Statue Stele of Nanliangshe

Statue Stele of Nanliangshe

The Statue Stele of Nanliangshe is a cultural relic protection unit of Hebei Province.

The Northern Wei Dynasty Gabled-Roofed Cape Statue Stele of Nanliangshe, located in Nanliangshe, Xingtai County, Xingtai City, was built during the Northern Wei period. It stands 1.75 meters tall, 0.9 meters wide, and 0.24 meters thick, featuring 33 carved figures. In 1982, it was designated as a key cultural relic protection unit of Hebei Province by the provincial government.

The front of the stele features a two-tiered group of statues centered around a pavilion, with a total of 33 Buddhist and divine figures carved on the body of the stele. All the statues display distinct postures and expressions, including seated figures, those in greeting, chanting scriptures, in leisure, and flying apsaras, among others. The carving techniques include three-dimensional forms, relief carvings, and line drawings, showcasing exquisite, delicate, and rich sculptural artistry.

The middle and lower parts of the reverse side of the stele feature an inscription in the style of Wei steles, consisting of approximately four to five hundred characters. Due to significant erosion, much of the text is illegible, but some characters remain clear. Among them are phrases such as: “The great-grandson of the former Minister of Rites of Yangzhou (Envoy)… only that… Tanhe… the upper lineage… flourishing and grand, spanning the State of Zhao, with a gentle and dispersed nature, profound insight… bright, embracing waters of wisdom to cleanse the heart, wearing the winds of compassion to cleanse the thoughts. Knowing the Way is not common, cutting off reason must… … establish the meditation chamber of Jiajian, and also lead a hundred… people to create one stone statue… …”. The statues reflect the social trend of revering Buddhism and performing meritorious deeds during the Northern Dynasties.

The person who erected the stele was the eminent monk Tanhe of the Northern Wei period (from the “Tan” lineage, of the same generation as the then Buddhist leader Tan Yao, who oversaw the carving of the grottoes at Wuzhou Mountain in Datong). It was created after Emperor Wencheng of the Northern Wei revived Buddhism. According to the inscription, Tanhe’s sixth-generation paternal ancestor served as the Minister of Rites and Governor of Yangzhou during the Western Jin Dynasty. His family had been officials for generations and was a prominent household residing in the Xing region of the State of Zhao. Tanhe was born with a “gentle and dispersed nature, profound insight… bright, embracing waters of wisdom to cleanse the heart, wearing the winds of compassion to cleanse the thoughts.” He devoutly revered Buddhism, built a meditation chamber, and led others in creating the stone Buddha statue.

Below the main body of the inscription, there is a list of benefactors who contributed to the creation of the stone statue, with the monk Tanhe ranked first. The calligraphy of the inscription recording the creation of the statue is vigorous, simple, and profound, yet also features striking and dynamic variations, representing a typical and mature form of Wei stele script.

Further Reading:

· Second Batch of Key Cultural Relic Protection Units of Hebei Province