The epitaph existed as early as the Eastern Han Dynasty, so the so-called "Study in Qionglin" recorded it? The epitaph was written by Yi Fu? Obviously not in line with historical facts. Fu Yi came from the Tang Dynasty, and the origin of the epitaph was obviously earlier than that of the Tang Dynasty. It can be seen that the ancient epitaph culture in China was not achieved overnight, but gradually formed in the development of time, the collision of cultures and the integration of forms. A small stone tablet actually carries a long and heavy history.
First, the origin of epitaph
1. was founded in the Eastern Han Dynasty.
The origin of epitaph can be traced back to the Spring and Autumn Period, which is the embryonic period of the origin of epitaph. Zhuangzi recorded a story about Wei Linggong's epitaph. The words on the tombstone mainly emphasize that the way of governing the country has little to do with Wei Linggong, and the content is very little, but it can also be seen that the form of the epitaph has taken shape.
During the Qin and Han Dynasties, Wang Shiwei wrote a long epitaph in Natural History, which was a great progress compared with Fu Yi's epitaph. Fu Yi's epitaph is only four words. I don't know who he is describing without looking at the title, but this article is very detailed.
The earliest epitaph that can be verified is Ma Jiang's epitaph in the Eastern Han Dynasty, and it is also the originator of China's epitaph. 1929 the tomb of Ma Jiang, the wife of Jia Wuzhong, was unearthed in the suburb of Luoyang, which recorded Ma Jiang's name, family background, life story and death year in detail. This is the earliest stone epitaph found in China. Although there are other opinions about the origin of epitaphs, some say that it originated from the Western Han Dynasty and some from the Southern Dynasty, many archaeologists support the view that epitaphs originated from the Eastern Han Dynasty.
2. Epitaphs are classified according to their characteristics.
As a writing form that sets an example for future generations, the nature of epitaph determines its characteristics. One form is an epitaph, which records the name, place of origin, family background, official position and time of death of the deceased in detail, and to some extent provides detailed information for the later study of this person, which belongs to inheritance. Because of the contents of the record? Is it true what you said? So it also determines its authenticity. Inscriptions eulogize his achievements in the form of verse, and the form of words tends to be artistic and connotative. Praise the merits of the deceased with this literary form, so that future generations can learn their spirit more clearly.
The writing form of inscriptions is different from that of history books. What is the inscription? Ceremony? It is stipulated that the content of the inscription must be both praised and criticized, and it shall not be exaggerated, false or concealed. Therefore, the content of the inscription not only records his life story, but also praises his achievements and exposes his evil deeds, which is of great significance to the study of history.
Two. The form of epitaph
1、 ? Pool? With what? Ming? The difference between
Epitaph is mainly divided into two parts, epitaph and epitaph. The epitaph uses flowery words and rhymes, and writes the merits and demerits of the tomb owner in the form of verse, just like describing the great achievements of the deceased as a poem. The epitaph mainly records the owner's name, deeds and other details, and makes a simple summary and introduction to the owner's life.
Epitaphs are the main funerary objects in Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties, which are mostly made of square stones or bricks. Monument? . The epitaph is mainly placed in front of the tomb or in the tunnel, and the content on the tablet has also developed from thousands of words to thousands of words. What is the content of the epitaph? Monument? Determined by materials and characteristics.
2. The evolution of the inscription structure
In the Han Dynasty, the content of epitaphs began to expand and absorb, and the forms of expression were constantly enriched and changed, so that the tombstone basically stood on the ground. During the Wei and Jin Dynasties, due to the strict management of the rulers, the tombstones had to be moved from the ground to the underground, which made great changes in the production and style of epitaphs. In the Southern and Northern Dynasties, the form and structure of epitaphs were relatively stable, and the recorded contents were obviously standardized.
During the Southern and Northern Dynasties, the content of epitaphs was basically fixed, consisting of five parts: the first title, preface, biography, inscription and postscript. Its writing reached its acme in this dynasty, and the epitaph of the Southern Dynasties pursued gorgeous rhetoric and complicated description in content. For example, The Book of Songs and The Book of Rites are their main references.
Three. The development of epitaph
1, funeral table etiquette system
During the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties, the change of dynasties was very fast. Will the rulers enforce the minister's final funeral by law in order to promote Confucian culture? China people are forbidden to lose their marriage in the second volume? Ministers and officials are forbidden to hold banquets in the form of gathering people on the grounds of funeral or marriage. During the Eastern Jin Dynasty, the country had fixed funeral etiquette. It was handed down during this period because the rulers banned the construction of such a grand building on the ground before. Most people build graves underground.
2. The epitaph became a symbol of identity.
Epitaphs reached their peak in the Sui and Tang Dynasties, and almost every official's grave can see the existence of epitaphs, and the number is already very large. At the same time, the form and content of epitaphs in Sui and Tang Dynasties are also very perfect and rich. Not only is the shape of the epitaph no longer unified, but there are even pagoda inscriptions. Among them, the epitaph written by Han Yu is the best.
Conclusion:
The original epitaph was only used to record the life story of the tomb owner. Because of its authenticity, it provides an accurate basis for future generations to study history. Epitaph originated in the Eastern Han Dynasty, developed in the Southern and Northern Dynasties and flourished in the Sui and Tang Dynasties. It is the concrete expression of writing and culture, and has epoch-making significance. With the change of dynasties, the content of epitaph is not limited to biography, but has developed into a record of the great achievements of the tomb owner in the form of poetry.
Both epitaph writing and tombstone making reflect the social environment at that time, and a small tombstone reflects this era. As one of the treasures of ancient culture in China, the value of epitaph lies not only in the words of calligraphy, but also in the inheritance of history and culture.