Yushi Nan Confucius Temple Hall Stele - Full Copy

Author: Chen ShenDao
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2005-03-01
Features: The Confucius Temple Hall Stele was built in the ninth year of the Wude era (626) during the Tang Dynasty. It was composed by Yu Shinan and inscribed by him. The stele records the events of Emperor Gaozu of Tang enfeoffing the descendants of Confucius and repairing the Confucius Temple. The original stele has long been lost, and the main surviving versions from later dynasties are two: one is a copy carved by Wang Yanchao in Xi'an, Shaanxi during the Song Dynasty, commonly known as the "Shaanxi Version"; the other is a re-carved version from the Zhengzhen era of the Yuan Dynasty in Chengwu, Shandong, known as the "Chengwu Version." In the Qing Dynasty, Li Zonghan of Linchuan obtained an original rubbing of the Tang stele, which is now referred to as the "Tang Rubbing." The Confucius Temple Hall Stele we see today is a composite of this Tang rubbing, with missing characters supplemented by "Shaanxi" and merged together.
Yu Shinan (558–638), styled Boshi, was a native of Yu Prefecture (now Yuyao, Zhejiang). During the reign of Emperor Taizong of Tang, he served as a scholar at the Hongwen Academy and rose to the position of Libu (Director of the Secretariat). He was enfeoffed as the Marquis of Yongxing, granted the title of Yinqing Guangludafu, and was known as "Yu Libu" or "Yu Yongxing." His calligraphy was passed down from Zhi Yong and followed the methods of the "Two Wangs" (Wang Xizhi and Wang Xianzhi). His surviving works include the Confucius Temple Hall Stele, the Eulogy for Princess Ruyan, and the Preface to the Orchid Pavilion Preface, among others. He is ranked alongside Ou Yangxun, Chu Suiliang, and Xue Ji as one of the "Four Great Calligraphers of Early Tang." The Confucius Temple Hall Stele is his masterpiece. Its brushwork is soft yet firm, with profound strength. The strokes appear level but none are laid flat; they seem casual yet are meticulously executed, full of power yet light and effortless, exuding elegance and grace.
When practicing this stele, attention should be paid to the following two points:
1. Choose high-quality printed copies of the stele and refer as closely as possible to the original characters of the Tang rubbing.
2. Consult the Zhi Yong’s Running Script Thousand Characters to better understand Yu’s brushwork.
Beyond these two points, calligraphers must also grasp the transition from firmness to softness in their practice. This means first emphasizing the boldness of the strokes, then refining them to be rich and full, removing harshness, and striving for a graceful and elegant style—only then can one truly capture the essence and spirit of Yu Shinan’s calligraphy.
This book selects representative characters from the original stele and provides detailed analysis from the perspectives of brushwork and structure. Calligraphers can begin by practicing these model characters to master fundamental techniques, then progress to writing the entire stele to achieve twice the result with half the effort.