Huishan Temple: Stele of Master Dao’an

CHINA, Henan, Zhengzhou; Tang dynasty

This stele, located at Huishan Temple on Songshan in Zhengzhou, comprises 28 lines of characters that were both composed and written by Song Dan. An original inscription by Li Gao read “Late Chan Master Dao’an of Songshan of the Tang Empire” was worn away over time. A stroke of lightning during the Wanli period (1573–1620) of the Ming dynasty is said to have split the stele into two, embedding the lower section into the wall of Huishan Temple and rendering many of the characters indecipherable.
Chan Master Dao’an was a disciple of Master Hongren, the Fifth Patriarch of the Chan school, and studied under Chan Master Shenxiu according to the inscription. It is said that he rejected high-ranking positions in the imperial court in favor of monastic life.
Song Dan, also known as Cangzhu, was a calligrapher who was known for his works in regular, clerical, running, and cursive scripts. His engravings in running script greatly influenced the works of Emperor Taizong (reigned 626–649) and Li Yong, another calligrapher of the Tang dynasty. The unique calligraphy of this stele is characterized by a flowing rhythm, flexible spacing, and vibrant characters rendered with a precipitous slant. Huang Tingjian commented in a postscript that Song’s refreshing and unique calligraphic style would be ideal for handwritten notes, but lamented that it is rarely seen, emphasizing the rarity of this work.