Liji Beibei

Author: Lin Xingbang
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2001-12-01
Features: Square and Solid, the Beauty of Ancestral Temples
This set of books selects classic works of clerical script, including the Liji Beibei (Ritual Objects Stele), Caoquan Beibei (Cao Quan Stele), Yingying Beibei (Yingying Stele), Hengfang Beibei (Hengfang Stele), Shimen Song (Shimen Inscription), and Shichen Front and Rear Steles (Shichen Stele). These are highly praised by later calligraphers and even revered as the authentic king of clerical script in the "Eight Great Books of Calligraphy." When learning clerical script, it is essential to understand the characteristics and historical background of each stele. When practicing, one can achieve effortless control, with vertical views of clerical script displaying squareness, severity, elegance, and fluency. It is rich in both the extraordinary and the ordinary, embodying refinement within strictness, and maintaining endless variations within boundaries, allowing for the expression of unique personality and force.
Since this set is designed for beginners, the content is carefully arranged to gather relevant materials, helping beginners understand the history of the steles and the techniques of calligraphy. The explanations are concise and clear, guiding beginners to practice steadily and accurately. This enables beginners to master basic strokes, radicals, shaping methods, the external appearance of characters, and their inner essence.
Han Dynasty Clerical Script. The full name is Lu Xiang Han Chao Zao Kongmiao Liji Beibei (Lu Xiang Han Chao's Construction of the Confucius Temple Ritual Objects Stele), also known as the Han Chao Stele. It was carved in the second year of Yongshou (156 AD) and is located in the Confucius Temple in Qufu. The characters are well-executed, square and vertical, with uniform size and proportion. The left and right sides are well-structured, and the rules are strict. The strokes are lean yet strong, with rich variations in weight. The feet of the rightward strokes are particularly thick, and the sharp tips are clearly visible, showcasing the typical thickness of Han clerical script. The swallowtail strokes are exceptionally brilliant. The calligraphic style is calm, solemn, elegant, and graceful. Wang Fanggang praised it as the foremost among Han clerical scripts. This stele had a significant influence on the formation of Tang Dynasty regular script.