Meng Xianda Monument

"Meng Xianda Stele", also known as "Jingzhou Governor Meng Xianda Stele", was engraved in the 20th year of Emperor Kaihuang of the Sui Dynasty (600). It was originally stored in Xiangzimiao Street, Xi'an City and was included in the Xi'an Stele Forest in 1948. When this stele was unearthed in the tomb of Tang Weixu in Liwang Village, south of Xi'an in the second year of Xuantong of the Qing Dynasty (1910), it was found that it had been processed into a stone coffin cover for use. Fortunately, the stele faces downwards, so most of the inscriptions still exist.

This stele has a dragon head and a turtle lotus seat, 250 cm high and 67 cm wide. The stele faces upwards and is carved into a roof shape. The inscription on the inscription "The Monument of General Longxiang in the Ancient Wei Dynasty to Meng Jun, the Governor of Jingzhou, the General of Longxiang in the Ancient Wei Dynasty" has 4 lines, with 5 characters per line, in seal script. The inscription has a total of 26 lines, with 49 words in regular script. The first line of Beiyang is missing 38 words and the second line is missing 2 words. Both sides of the monument are incomplete, each missing a line of words. The author of the inscription is unknown. Meng Xianda, the owner of the monument, was a general of the Northern Wei Dynasty, also known as Lingdao, and was from Wuwei. He died in May (559) of the first year of Wucheng in the Northern Zhou Dynasty, at the age of 42. He was buried on October 28, the 20th year of the Sui Kaihuang, in Changle Li, Chanzhou Township, Xing County, Yongzhou. It is not passed down in official history. The inscription records Meng Xianda's family background and military career. He mainly lived during the Northern Wei and Western Wei Dynasties. He served as the Water Cao Army, the Yulin Supervisor was awarded the title of General Ningyuan, the Gong Cao Army was awarded the title of General of Fuguo, and the Zhongsan Doctor. In the first year of the Great Tong of the Western Wei Dynasty (535), he participated in the battles of Shayuan, Heqiao, Hongnong, Doujun, Beicheng, etc., where He Basheng defeated the Hou Jing Army of the Eastern Wei Dynasty. At the time of his death, an edict was issued to him as General Longxiang and Governor of Jingzhou.

The Sui Dynasty was an important transitional period in the history of Chinese calligraphy art. On the one hand, calligraphy inherited the custom of advocating rhyme in the Jin Dynasty and inspired the style of promoting Dharma in the Tang Dynasty, laying the foundation for the great prosperity of calligraphy in the Tang Dynasty; on the other hand, the unification of the Sui Dynasty integrated the calligraphy styles of the north and south. The regular script of the Sui Dynasty has combined the simple and powerful style of the Northern Dynasty with the gentle and elegant style of the Southern Dynasty, presenting an overall liberal, elegant, vigorous and elegant style. It advocates laws in structure, and the strokes should be regular and regulated. The strokes are mainly round brushes, and the meaning of seal seals is used to refer to the method. It has gradually faded away from the simple, thick and solemn style of the North Monument, and turned to an aesthetic trend that is beautiful and beautiful---beauty is seen in the strictness, there are many changes in the rules, the charm is pure and thick, and each has a new look. However, the Sui Dynasty was short, and there were not many calligraphy works left behind for future generations.

The calligraphy of "Meng Xianda Stele" is elegant and elegant, with a graceful and round stroke, a round pen turning square, and a graceful and graceful character. It is a beautiful and elegant road. It can be compared with the "Longzang Temple Stele", known as the "No. 1 Monument of the Sui Dynasty" and can well reflect the calligraphy style of the Sui Dynasty. This stele was unearthed late and is well preserved. It has not been recorded before the Qing Dynasty, and there are very few rubbings. More than a thousand words are completed in one go, and each word is in style and vivid. The characters are flat in shape, wide and sparse, clear and upright, with a sense of elegance, elegance, elegance and strength. They can be regarded as a model of regular script and have a great influence on the calligraphy of Yu Shinan and Chu Suiliang. Among the calligraphy styles of the Sui Dynasty represented by round strokes and square turns of wind and sand,"Meng Xianda Stele" is undoubtedly a superior work. Fang Ruo's "Essays on School Monument" commented on him: "Kaiyu and Chu Xiansheng are more cautious than Longzang Temple." Wu Changshou wrote a postscript for the rubbings of the Meng Monument: "This place is written by scholar-officials of the Sui Dynasty, and the style is elegant. It is late to arrive in the book of faith and the ability to do good."

(Originally published in "Nine hundred years of vicissitudes: A picture of Xi'an Stele Forest" Northwest University Press)

Source: Xi'an Forest of Steles Museum