Records of Miaoyan Temple

CHINA; Yuan dynasty

This inscription consists of 89 lines and was written by Zhao Mengfu at either 56 or 57 years old. Originally known as Dongji Temple, the temple was renamed Miaoyan by Master Yanxi Huangwen during the Song dynasty (960–1279). The inscription narrates the historical transformation of the temple through its renovations and expansions between the Song and Yuan (1271–1368) dynasties. It also mentions an especially beautiful landscape that once existed on the temple grounds; a portrayal that conveyed the idea of the “wondrous subtlety that exists in the mind of the Buddha,” a concept summarized by the name “Miaoyan.”
This inscription is executed in regular script with solid brushstrokes that occasionally create implicit links, evocative of running script works by Li Yong of the Tang dynasty (618–907). Compared to Zhao’s earlier piece, Records of the Rebuilding of Xuanmiao Temple Main Gate, strokes here appear more stretched and extended.
Zhao Mengfu was a renowned Yuan dynasty calligrapher, painter, literary scholar, and poet from Huzhou (present day Zhejiang). His many inscription works were representative of his signature style known as Zhao script, which feature embellished and forceful brushstrokes.