The sacred preface of Yanta is written in running script.
The sacred preface is written in running script. "The Preface to the Holy Teachings of the Tripitaka of the Tang Dynasty" is referred to as "The Preface to the Holy Teachings" and was written by Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty. It was first written by Chu Suiliang, one of the four great calligraphers in the early Tang Dynasty, and was called "The Preface to the Holy Religion of the Wild Goose Pagoda". Later, Shamen Huairen collected the calligraphy from Wang Xizhi's calligraphy and carved it into an inscription, which was called "Tang Collection of Youjun Sheng". "Teaching Preface and Notes", or "Huairen Ji Wang Xizhi's Preface to the Holy Teaching".
Because there are seven Buddha statues engraved across the head of the stele, it is also called "The Preface to the Sacred Teachings of Seven Buddhas". The stele of the Preface to the Holy Religion of the King of Ji was erected in the third year of Xianheng of the Tang Dynasty (672 AD). The stele is 350 meters high, 108 meters wide and 28 centimeters thick. The inscription contains thirty lines, ranging from eighty-three to eighty-eight characters.
"The Preface to the Holy Religion of the Wild Goose Pagoda" is also known as the "Preface to the Holy Religion of Ci'en Temple". It is a famous stele work in the history of calligraphy and a representative regular script work of Chu Suiliang in the Tang Dynasty. In the fourth year of Yonghui reign of Emperor Gaozong of the Tang Dynasty (AD 653), two stone tablets were set up in two brick niches on both sides of the south gate of the Big Wild Goose Pagoda. The foreheads and writing directions of the two tablets are symmetrical to each other. The monument contains 1,463 words.
The upper stele is a preface stele, the full name of which is "The Preface to the Holy Religion of the Tripitaka of the Tang Dynasty". It is located in the brick niche on the west side of the gate on the south side of the bottom floor of the pagoda. It was written by Li Shimin, Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty. The stele has 21 lines and 42 words in each line, starting from the right. The left side is inscribed with inscriptions; the lower stele is a preface stele, whose full name is "The Emperor of the Tang Dynasty's Preface to the Tripitaka Sacred Religion". It is located in the brick niche on the east side of the gate on the south side of the bottom floor of the pagoda. It was written by Li Zhi, Emperor Gaozong of the Tang Dynasty. The stele has 20 lines and 40 characters. Write from left to right.