Pei Cen Monument

Author: Ji Yaping (Compiler)
Publisher:
Publishing 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 calligraphy and stone inscriptions once owned by Liang Qichao. The collection features famous steles and inscriptions created by Liang Qichao, with meticulously executed rubbings, primarily from Ming or Qing Dynasty (Qianlong and Jiaqing reigns) editions. It also includes Liang Rengong's own inscriptions, providing historical and literary context. This collection is beneficial for calligraphy enthusiasts to study ancient classics, for those interested in stone inscriptions and documents to cross-reference and verify, and for scholars researching Liang Rengong to broaden their perspectives and discover new historical facts. This particular volume is the "Pei Cen Inscription."
The full title of the "Pei Cen Inscription" is the "Inscription of Pei Cen, Administrator of Dunhuang." It is an Eastern Han Dynasty stele in clerical script, erected in the second year of the Yonghe era (86 AD) in Balinkun. The "Compendium of Stone Inscriptions" records: the stele is 42 inches tall and 18 inches wide, with six lines of text, each containing ten characters. The clerical script is simple, vigorous, and incorporates elements of seal script. It is one of the renowned Han Dynasty steles. Authentic copies are rare, while rubbings include the Liu edition, Gu edition, and Shen edition. The Qing Dynasty scholar Weng Fanggang remarked: "In authentic copies, the character 'kǒu' is square with rounded edges; if it appears as a perfect circle, the copy is a forgery."