Tang Yan Zhenqing's calligraphy of Yan Jiamao Stele

Author: Editorial Board of Selected Calligraphic Works from Ancient Stele Collections
Publisher:
Publish Date: August 1, 1995
Features: Yan Shi Jia Miao Bei (The Stele of Yan Shi's Family Temple) was carved and inscribed by Yan Zhenqing for his father, Yan Zheng, in the first year of the Jianzhong era (AD 780) when he was 72 years old. The stele stands 338.1 cm tall and 1760 cm wide, with 24 lines, each containing 47 characters. The side of the stele is 40 cm wide, with 6 lines each containing 52 characters. The title was inscribed in seal script by Li Yangbing. The original stele is now housed in the Stele Forest Museum in Xi'an. The Ink Pool Chronicle describes the calligraphic style of this stele as "solemn and substantial." The original lithographic reproduction was based on a Song Dynasty rubbing from Zhang Wei's collection, considered one of the finest complete rubbings from the Song Dynasty. The rubbing is preserved in the Palace Museum, while the entire rubbing is kept in the Beijing Library. To maintain the original appearance of the characters, each line of the original rubbing originally contained seven characters, but it was cut and mounted to display five characters per line for the current lithographic publication, providing a reference for calligraphy enthusiasts to study and practice.