Taejasa Temple: Stele of Master Nanggong in Kim Saeng’s Calligraphy

SOUTH KOREA, North Gyeongsang, Bonghwa; Goryeo dynasty

This stele, originally located at Taejasa Temple in Bonghwa, North Gyeongsang, records the life of National Master Nanggong, a monk whose many accomplishments include his travels to China during the Unified Silla dynasty (668–935). The beginning of the inscription includes a notation that clearly indicates the usage of the renowned Korean calligrapher Kim Saeng’s calligraphy for engraving the stele.
Regarded as the Sage of Calligraphy in Korea, similarities in style to that of Wang Xizhi, the Chinese Sage of Calligraphy, can be observed in the calligraphic works of Kim Saeng. Further comparisons have been made between this particular work and monk Huairen’s Preface to Sagely Teachings in Wang Xizhi’s Calligraphy. Characters on this stele include a variety of line thicknesses and spacing, resulting in a bold, refined piece that, despite its compacted composition, is considered a masterpiece of Korean calligraphy.