Liu Gongquan's calligraphy of the Divine Strategy Army Stele

Author: Ji Lin
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-01-01
Features: Liu Gongquan (), styled Chengxuan, was a native of Huayuan in Jingzhao (now Yaoyuan in Shaanxi Province). He held the position of Taishi of the Heir Apparent and was widely known as [Liu Shaoshi]. Initially, he studied under Wang Xizhi and meticulously researched the calligraphy styles of Ouyang Xun and Yan Zhenqing, eventually developing his own unique style. Liu's characters are not as robust as Yan's, with generally even and slender strokes, incorporating the sharp and angular features of Northern Stele calligraphy. His strokes are sharp and deep, resembling knife-cut lines. In terms of structure, he drew inspiration from the compactness of Yu and Ouyang, as well as the verticality of Yan Zhenqing's calligraphy, creating a style that is both vigorous and elegant, distinctive and unparalleled—the Liu style. Later generations often compared his calligraphy to Yan Zhenqing's, referring to it as [Yan's sinew and Liu's bone]. Many calligraphers in later dynasties used Liu's style as a model.
The Shen Ce Jun Bei (《》), fully titled Record of the Emperor's Inspection of the Left Shen Ce Army Commemorating His Holy Deeds, was written by Cui Xuan and inscribed in Liu Gongquan's regular script. It was erected in 843 AD, but the original stele has long been lost. It was composed when Liu was 68 years old and records the emperor Wu Zong Li Yan's inspection of the Left Shen Ce Army. It is one of Liu Gongquan's most representative works in regular script. Compared to the more widely known Xuan Mi Ta, this stele exhibits a more mature and distinctive calligraphic style. The structure and layout are balanced and well-organized, retaining the traditional left-tight-right-relaxed composition. The brushwork combines both round and square strokes, executed with ease. The strokes are thick and sturdy, steady and profound, with a majestic and powerful, embodying the artistic characteristics of the Liu style—substantial yet expansive.
The original stele was erected in the imperial palace's restricted area, making it difficult to carve or copy, resulting in very few rubbings being passed down. No physical examples of rubbings from before the Tang Dynasty remain, as the original stone has long disappeared. Today, only one (Song Dynasty rubbing) exists worldwide, known as the Song Rubbing Isolate. It bears seals of collectors such as Jia Sixi of the Southern Song Dynasty, the Hanlin Academy of the Yuan Dynasty, and Prince Jin Zhu Gang of the Ming Dynasty. In the Qing Dynasty, it passed through the hands of collectors like Sun Chengze and Anqi. This rubbing was once in Hong Kong before being acquired by Zhou Enlai, the Premier of the People's Republic of China, in 1965 for a significant sum. It was then preserved in the National Library of China in Beijing. Due to its rare cultural and artistic value, the National Library regards it as a treasured gem.