Chinese Stele Classics -- Shi Ping Gong Statue Inscription

Author: Compiled by the Press
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2004-01-01
Features: "The Inscription of Shiping Gong," full title "The Inscription of his father, Shiping Gong, the Governor of Luochuan, for Creating Images," written by Meng Da, inscribed by Zhu Yizhang, in relief, regular script, carved on the northern wall of the Ancient Yang Cave in Longmen Mountain, Henan, Luoyang in the 22nd year of the Taihe era of the Northern Wei Dynasty (498). The Longmen Grottoes in Luoyang are one of China's renowned treasures of Buddhist art. Over the 150 years from the Northern Wei to the Tang Dynasty, more than 100,000 statues were carved, and inscriptions from the Northern Wei period or later account for a significant number, with their script generally referred to as [Wei Stele Style]. These inscriptions were not particularly noted by people in the early days. After the rise of epigraphy and stele studies during the Qian and Jia reigns of the Qing Dynasty, many epigraphers traveled to famous mountains to imitate steles and seek rubbings. The inscriptions of Longmen were made famous by Huang Yi (Xiaosong), a renowned calligrapher and seal carver, after he imitated and rubbed them. According to Luo Zhenyu's "Shi Jiao Lu," [Huang family initially only rubbed the Northern Wei "Inscription of Shiping Gong," later adding "Sun Qiusheng," "Yang Dayan," and "Wei Lingzang," making four items. Later, it was increased to ten items, and then to twenty items. The twenty Longmen inscriptions were later regarded as representative works among the inscriptions of Longmen. However, among them, the "Inscription of Shiping Gong" remains the most famous. This "Inscription" is fully grained-carved and includes the signatures of both the calligrapher and the author, a rare feature among the inscriptions of Longmen. Its calligraphy is square, strong, and vigorous, with tight central structure and long sweeping strokes, exuding a bold and distinctive. Kang Youwei praised it as: [The Longmen inscriptions are unified in style, with similar artistic conception, all majestic, magnificent, and expressive, reaching the peak of square calligraphy.] This evaluation is fully reflected in the "Inscription of Shiping Gong."