Statue Stele of Ma Junqi

Statue Stele of Ma Junqi

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

The Statue Stele of Ma Junqi, fully titled “Stele of Ma Junqi’s Stone Pagoda,” where “pagoda” here refers to Buddhist statues. It was created in the fourth year of the Yifeng era of the Tang Dynasty (679 AD) by Ma Junqi in memory of his deceased parents. The stele is currently housed in the Cultural Center of Shen County, Hebei Province, and was designated as a provincial-level key cultural relic protection unit in September 1983.

The Statue Stele of Ma Junqi is 110 cm in height, 79 cm in width, and 49 cm in thickness, consisting of two joined stone slabs forming a chamber. Inside the stone chamber are one female bodhisattva statue, two attendants, and beneath them, stone reliefs of birds and beasts. On either side of the chamber stand warrior figures. Above the lintel of the stone chamber are the eight characters “Tian Huang Gongyang, Tian Hou Gongyang” (“Offerings by the Heavenly Emperor, Offerings by the Heavenly Empress”). “Heavenly Emperor” refers to Emperor Gaozong of Tang, and “Heavenly Empress” refers to Empress Wu Zetian. Prior to this stele, most inscriptions spoke of making merit for the emperor, but rarely included the empress. This stele uniquely bears the phrase “Offerings by the Heavenly Empress,” reflecting the significant power wielded by Empress Wu Zetian at the time.

The stele has been praised as having “calligraphy and imagery of exceptional refinement, treasured across the land.” Its greatest value lies in the calligraphic artistry of its inscription. During the Ming and Qing dynasties and the Republican era, many rubbings were reproduced from this stele, circulating in cities such as Beijing and Shanghai. It is said that rubbings of the stele once participated in an international art exhibition and won first prize. The inscription features a strong flavor of the Wei and Jin dynasties, with mature and vigorous brushwork—robust yet graceful, revealing subtle detail within fine lines. Each stroke and dot is executed with precision, flowing boldly and harmoniously blending strength with suppleness. Coupled with superb carving craftsmanship, the result is a perfect union of artistry.

The inscription was written by Ma Xiaoxu, who, though not a renowned calligrapher of the Tang Dynasty, produced work of such high artistic caliber, demonstrating the flourishing state of calligraphy in the Tang Dynasty.

Further reading:

· Second Batch of Cultural Relic Protection Units of Hebei Province