Ningchan Temple: Stele

CHINA, Hebei, Yuanshi; Eastern Wei dynasty

This stele, known in full as the Stele of Ningchan Temple Three-Story Pagoda, was erected at the former site of Ningchan Temple in Yuanshi, Hebei. It was carved in two registers. The upper register consists of 34 lines with 35 characters each, and the lower register is comprised of 13 rows, totaling 39 lines. The stele header is inscribed with the ten-character title as above. Erected for posterity, it records the effort of Zhao Rong, a Buddhist lay disciple of the temple, who led over 2,000 people including villagers, monastics, and lay followers in the construction of the three-story pagoda.
Each character is inscribed in regular script and appears tall in structure, with the dots and strokes mostly extended. Bold brush lines were employed, which gives a robust appearance. This dominant style is often seen in stone inscriptions and epitaphs during this time, and forms one source of influence for subsequent Northern Wei steles. The inscription is unique, however, in that the characters were meticulously structured and are more refined in comparison to the Tang regular script. This work is considered remarkable for its sophistication and intricacy of character form, apart from its compelling ambiance.