Sui Dong Beauty's Tomb Inscription

Author: Editorial Group of Selected Calligraphic Works from Ancient Stele Collections
Publisher:
Publish Date: 1984-05-01
Features: Carved alongside the Stele of Dong Beauty, it was created in the 17th year of the Kaihuang era of the Sui Dynasty (596 AD), with the text composed by Prince Shu Yang Xiu. The calligraphy comprises 21 lines, with 23 characters per line. The original stone was unearthed in Xingping County, Shaanxi, during the Jiaqing era of the Qing Dynasty and was destroyed in the turmoil of the third year of the Xianfeng era (1853 AD). The rubbing copies are extremely rare. The stele exhibits dignified, sturdy, and elegant calligraphy, with clear, bright, and well-structured characters. It is considered a fine example among Sui Dynasty stele inscriptions. Zhao Wanli praised its calligraphy, saying, "The characters are steady, refined, and graceful, ranking alongside the Stele of the Year and the Stele of Ji Family as the finest Sui steles from Guanzhong." Some renowned calligraphers of the early Tang Dynasty (such as Ouyang Xun and Yu Shiren) drew inspiration from the style of Sui Dynasty steles. Since the mid-Qing Dynasty, it has been highly cherished by calligraphy enthusiasts as one of the model texts for studying regular script.