Like many other calligraphers, Ouyang Xun had a blinding flash of inspiration. He was highly interested in the work of Suo Jing, who had died several centuries ago and was famous for a particular stroke that looked like a scorpion's tail. Out riding one day, Ouyang Xun spotted a huge stone slab over a tomb that was clearly Suo Jing's work. For 3 days, he traced the characters till his fingers bled. His son Ouyang Xiu, who later became a great calligrapher himself, had to feed him to make him eat. He then went home and created his own distinctive style.

The most abiding characteristic of Ouyang Xun's work is its elegance. It's said that he used to write characters that looked like they were going to fall over, then save the balance with the last stroke. (I don't understand that either.) These characters are from his best work, the Sweet Spring Essay, written for the 9 Perfections Palace.

At present, Yan Zhenqing's Regular Style is extremely popular. It is considered the epitome of firmness and strength, as opposed to Zhao Mengfu's fluidity and grace. Beginners often study his work, as it is fairly easy to imitate and gives a sound foundation. Truth to tell, I find much of his calligraphy too heavy and "fleshy". This is a personal opinion and I do admit that he has many compensating virtues.

Yan Zhenqing's cursive is also greatly admired, but unfortunately, I don't know anything about it.

He and Yan Zhenqing are considered the two greatest writers of Regular Style, although their styles are vastly different. Liu's calligraphy has a strong "skeleton", and very little "flesh" -- Yan Zhenqing's takes strength and weight from its "flesh". Liu is good for beginners, because he won't teach you anything wrong.

I was particularly pleased to learn that Zhao Mengfu was unusual in having only one wife, no concubines. Once his friends did manage to tease him into writing a letter to his wife, to ask for permission to acquire a concubine. Her reply, a poem, won him back. They were apparently very close -- the couple practiced calligraphy together, and people couldn't tell their writing apart.

Zhao Mengfu's calligraphy has been said to reflect his weakness and lack of principles. Personally, I think this is extremely unfair and that his calligraphy has both spirit and grace. His calligraphy is generally slightly cursive, and it was in his cursive styles that he approached the perfection that Wang Xizhi achieved. Of course, you can tell I'm biased!