Epigraphy refers to a type of archeology in ancient Chinese traditional culture. Its main research objects are bronzes and steles from previous dynasties, especially the inscriptions and rubbings; in a broad sense, it also includes bamboo slips. , oracle bones, jade, bricks and tiles, sealing mud, military amulets, bright vessels and other general cultural relics.
Liu Heng's "History of Chinese Calligraphy" said: "Tie Xue" refers to the historical view and aesthetics of calligraphy formed since the Song Dynasty and advocating the calligraphy styles of Wang Xizhi, Wang Xianzhi and other masters of the Tang and Song Dynasties who belong to the "Two Kings" system. Theory and the creative trend based on the ink and calligraphy of famous artists since the Jin and Tang Dynasties. Since this trend was stimulated and influenced by a large number of engraved stickers such as "Chunhua Pavilion Tie" that appeared in the Song Dynasty, it is called "Tie Xue". "Steleology" refers to the historical view of calligraphy and aesthetic ideas that attach importance to the stone inscriptions of the Han, Wei, Southern and Northern Dynasties, and the creative style that mainly takes the stele tablets as the object of reference.
Before modern archeology was introduced to China, the main research objects were ancient bronze vessels and stone carvings. Inscription science, which is similar to Europe, is regarded as the predecessor of Chinese archeology. The research objects are scattered unearthed cultural relics or handed down from ancient times, which have not been scientifically excavated; it focuses on the recording and textual research of inscriptions, with the purpose of verifying the classics and supplementing history. It was formed in the Northern Song Dynasty and was officially named "The Study of Epigraphy" in the Qing Dynasty.
Epigraphy from the Northern Song Dynasty to the Yuan and Ming Dynasties Since the Western Han Dynasty, some people have studied ancient characters, examined ancient bronzes, compiled bamboo slips, and recorded historical sites. However, there are few researchers, no monographs have been published, and it has not formed a discipline. The rulers of the Northern Song Dynasty rewarded the study of classics and advocated the restoration of etiquette. There was an upsurge in the collection, arrangement and research of antiquities. The development of ink rubbing and printing provided conditions for the spread of epigraphic inscriptions. Epigraphy gradually emerged. Liu Chang, who lived during the reign of Emperor Renzong of the Song Dynasty, carved the "Pre-Qin Ancient Artifact Picture Stele" (lost) and made pioneering contributions to the study of epigraphy. Lu Dalin wrote "Archaeological Map" and made many achievements in the style of compiling ancient artifacts. This book is the earliest catalog of ancient artifacts that has been handed down to this day. Later, there were books on bronzes such as "Xuanhe Bogu Tu", "Styles of Bells, Tripods and Yi Wares of the Past Dynasties", and stone carvings such as "Collection of Ancient Records", Zhao Mingcheng's (Li Qingzhao's husband) "Gold and Stone Records" and "Li Shi". , epigraphic research has been quite prosperous. During the Yuan and Ming Dynasties, there were few achievements in epigraphy. "Heshuo's Visit to Ancient Records" and "Ancient Jade Pictures" are representative works. There is also "Gegu Yao Lun", which is an early Chinese cultural relic appreciation book.
Epigraphy became an independent discipline in the Song Dynasty, and a number of epigraphers and monographs appeared that had a profound influence on later studies. Many famous scholars in the world devoted themselves to it, and Zhao Mingcheng was an outstanding representative among them. He spent twenty years collecting two thousand volumes of epigraphy and stone inscriptions, and compiled them into "Epigraphy and Stone Records", a masterpiece of epigraphy in the Song Dynasty, with thirty volumes. By describing Zhao's life and the collection and arrangement of epigraphy and stone inscriptions, he The process of writing the book "Records on Gold and Stone" is an attempt to fully explain the status of "Records on Gold and Stone" in the field of epigraphy collection and its inherent historical value.
"Records on Gold and Stone" is a masterpiece that has been devoted to the lifelong efforts of Zhao Mingcheng and Li Qingzhao. It records 2,000 kinds of rubbings from the Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties to the Sui, Tang, and Five dynasties collected by them, in 10 volumes of catalogues, 20 volumes of dialectics, and 102 postscripts. Because Zhao Mingcheng himself had written the preface to the book during his lifetime and listed it at the beginning of the book, Li Qingzhao also wrote this "preface" and attached it to the back of the book, so it is called the "post preface". "Records of Epigraphy and Stone" is an academic work on the collection and arrangement of epigraphy and stone by Li Qingzhao's late husband Zhao Mingcheng. When Li Qingzhao wrote the preface to it, his husband had been dead for six years, and his personal life had gone through many twists and turns. Therefore, he had mixed feelings and couldn't help himself, so he wrote this famous "Preface to the Records of Inscriptions and Stones".
Li Qingzhao's "Preface to the Records of the Inscriptions and Stones" is an essay that introduces the couple's collection and arrangement of epigraphic cultural relics, the content and writing process of the "Records of the Inscriptions and Stones", and recalls the thirty-four years after their marriage. The worry about gains and losses is tactful, detailed, and the language is concise and smooth. This is a masterpiece with fresh style and elegant words. Its main feature lies in the word "true". Li Qingzhao poured her sincere and deep feelings for her husband Zhao Mingcheng into flowing writing, which is moving and moving. She narrates her own experiences and heartfelt songs accurately, making readers happy with her joy, sad with her sorrow, fascinated and sad.