Spine of the Tomb of Diao Zun - Guided by Master

Author: Yu Mingquan
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-01-01
Features: Cao Shi was buried on October 9, 517, during the Xiping era of the Northern Wei Dynasty. The "Epitaph of Cao Zun" is written in regular script, with 28 lines per column, each line containing 33 characters. The title is engraved in two columns, one with 14 lines and the other with 19 lines. The stone is 75 cm tall and 65 cm wide. During the Yongzheng era of the Qing Dynasty (1723–1735), the stone was unearthed from the ruins of Cao's Temple in Nanpi County, Hebei Province (or said to have been unearthed in Guangyao, Shandong Province). At the time, it was missing its lower right corner, with about 156 characters missing and over 20 characters blurred in the middle. It was once owned by Liu Kerun of Leiling, Ye family of Yanshan, Gao family of Nanpi, and Zhang Zhidong of Nanpi, but its current whereabouts are unknown. In the 27th year of the Qianlong era (1762), Liu family used wooden blocks to repair the missing corner and inscribed a preface on it. The first edition of the unearthed (stone rubbing) has the character "" (Yong) in the sixth line of the "Father Yong" section only with lines and no damage. The National Library's collection of this is the initial rubbing before the "" character was worn away, mounted in a cut and stitched format. The outer frame measures 28 cm tall and 17 cm wide, while the inner frame measures 24 cm tall and 14 cm wide. It consists of six sections, with an additional 12 and a half sections of preface and record text. The is sharp and well-defined, as if made by a beginner, making it a fine example in China. This was once owned by Wang Shikhan of Qiantang, Jiang Zuyi (Gusun) of Qiantang, Jin Wenchun (Zhipu) of Qiantang, and Zong Xiangwen. Tan Zekai inscribed the cover label, Zong Xiangwen inscribed the inner label, and Xu Jian of Wuzhen inscribed the beginning in the 1768 Wuzi year. The back of the album has prefaces by Wang Shikhan, Fang Guancheng, Tao Huxuan, Jin Wenchun, Zhang Jian, Yuan Chang, Shen Zengzhi, and Chu Dedie. Tao family inscribed the back of the stone rubbing and its style.