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Tang dynasty is the dynasty that calligraphy is taken most serious. As a result, a lot of great calligraphers appeared, including Yan Zhenqing.
Zhang Rong. Zi: Si Guang. Born in Su Zhou of Jiang Su province, he was good at all scripts, especially good at Cao Shu.
Xiao Ziyun (487-549). Zi: Jing Qiao. Born in Nan Lan Ling (northwest of Chang Zhou in Jiang Su province today), he was a historian. He was good at Xing Shu, Cao Shu and Xiao Zhuan.
Yang Xin (370-442). Zi: Jing Yuan. Born in TAi Shan city (southwest of Fei county of Shan Dong province today), he was Wang Xianzhi's student. He was good at Kai Shu.
After Tang dynasty, the calligraphy as an art declined. The worst period is Ming dynasty. From Song dynasty to Qing dynasty, the greatest calligraphy works in paper were kept in house of the emperor family. People rarely have the chance to see them. The only available calligraphy works available to them are the tablets. In Qing dynasty, a lot of tablets were discovered. That's one of the reason why calligraphy is better in Qin dynasty.
Du Du. Zi: Bo Du. Born in Jing Zhao Du Ling (Southeast of Xi An, Shan Xi province), he was good at Zhang Cao (a kind of Cao Shu). Zhang Cao was created by Shi You in "Ji Jiu Zhang". But Zhang Cao was mature at Du Du. People of his time called his calligraphy "calligraphy from heaven".
Tao Hong Jing (456-536). Zi: Tong Ming.
Zhang Zhi (?-192). Zi: Bo Ying. Born in Dun Huang Jiu Quan (belongs to Gan Su province today), he was a noble-minded person. He don't like to get any government position. His Cao Shu is exquisite beyond compare. People call him Cao god. He practiced calligraphy beside a lake. And the lake became black. His Zhang Cao actually studied from Du Du and Cui Yuan but has his own creation. He actually changed Zhang Cao to the Cao Shu of today.