Tang and Yu Shennan's calligraphy of the Stele of Confucius' Temple Hall

Author: Selection of Calligraphic Works from Historical Stele and Inscriptions
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 1984-05-01
Features: Yu Shiren, styled Boshi, was a native of Yu Yao in Yue Prefecture (now Yuyao, Zhejiang Province), a renowned calligrapher of the Tang Dynasty. He was born in the second year of the Yongding era of the Southern Dynasties of Chen (558 AD) and died in the twelfth year of the Zhenguan era of the Tang (638 AD). During the Daye era of the Sui Dynasty, he was appointed as a secret laureate, and in the early Tang Dynasty, he served as a scholar at the Hongwen Academy. Later, he retired as an official with the title of Yinqing Guanglu Dafu. His calligraphy was taught by the Sui monk Zhiyong, with a style that was elegant and profound, deeply revered by later generations. The "Confucius Temple Hall Stele" was composed and inscribed by Yu Shiren. The original stele was erected in the early Zhenguan era of the Tang, written in regular script with thirty-five lines, each containing sixty-four characters, with the title "Confucius Temple Hall Stele" inscribed in seal script in six characters in relief. The poet Huang Tingjian of the Song Dynasty praised it in his poem: "Yu's calligraphy in the Temple Hall of Confucius, carved in the Zhenguan era, is worth a thousand taels of gold, yet unattainable." According to records, the Yang (a type of rubbing) was already rare in the Northern Song Dynasty. Currently, the earliest known rubbing is the one collected by Li Zonghan of the Qing Dynasty, known as one of the "Four Treasures of Linchuan," and the original rubbing was later lost to Japan. This stele exists in several versions, the main ones being the Xi'an version in Shaanxi and the Chengwu version in Shandong. Li Zonghan's collected Tang rubbing also shows signs of (imitation and supplementation) in many places. This volume is a reprint of the Tang rubbing collected by Li Zonghan, published by Shanghai Yozheng Book Bureau, providing a reference for calligraphy enthusiasts to study and practice.