Northern Wei Yuan Wei Tomb Inscription

Author: Compiled by the Editorial Department
Publisher:
Publishing Date: August 19, 2003
Features: During the Northern Wei period, especially after the capital was moved to Luoyang and since the Tahe era, the martial spirit gradually declined, giving way to the veneration of Confucianism. The sons of nobles became scholars and talented men, particularly Emperor Xiaowen of the Wei Dynasty, who was fond of reading and never put down his books (as recorded in The Book of Wei - High Ancestor's Chronicle). He enjoyed embellishing inscriptions on stone and metal artifacts, leading to an even more flourishing tradition of carving steles after the Eastern Han Dynasty. At that time, if a person died without a stele or biography, it was not a glorious thing for a high-ranking aristocratic family, even for a minor official. However, even a low-ranking official would have someone compose and carve a stele in his memory to record his achievements and virtues for posterity, which is why there are so many Northern Wei tomb inscriptions. As Shulin Zaojian states: [The calligraphy of the Northern Dynasties was most flourishing in Wei. With a long reign, the arts and crafts reached perfection. Further enhanced by Emperor Xiaowen's love of literature and embellishing stone and metal artifacts, the calligraphy of that time saw a mix of clerical and regular scripts, with no style being left out.] From the perspective of epigraphy, the Northern and Southern Dynasties were a crucial period in the development and evolution of Chinese characters. Especially at that time, regular script was still in its early stages of transitioning from clerical script, being immature and in a pioneering phase. The scribes of tomb inscriptions were mostly obscure individuals from lower social strata, such as subordinate historians. Unrestricted by established models or conventions, and being relatively close to ancient times, their calligraphy varied greatly in style, ranging from a mix of clerical and regular scripts with uneven formatting, to naive and ancient calligraphy with a strong sense of tradition; or sharp and angular calligraphy with a powerful and robust structure; or bold and elegant calligraphy with refined and delicate charm. The Northern Wei Yuan Wei Tomb Inscription in this volume was carved in the first year of Wutai (528). It measures 83.4 cm in height and 84 cm in width, with 33 lines and 33 characters per line. Its full name is the Northern Wei Yuan Wei Tomb Inscription of the Governor of Yongzhou and Prince of Nanping. It was unearthed in Jinjiagou, eight li north of Luoyang City in 1928 and is now housed in the Henan Provincial Museum. Due to being initially printed after excavation, the characters have not been worn down, making them clear and fresh. Moreover, the person buried was the sixth-generation descendant of Emperor Taizu of the Wei Dynasty, the stele text is lengthy, and the craftsmanship is exquisite, making it a fine example of Northern Wei tomb inscriptions. The characters are sharp and angular, the structure is unconventional, and the form is square with a large base, giving it a stable center and a dignified appearance. It is a typical Northern Wei style, making it an excellent model for beginners to study and imitate. It is now published in facsimile to delight the.