Stone tablet inscribed with Yue Fei’s calligraphy of Zhuge Liang’s "Memorial on the Expedition"

　　   Currently housed in the city museum, it is one of the important cultural relics of the Xiangcheng City Museum. This stone tablet was made by engraving double-traced rubbings from the original ink manuscript of Zhuge Liang’s "Memorial on the Expedition" handwritten by Yue Fei. It was commissioned by Tian Zuolin, the Nanyang garrison commander during the late Qing Dynasty (a native of Tianlao Village in Xiangcheng). The entire set consists of 22 carved stone slabs, along with a matching pair of inscribed stones bearing the couplet: “The sea is the dragon’s world; the sky is the crane’s homeland,” which is the handwriting of the great Qing Dynasty calligrapher Deng Shiru. At the time, they were transported back to Tianlao Village in Xiangcheng from Nanyang. The Xiangcheng City Museum acquired and preserved them in 1982. In 1984, a stele corridor for the "Memorial on the Expedition" was constructed inside Yuan Shikai’s former palace (now the Xiangcheng Museum), covering an area of 140 square meters. These stone tablets originated from the original ink manuscript that Yue Fei, the famous Southern Song anti-Jin general, wrote when he passed through Nanyang on his southern campaign and stopped at the Wuhou Shrine of Zhuge Liang. He wrote it for an elderly Taoist priest. Due to the chaos of war, the original manuscript was lost. Later, it was collected by Yuan Baoheng, Yuan Shikai’s father, while overseeing military affairs in Shaanxi. Tian Zuolin borrowed it to create the carvings and added clear inscriptions (other similar stone tablets do not have such inscriptions). It was produced by tracing and double-tracing engravings, making these tablets extremely precious. Yue Fei’s bold cursive script is vigorous and powerful, flowing seamlessly with a majestic and unrestrained spirit. It has been authenticated by cultural relics experts in Henan Province as a national second-class relic, a key protected cultural heritage site in Henan Province, and a treasure of the Xiangcheng City Museum. Every year, over ten thousand visitors come to admire and pay tribute to it.

　　

　　Yue Fei (1103～1142)　　   Yue Fei (1103–1142), courtesy name Pengju, was a native of Tangyin in Xiangzhou (now part of Henan). He was an outstanding military strategist and tactician of the Northern Song Dynasty. Yue Fei’s father, Yue He, and mother, Lady Yao, were farmers. In his youth, Yue Fei studied archery and spear techniques under Zhou Tong and Chen Guang, eventually becoming the most skilled martial artist in the county. However, due to his family's poverty, he later went to Xiangzhou (now Anyang) and “worked as a farmhand for the Han Weigong (Qi) family.” In early 1122, the fourth year of the Xuanhe era, Yue Fei first joined the army. In October of the same year, during the Northern Song campaign against the Liao Dynasty, he reached the walls of Yanjing (now Beijing), the Liao capital, where he was deeply impressed by the towering city walls... More+

　　Zhuge Liang (181～234)　　   Zhuge Liang (July 23, 181 – August 28, 234), courtesy name Kongming, also known by his style name Wolong (or Fulong), was a Han Chinese from Yangdu, Langya (present-day Yinan County, Linyi City, Shandong Province). He served as the chancellor of the Shu Han kingdom and was an eminent politician, strategist, inventor, and military leader during the Three Kingdoms period. During his lifetime, he was granted the title Marquis of Wu, and posthumously honored as Marquis Zhongwu. The later Eastern Jin dynasty, in admiration of his military prowess, additionally posthumously awarded him the title King of Wuxing. His notable works include the "First Memorial on the Expedition," "Second Memorial on the Expedition," and "Admonitions to My Son." He is also credited with inventions such as the wooden ox and flowing horse, and the Kongming lantern. Chengdu is home to the Wuhou Shrine dedicated to him. Additionally, the great poet Du Fu left behind the famous poem "The Premier of Shu." ...... More+