Asianart.com | Associations | Articles | Exhibitions | Galleries

Hi,
Can you help me to identify this old book (date, subject, editor...) ? I think it's chinese.
Many thanks in any advance for your help.
best regards.
Frédéric S.

Title,
初拓鄭文公碑　-　 Primary Rubbing of Zhong Wengong's Tablets
Colophon,
有正書局　-　Youzhengshu-ju (Publisher)
Oct. 1917 - (Date of Publication)
Shanghai, Peking (Place of Publication)

The Zheng Wengong tablets (monuments) are one of the most famous calligraphic art works of the Northern Wei Dynasty. They were engraved in 511
in a cliff in the Tianzhu Mountain, Pingdu County, Shandong Province. During the centuries
lot of rubbings have been made from the tablets. The "primary" in title could mean only
fresh or new rubbings.

With regards,
I.Nagy

The booklet is dated 1917, and reproduces a rubbing dating from a Northern Wei (386-534 AD) stone carved with calligraphy by Zheng Daozhao, the stone now commonly called Zheng Wen Gong bei 郑文公碑. The title of your book is "First Rubbing of the Zheng Wen Gong Stele" 初拓郑文公碑. The publication data gives only the studio name of the collection the rubbing is in, but the publisher is Youzheng Shuju 有正书局. The frontispiece you have placed just to the left of the cover is dated to the Tongzhi reign (mid 19th c) and probably is someone who owned the rubbing or was asked by the owner to write it out. The photo in the bottom middle of your montage is a colophon to the rubbing singing its praises. I can't tell who wrote it or when, but likely also mid 19th c. I'm not sure where on the stone the text shown at the bottom right is located. Online are multiple images of the source stone, rubbings, and copies of its calligraphy, just type this into google and search through the images: 郑文公碑

Hi,
Thank you very much I. Nagy and rat Tue for your attention. I'am completely satisfied with your answers.
Best regards,
Frédéric S.

Asianart.com | Associations | Articles | Exhibitions | Galleries |