Caotang Temple: Stele of Master Guifeng Zongmi

CHINA, Xi’an; Tang dynasty

This stele, located at Caotang Temple in Xi’an, includes an inscription by Pei Xiu, as well as a main caption written by Liu Gongquan. Shao Jian engraved the characters. The text has 36 lines, each of which have 65 characters. The stele erected by the disciples of Master Guifeng Zongmi, the Fifth Patriarch of the Huayan school, and includes his biography. Master Guifeng began as an Huayan school scholar, but subsequently focused on Chan meditative practices and sutra recitations. He was summoned to the palace to lecture on the sutras in 828, and was granted a purple monastic robe by the emperor. Several imperial officials, including the chancellor Pei Xiu, as well as civilians, were among his students. Master Guifeng wrote commentaries on the Avatamsaka teachings, and often invited Pei to write forewords for his publications.
Pei Xiu, also known as Gongmei, was a renowned calligrapher of the Tang dynasty (618–907). He was a prominent chancellor who was known for his righteous character deep devotion to Buddhism. He was a gifted writer, and his works are often seen on Buddhist temple stele inscriptions. This exquisite stele has a semblance to the works of Liu Gongquan, with its thin and strong characters written in center tip. Its precise composition and cautious structure are reminiscent of Ouyang Xun’s calligraphy.