Su Dongpo's Inscription on Observing Loyalty

Author: Su Shi
Publisher:
Publication Date: 2002-08-01
Features: This book is one of the famous ancient stone inscriptions in Zhejiang. At the age of 43, Su Shi, the great Northern Song Dynasty litterateur and calligrapher, composed and inscribed this stele. The creation of this stele coincided with the prime of Su Shi's life, and not only was the text widely acclaimed, but the calligraphy was also exquisitely masterful. This stele is generally found in near-copies only of the first and fourth stones. This time, based on the copy preserved in Han Ke Tang, a second stone has been added in a photolithographic edition, undoubtedly adding over a hundred characters. Although the text covers less than half of the entire stele, among the surviving large-character inscriptions by Su Shi, this one is undoubtedly one of the most outstanding. It is hoped that it can be shared with experts at home and abroad.
The Stele of the Temple of Loyalty () is one of the famous ancient stone inscriptions in Zhejiang. The text of this stele is largely intact, with clear strokes and skilled chiseling techniques, fully showcasing Su Shi's calligraphic style, which is like "iron wrapped in cotton"—internally strong yet externally soft.