Chronicle of Merits for the Eight Precepts Observance Ceremony

CHINA; Tang dynasty

The calligraphy, written by Yan Zhenqing, was inscribed onto an octagonal sutra pillar, with five columns of text on each of the eight sides, and 28 characters in each column. It was damaged during the Huichang persecution of Buddhism, but it was reconstructed and inscribed again using rubbings of the original. The text describes how the inspector general of Songzhou, Xu Xiang, alongside other officials, commissioned the Eight Precepts Observance Ceremony on behalf of the military governor Tian Shengong, who had succumbed to illness. Earlier rubbings of this piece are rare, and most found are dated from the Ming dynasty (1368–1644).
Yan’s impeccable calligraphy is rounded in style with distinct and articulate brushstrokes. The Prabhutaratna Pagoda Stele at Qianfu Temple, a later work, exhibits a broad and bold style with symmetrical and stable character forms. Similarities are found in this piece, where the emphasis on brush pressure is downplayed. There is a dignified look albeit without sternness. Kang Youwei once remarked that there is a fine balance of structure and form in this piece.
Yan Zhenqing, also known as Qingchen, was a renowned Tang dynasty (618–907) calligrapher. He and Liu Gongquan are often referred to as “Yanliu.” Their calligraphic styles are described with the phrase, “Yanjin Liugu,” literally meaning, “Yan muscles and Liu bones.” Both artists imparted a deep influence on the calligraphic scripts that evolved in later periods.