Rubbings of the Li Ssu-hsun

This album of rubbings was made during the thirteenth century from a stone tablet engraved in 720 by Li Yung, one of the most popular Tang dynasty calligraphers. The running script (hsing-shu) text is taken from the memorial tablet of the famous general Li Ssu-shun. Li Yung specialized in memorial engraving, completing more than 800 in his lifetime and amassing a small fortune in the process. The earlier calligraphies of the great Wang Hsi-chih (4th century) served as the main source for his style which, in turn, influenced Mi Fu (11th century) and ultimately the great Ming literatus, Tung Ch'i-ch'ang. Scholars often assembled and studied rubbings taken from historic engravings. Volumes such as this were highly valued collector items and served as important source books for later calligraphers. The album contains five colophons, including two from the collector Chang T'ing-chi (1768-1848) and one each from Yang Shou-ching (1839-1914) and Ch'ien Pen-ch'eng (1730-1821).