Cui Jingyong Tomb Inscription

Author: Shanghai Shuhua Publishing House Editor
Publisher:
Publishing Date: March 1, 2002
Features: The full title is "Epitaph for Cui Gong of Wei Dynasty, Holding the Rank of Dragon Raising General, Supervising Military Affairs of Yingzhou, Marquis of the Eastern Wei, and Grand Counselor of the Imperial Court, the Male Son of Cui of Linqing County." Engraved in the eleventh month of Xiping Year (517) of the Northern Wei Dynasty. Regular script. Twenty-five lines, twenty-nine characters per line. Discovered in Anying County, Hebei Province, in the eighteenth year of the Kangxi reign (1679). In the thirtieth year of the Kangxi reign, County Magistrate Chen Zongshi had it incorporated into the wall of the Temple of Local Heroes, but it was soon lost. During the Northern Wei period, the Cui family of Boling was one of the six major clans. Cui Jingyong's cousin, Cui Ting, was also renowned for his calligraphy and once wrote the "Epitaph for Yan Xuanwang," the father of Empress Dowager Wen of the Northern Wei, at imperial command. Thus, it can be inferred that this epitaph was created by a master calligrapher of the time. Since calligraphers before the Tang Dynasty did not sign their names with their works, no scribe's name is inscribed. The calligraphy of the "Epitaph for Cui Jingyong" falls into the category of bold, vigorous, and extraordinary among epitaphs of the late Northern Wei period. Its strokes are clear, refined, and brisk, yet the composition is round and robust while maintaining strict adherence to rules without being rigid. The structure is neat and square, with a balanced arrangement throughout, exuding a serene and dignified atmosphere. Within each stroke, there is a dynamic interplay of elevation and depression, with clear variations in weight, creating a strong sense of movement. The thickness and thinness of strokes within individual characters are skillfully adjusted to suit the context, perfectly capturing the essence of the style. Fine and crisp strokes contrast with heavy and rough ones, which are often executed with the techniques of heavy, (sè -, meaning uneven, dry, or jagged) strokes, and even cursive-style (lì - , referring to clerical script influences). To behold this calligraphy is like standing before revered ritual vessels. As the Qing Dynasty scholar He Chao once remarked: "At first glance, it may seem clumsy and unrefined, yet its unrestrained and expansive imagery surpasses the Tang masters, and even the Song Dynasty attempts to correct it, but since their learning is confined to the Tang style, their free and unrestrained brushwork can hardly approach the ancients." Original stone rubbings of this stele are as rare as phoenix feathers. Five known examples exist: the "deep and faint" rubbing preserved by Du Fang, the "collected by Liu Tieyun" rubbing, the "collected by Tao Xinyun" rubbing, and the "collected by Fei Nianci" rubbing. This is a recently discovered example, inscribed with colophons by Pan Ning of Shanyin, featuring exquisite ink and complete preservation. The brushwork is strong and spirited, with the original brush intent intact. It is one of the better-known examples among the extant rubbings. It is now housed in the Nanjing Museum.