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Room II mainly keeps tablets of calligraphy inscribed by many
famous calligraphers of the Tang Dynasty. These tablets have served
as models for calligraphy students. There are "Huang Pudan
Tablet inscribed by Ou Yangxun, the early Tang calligrapher;
"Master Daoyin Tablet" inscribed by Ou Yangtong, Ou Yangxun's
son; "Duobao Pagoda Tablet" and "The Yan's Family Temple
Tablet" inscribed by Yah Zhenqing; "Mysterious Pagoda Tablet"
inscribed by Liu Gongquan in the late Tang Dynasty; "the Tablet
of Forward to the Sacred Teaching of Monk Xuan Zang" inscribed
by Monk Huai Ren in Chang'an's Hongfu Temple in the handwrit-
ing of Wang Xizhi, the great calligrapher (This tablet is known as
the "most valuable copybook ". ); and the world famous tablet
"Nestorian Tablet".
The Nestorian Tablet provides precious data for the study of
the cultural exchanges between the Tang Dynasty and other coun-
tries. "Da Qin" is an ancient Chinese term for the Roman Empire.
Nestorianism is a sect of Christianity. It was so named after it was
introduced into China. In 635 A. D. it was then introduced into
Chang'an. The tablet was engraved and erected in 781 A. D.. The
inscription states 'the doctrine and rites of Nestorianism, its spread-
ing in China and its activities in a period of 150 years in the Tang
Dynasty. What is more, there are names of many missionaries and
important incidents inscribed on the tablet in the Syriac languange.
The Nestorian Tablet was originally erected in the Da Qin
Temple. It was unearthed in 1623 A. D. and then moved to the Jin
Sheng Temple in the western suburbs of Xi'an. Later on rubings of
the tablet flew overseas and were translated into Latin, which
arouse attention of many countries. Some foreigners believed that
since Europe had many Christians, such a tablet recording Nestori-
anism should be shifted to Europe for people to show respects. So in
1907, Britain sent Holmore, a Danish man, to Xi'an in an attempt
to buy the tablet at a cost of 3,000 tael of silver. When the inspec-
tor in Shaanxi got the news,he immediately moved the tablet into
the Stone Forest. Holmore could not do anything but made a false
tablet and shipped it back to London.
Forest of Stone Tablets in Xi'an
The First Display Room
The Third Display Room
The Fourth & Fifth Display Room
The Sixth Display Room
Stone Sculpture |
