Seventy-seven Northern Wei Sculpture Inscriptions

Author: Lu Fusheng
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-07-01
Features: The brilliance of the Northern Wei Buddhist statue inscriptions lies in their unpredictable and ever-changing nature. You can hardly imagine how these folk scribes and carvers came up with such tricks. Precisely because they were written and carved in a spontaneous and casual manner, the true character of the people is fully revealed in this unmasked operation. From the perspective of calligraphic style, the inscriptions in this volume can basically be divided into two major types. The second style is square and rigorous. The development of calligraphy is a gradual process of refinement and integration. None of the Tang Dynasty calligraphers such as Ou, Yu, Chu, Yan, and Liu drew nourishment from Northern Wei calligraphy and did not symbolize and standardize it. Among the seven inscriptions, "The Inscription of Tianhui Shi on Casting a Golden Buddha" [carved in the first year of Xiaochang (525)] is a highly unconventional piece. It is heavily influenced by seal script, with strokes resembling both Buddha and immortals. It is a work structured on the basis of regular script, with a slight touch of clerical script and primarily composed of seal script. Although incomplete and without the accompaniment of flying apsaras, the entire piece appears quite complete and grand. Perhaps it is precisely this unpredictable and natural charm of the Northern Wei Buddhist statue inscriptions that keeps them captivating and unforgettable to this day.