Inscription of Imperial Teacher Dampa

CHINA; Yuan dynasty

This inscription, consisting of 131 lines, with a total of 923 characters, was written by Zhao Mengfu under imperial order at the age of 63. Dampa was a distinguished monk who was known for his servitude to the Yuan dynasty (1271–1368) imperial order. He was bestowed the title Imperial Teacher in 1270 by Emperor Kublai Khan (reigned 1260–1294), and was later conferred the posthumous title of Supreme Imperial Teacher of Great Enlightenment, Universal Benevolence, and Vast Illumination. The inscription records the biography of Dampa, with an emphasis on his interactions with the Yuan royalties and his imperial accolades.
Zhao Mengfu was a renowned calligrapher, painter, scholar, and poet of the Yuan dynasty. He was famous for his aptitude in running and cursive scripts. Zhao’s early calligraphy was heavily influenced by the stele inscriptions of Li Yong, and often emulated his solid brushstrokes, but with more angularity and rigidity. Later, his works took on a more relaxed and varied style as can be seen in Records of Miaoyan Temple. Considered one of his masterpieces, this particular inscription is one of Zhao’s later works; its composition in regular script, shorn of the rigidity from his earlier days, is uninhibited and natural, exhibiting his matured and dignified style.