Chinese Stele Classics -- Zhèng Wén Gōng Bēi (Lower Stele)

Author: Shanghai Shuxue Publishing House Editor
Publisher:
Publishing Date: March 1, 2003
Features: Zheng Wengong Stele is divided into two parts—the upper stele is located on the sunny side of Tizhu Mountain in Pingdu City, Shandong Province, without a stele top, consisting of twenty lines with fifty characters each; the lower stele is situated on the shady side of Yunfeng Mountain in Yecheng County, Shandong Province, with fifty-one lines and twenty-nine characters per line. The content of both steles is largely identical. The Zheng Wengong Stele is traditionally attributed to Zheng Daozhao, the Commandery Administrator of Guangzhou during the Northern Wei Dynasty, who carved it into the cliff in the fourth year of the Yongping era (501 CE) to commemorate the virtues and achievements of his father, Zheng Xi. The lower stele bears the seven-character stele top: "Zheng Wengong Stele of Xingyang Zheng Family." Zheng Daozhao (455–516) was the second son of Zheng Xi, styled Xibei, and called himself "Zhongyue Master." According to the Book of Wei, he was "fond of learning from a young age,, and loved composing poems and odes." He held various official positions, including Vice Minister of the Central Court, Vice Minister of the Yellow Gate, Chancellor of the Imperial Academy, Director of the Secretariat, and Commandery Administrators of Guang and Qing provinces. He died in the first year of the Xiping era (516 CE) during the reign of Emperor Xiaoming, posthumously honored as "Northern Military General", "Commandery Administrator of Xiangzhou," and titled "Wengong." During his tenure as Commandery Administrator of Guangzhou, he was known for his lenient and just governance, earning the affection of officials and the people. His calligraphy in the Zheng Wengong Stele primarily features the ancient and dignified style of seal script, blended with square brushwork and the essence of clerical script. The brushwork is refined and vigorous, resembling the twisted yet towering posture of ancient pines. The overall style is expansive, strong, and spirited, radiating vitality. Bao Gongchen, in his Art Ark Dual Picking, praises his calligraphy as "possessing the essence of seal script, the charm of clerical script, and the spirit of cursive script." As a result, countless visitors flocked to admire the inscriptions on Tizhu and Yunfeng mountains, and those who obtained rubbings regarded it as a great honor. Ye Changchi, a Qing Dynasty critic, remarked on his calligraphy: "Zheng Daozhao's inscriptions on the upper and lower steles of Yunfeng, as well as the Discussions on Classics and Poems, inherit the traditions of northern seal script, like the pioneers of the Qiaofang school in northern Henan entering civilization. His brushwork is so powerful that it can carve rhinoceros and tigers, wrestle with dragons and serpents, and move effortlessly like a knife through butter—all achieved through divine artistry. The calligraphers of the early Tang Dynasty, such as Ou Yan, Chu Suili, and Xue Jing, were all encompassed within his influence. Not only was his work unparalleled in the Northern Dynasties, but since the advent of regular script, no one has matched him." Though this may be excessive praise, it also highlights the immense influence of the stele. The modern calligrapher Shen Yinmo remarked: "Examining the entire stele, one perceives a profound and elegant atmosphere, expansive yet restrained, open yet disciplined, simple yet bold, robust yet unrestrained, deep yet refined. If every character were isolated, it would be both harmonious and precise, modest yet magnificent, rustic yet elegant, solemn yet graceful. It achieves the pinnacle of regular script." This demonstrates the crucial role of the Zheng Wengong Stele in Northern Wei calligraphy.
The Zheng Wengong Stele is said to have no extant rubbings from the Song Dynasty. During the Qianlong era, Gui Fu traced and visited the stele, leading to the first rubbings. The publisher now selects early rubbings for reproduction and publication, hoping to benefit those who aspire to advanced study in regular script and unlock the secrets of its mastery.