The Mu Liang Epitaph

The Mu Liang Epitaph was carved in the third year of the Jingming reign of Emperor Xuanwu of the Northern Wei dynasty (502 CE). It was unearthed in 1925 at Xishan, northeast of Luoyang in Henan. Its calligraphy has a rigorous structure, handsome and upright energy, and a strong, weighty presence. The edges are distinct without being sharp, and the strokes are full while retaining inner strength. It represents the heavy and expansive style of early Northern Wei epitaph calligraphy, and its style is relatively close to the famous Wei stele The Zhang Menglong Stele. The inscription records that Mu Liang was the son of the Second Princess of Changle of Northern Wei. He campaigned in Hexi, defeated Tuyuhun, subdued Liyang, guarded the Luoyang capital region, and achieved distinguished political accomplishments.《穆亮墓志》刻于北魏宣武帝景明三年（公元502年），1925年在河南洛阳城东北西山出土，书法结构严谨，俊美挺劲，遒茂沉厚，棱角分明而不锋利，笔画丰腴而筋骨内含，是北魏墓志前期厚重盛大书风的一种表现，风格与著名魏碑《张猛龙碑》较为接近。内容表述穆亮是北魏长乐二公主之子，曾征治河西，击败吐谷浑，讨收醴阳，镇守洛都，政绩彪炳。

Northern and Southern Dynasties

The Zhang Heinu Epitaph

The Zhang Heinu Epitaph, fully titled Epitaph of the Late Zhang Xuan, Governor of Nanyang of Wei, is also known as the Zhang Xuan Epitaph. It was carved in the tenth month of the first year of the Putai reign of Emperor Jiemin of the Northern Wei dynasty (531 CE). Its place of excavation is unknown, and the original stone has long been lost. The surviving version is a rubbing formerly collected by He Zizhen of the Qing dynasty. The epitaph is written in regular script, with twenty lines and twenty characters per line, totaling 367 characters. Its writing and carving are both refined, with precise strokes, mainly angular brushwork combined with rounded turns, giving the work a gentle and elegant quality. The characters are slightly flattened, dignified and compact in structure, sharp yet steady, preserving elegance within unusual movement and richness within open spacing.《张黑女墓志》全称魏故南阳太守张玄墓志，又称张玄墓志。此碑刻于北魏节闵帝普泰元年（公元531年）十月，出土地无考，原石早已亡佚，现存者乃清何子贞旧藏之拓本。此墓志楷书文体，共二十行，每行二十字，计三百六十七字。此志文法精美，文写镌刻皆为高手，可谓字字珠玑，行行玉润，点画精到，以方笔为主，兼以圆转，给人以温雅之感。结字微扁，体势端庄而紧密，峻利而沉着，于奇宕中不失雅正，疏朗中不失茂密。

The Zhang Menglong Stele

The Zhang Menglong Stele, fully titled Stele of Praise for Lord Zhang, Governor of Lu Commandery of Wei, is written in regular script with twenty-six lines and forty-six characters per line. It is one of the fine later works of Wei stele calligraphy. The stele was erected in the third year of the Zhengguang reign of Emperor Xiaoming of the Northern Wei dynasty (522 CE), and is now located in the Confucius Temple in Qufu, Shandong. The inscription records and praises the achievements of Zhang Menglong, Governor of Lu Commandery, in establishing schools. Earlier critics said that its calligraphy opened the gateway to Ouyang Xun and Yu Shinan, and it has been highly esteemed by renowned calligraphers through the ages.

The Yuan Zhen Epitaph

The Yuan Zhen Epitaph was carved in the twentieth year of the Taihe reign of Emperor Xiaowen of Wei, in the eleventh month of 496 CE. Each line contains eighteen characters, with seventeen lines in total. It was unearthed in 1926 at Gaogou Village, northwest of Luoyang, and is now preserved in the Xi'an Beilin Museum. The size of the strokes varies naturally according to the number of strokes in each character, creating a harmonious and balanced effect. The structure of individual characters expands and contracts appropriately, with careful spacing and mutual accommodation. The forms are gathered inward yet open outward, giving a sense of ease and generosity. The brushwork is primarily square, while also incorporating rounded strokes. Its movements of lifting, pressing, pausing, and turning are clearly defined. Many strokes contain three turns within a single line, with both downward and upward tendencies, producing the effect of a light entry and a heavy finish. Among the many Northern Wei epitaphs, this stone may be regarded as an outstanding work.

The Yi He Ming (excerpt)

The Yi He Ming was originally carved on a cliff face at the western foot of Jiaoshan in Zhenjiang, a place long known as a “mountain of calligraphy.” It later collapsed into the Yangtze River after being struck by lightning. During the Chunxi period of the Southern Song dynasty, it first emerged from the water and was recovered and re-erected at its original site, but several decades later it fell into the river again. It was not retrieved until the fifty-second year of the Kangxi reign in the Qing dynasty (1713 CE). More than ninety characters survived, and the inscription was later moved to Guanyin Nunnery on Jiaoshan. Its calligraphy is broad and spacious, with traces of ancient clerical script. Although the strokes and edges are weathered, its brilliance remains clear. The writing is crisp in movement and expansive in spirit, with brushwork subtly connected to seal-script structure. Its lines are strong, weighty, and filled with a deep rhythmic quality.

Longmen Sculptural Inscriptions

Longmen Sculptural Inscriptions refers to selected Northern Wei-period inscriptions from the Longmen Grottoes in Luoyang. There are twenty inscriptions in total, known as the “Twenty Longmen Inscriptions”, and they are representative works of Wei stele calligraphy. Their style is strong, square, vigorous, and full of variation, offering a vivid view of Northern Wei calligraphic style. As refined examples of Northern Wei calligraphic art and representative works of the Wei stele style, they have long been highly valued. The Twenty Longmen Inscriptions inherited traditions from the Han and Jin dynasties and helped shape the calligraphy of the Sui and Tang dynasties. They became an important stage in the history of Chinese calligraphy, forming a distinctive artistic expression with clear period character and aesthetic force. In the Qing dynasty, Kang Youwei and others strongly advocated the study of Northern steles, a view that deeply influenced the literary and artistic world and pushed the study of Wei stele calligraphy to a new height.