Ming tuo Xia Cheng Bei

Author: Selections of Calligraphic Works from Ancient Inscriptions
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 1988-05-01
Features: The full title of the Xia Cheng Stele is "Xia Cheng Stele of Han Bei Hai Chun Yu Chang," also known as "Xia Zhong Yin Stele." It was erected in the third year of the Jianning era (○○) during the Eastern Han Dynasty. The stele was originally located in Yongnian, Hebei, but has long been lost. Most extant rubbings are of re-carved versions. The Xia Cheng Stele is renowned for its extraordinary calligraphic beauty. The Ming Dynasty scholar Wang Shizhen praised it, stating: "Its clerical script style incorporates elements of the Seal Script and Zhu Zhu script, differing slightly from the works of Zhong Yao (Cai Yong) and Liang Huo, yet it possesses an impressive spirit and dynamic energy, suggesting it could only have been created by Zhong Lang (Cai Yong)." However, some scholars argue that the stele exhibits a weak and mixed style of Seal Script, resembling the Qiqi calligraphic style, or that it may have been re-carved during the Northern Qi period. The earliest three rubbings of the Xia Cheng Stele are the "Hua Family's Zhen Xiang Zhai edition," which is missing thirty characters, later supplemented by the Qing Dynasty scholar Weng Fanggang. These are now published in facsimile to allow calligraphy enthusiasts to appreciate and study the stele.