Collect Zhang Qian Stele couplets

Author: Yu Feng
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-11-01
Features: Beginners in calligraphy must start by copying ancient steles and tablets, striving for strokes, structures, and styles that closely resemble the originals. Once proficient in copying, they often wish to create their own works, but this creative enthusiasm usually ends in failure. The transition from copying to creation is not an easy step—some may never cross it, or if they do, they may stray off course. Selecting characters from the copied steles to form works is an excellent method, yet the text in the works may not all be found in the copied steles. Even if found, piecing them together may not achieve coherence in terms of size, weight, inclination, and balance. For this reason, we decided to invite experienced calligraphers to edit and publish a series of couplets and poetry scrolls composed of characters selected from famous steles and tablets throughout history, using computer image processing technology to strive for the most perfect presentation to readers.
The full title of The Zhang Qian Stele is The Eulogy for Zhang Jun, the Former Administrator of Gucheng County and Dangyin Commandery, also known as The Zhang Qian Eulogy. It was erected in the third year of the Zhongping era during the Eastern Han Dynasty and unearthed during the Ming Dynasty. The original stone was originally placed in Dongping County, Shandong Province. Today, it is stored in the Tai Temple in Tai'an, Shandong Province. The stele features square brushwork as its primary style, with a leaning yet balanced structure. It exudes simplicity and elegance, combining dignity with variation. The Ming Dynasty scholar Wang Shizhen praised it as "elegant and full of ancient charm," making it one of the renowned models for learning clerical script. This book utilizes computer technology to meticulously restore the damaged parts of the original stele, preserving its original spirit and rustic beauty while making it easier for readers to copy. The couplets are designed to be appreciated by both the refined and the common, while strictly adhering to traditional norms.