Cuan-Baozi-Stele, Ancient stone monument in Qujing, China.
The Cuan-Baozi-Stele is an ancient stone monument with 400 Chinese characters arranged in 13 columns in regular script. Each column contains between 7 and 30 characters and displays the writing techniques from this period.
The monument was erected in 405 CE during the Eastern Jin period as a grave marker for a Yunnan official. It was discovered in 1778 in a village and placed under national protection in 1961.
The inscription shows how Chinese calligraphy developed during this period and continues to influence typeface designers today.
The monument is located on the grounds of a middle school in Qujing and is accessible to visitors as a protected site. It is best to check beforehand about visiting the school grounds.
The sandstone surface has survived remarkably well over 16 centuries and still shows details of the writing techniques with exceptional clarity. This makes it a rare example of how legible ancient Chinese inscriptions can remain.
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