Dong Beauty's Tomb Inscription

Author: Ji Yaping (Editor)
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-06-01
Features: This book is a special collection from the Department of Rare Books and Manuscripts at the National Library of China, one of the selected stone inscriptions and calligraphy by Liang Qichao. The series features famous stone inscriptions and calligraphy created by Liang Qichao, with meticulous printing craftsmanship, primarily using Ming or Qing Dynasty (Qianlong and Jiaqing reigns) prints. It also includes Liang Ren Gong's own annotations, providing historical and literary context. The series is beneficial for calligraphy enthusiasts to study ancient classics, for those interested in stone inscriptions and literature to cross-reference and verify, and for scholars researching Liang Ren Gong to broaden their perspectives and discover new historical facts. This volume features the "Epigraph of Dong Mei Ren's Tomb."
The "Epigraph of Dong Mei Ren's Tomb" is written in regular script, with twenty-one lines, each containing twenty-three characters. It was unearthed in Xi'an, Shaanxi, and the stone was lost in the third year of the Xianfeng era (1853 AD). The characters in this epigraph are well-preserved, with no trace of clerical script influence, indicating a highly mature regular script style. The composition is elegant and spacious, with balanced proportions. The Qing scholar Luo Zhenyu highly praised it, stating: "Regular script reached its full development during the Sui and Tang dynasties. Among the Sui Dynasty inscriptions in circulation today, the 'Epigraph of Dong Mei Ren,' 'Epigraph of Wei Shi Nu,' and 'Epigraph of Zhang Gui Nu' are particularly outstanding." This epigraph is considered a masterpiece of regular script from the Sui Dynasty.