile Wang’s characters and script the preface, and thus the famous Preface to Sagely Teachings in Wang Xizhi’s Calligraphy was created.
Over time, Huairen’s stele inscriptions have served as models for calligraphers desiring to learn Wang Xizhi’s style. Well-known steles that have been influenced by Huairen’s outstanding work include Stele of Xingfu Temple and Diamond Sutra in Wang Xizhi’s Calligraphy. The significant contribution that Huairen imparted on the history of Chinese calligraphy is apparent and well-recorded.