Dragon Rise Temple Dao De Jing Stele

Dragon Rise Temple Dao De Jing Stele

The Dragon Rise Temple Dao De Jing Stele is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

The Laozi Dao De Jing Stele is located on Youyi Road in the county town. According to *Inscriptions on Stone Tablets Across the Land*, the stele was erected in 738 (the 26th year of the Kaiyuan era of the Tang Dynasty) at Kaiyuan Temple west of Yizhou County, and in 1109 (the 5th year of the Qiandao era of the Southern Song Dynasty), it was moved to Dragon Rise Temple at the southern end of the county town. The stele is 6 meters tall overall, consisting of a base, body, and top. In the 12th year of the Tongzhi era of the Qing Dynasty, it was blown down by a storm, and two years later when it was re-erected, the parts were installed in the wrong order. In 1986, the People’s Government of Yizhou County renovated the stele pavilion to aid in its protection and management. It is designated as a “National Protected” heritage site.

The Dragon Rise Temple Dao De Jing Stele is located in Yizhou County, Hebei Province in northern China. This stele is currently the only relatively intact Tang Dynasty (618–907 AD) Dao De Jing stele that still exists in China.

Dragon Rise Temple was a renowned Taoist temple in northern China during the Tang Dynasty, but today only the Dao De Jing stele and three stone tablets remain. The stele was carved and built in 738 (the 26th year of the Kaiyuan era of the Tang Dynasty), and now stands 4.29 meters tall. The front of the stele body is inscribed with “The Dao De Jing of the Supreme Mysterious and Primordial Emperor, Annotated by the Divine Martial Emperor of the Great Tang’s Kaiyuan Era,” with the signature “Presented by Tian Renwan, Prefect of Yizhou and Military Commissioner of Yangjun, Wearing the Purple Gold Fish Pouch, and Holding the Rank of Pillar of State.” It is speculated that the text on this stele was written by the Tang Dynasty calligrapher Su Lingzhi.

The discovery of the Dragon Rise Temple Dao De Jing Stele is of great significance for the study of Taoist culture in the Tang Dynasty and the history of calligraphy development. (National Cultural Heritage Administration)

Lao Dan, whose surname was Li, given name Er, courtesy name Boyang, with “Dan” being his posthumous title, was a native of Ku County in the State of Chu during the Spring and Autumn period (present-day east of Luyi County, Henan Province). His birth and death dates are unknown. He once served as the historiographer in charge of the royal archives of the Zhou Dynasty, later becoming the Grand Historian, well-versed in the changes of ancient and modern times. In his later years, he lived in seclusion in Pei, farming and teaching students, expounding on virtue and the Dao. Later, he traveled west into the Central Plains and died in Qin.

After the Warring States period, his sayings spread more widely. Finally compiled by Huan Yuan, they became the *Dao De Jing*, divided into upper and lower chapters, which is the current version of the *Laozi*. In the *Laozi*, the origin of all things in the universe is regarded as the "Dao" or "Pu," sometimes referred to as "non-being." The Dao is... More detailed information about Laozi++

Further reading:

· Second Batch of Hebei Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units

· Fourth Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units