Stone Classics

Stone Classics (simplified Chinese: 石经; traditional Chinese: 石經; pinyin: shíjīng; Wade–Giles: shih-ching) are canonical scriptures engraved on stone slabs or rocks. In Chinese, a distinction is usually made between Confucian and Buddhist ones, the latter often being translated as “stone sutras”.[1] Similar examples also exist in Daoism.

The Stone Classics were created in Confucianism particularly as large-scale state projects (see Xiping Stone Classics of the Han dynasty, Zhengshi Stone Classics of the Wei dynasty (Cao Wei), Kaicheng Stone Classics of the Tang dynasty). Their function was to establish the canonical version of the Five or more Confucian Classics and Four Books and to demonstrate the standard form of Chinese characters.

According to the Hungarian sinologist Imre Galambos carving the text of classics into stone obviously was

“also an act of creating a standard text, not only orthography. But the fact that the Wei and Tang stone classics were in different scripts shows that character forms were perhaps even more important than issues of textual criticism. Han, Wei, and even Tang stone inscriptions testify to the lack of orthographic consistency.[2]”

In Buddhism the engraving of scriptures was carried out in a way similar to the copying of sutras or the private compilation of Buddhist Tripitakas. It served individuals, families, or communities as a means of accumulating spiritual merit. Among these, the Fangshan Stone Canon (Fangshan shijing 房山石经) is particularly well known, as it was continued over the course of many centuries.

Confucianism

The following section is a short overview to the Confucian classics carved in stone since the Han dynasty, various versions of these Stone Classics have existed:[3]

Name Period Alternative names Notes Script Works included
Xiping Stone Classics (熹平石经, Xiping shijing, "Stone Classics of the Xiping Era") Eastern Han dynasty Yizi shijing 一字石经; Han shijing 汉石经 4th year of the Xiping era (175 CE) under Emperor Ling of Han; supervised by Cai Yong (蔡邕) Clerical script (隶书) Zhouyi, Shangshu, Lushi (Shi), Yili, Chunqiu, Gongyang zhuan, Lunyu
Zhengshi Stone Classics (正始石经, Zhengshi shijing, "Stone Classics of the Zhengshi Era") Wei dynasty of the Three Kingdoms period Wei shijing 魏石经; Santi shijing 三体石经 Produced during the Zhengshi era (240–249 CE) under Emperor Cao Fang Ancient Script (古文), Seal script (篆), Clerical script (隶书) Shangshu, Chunqiu
Kaicheng Stone Classics (开成石经, Kaicheng shijing, "Stone Classics of the Kaicheng Era") Tang dynasty Tang shijing 唐石经 2nd year of the Kaicheng era (837 CE) under Emperor Wenzong of Tang; now preserved in the Stele Forest, Xi'an Regular script (楷书) Zhouyi, Shangshu, Shijing, Zhouli, Yili, Liji, Zuozhuan, Gongyang zhuan, Guliang zhuan, Lunyu, Xiaojing, Erya (Mengzi added during the Qing dynasty)
Shu Stone Classics (蜀石经, Shu shijing, "Stone Classics of the Shu Kingdom") Later Shu of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period Guangzheng shijing 广政石经 2nd year of the Guangzheng era (938 CE) under Emperor Meng Chang Regular script (楷书) Xiaojing, Lunyu, Erya, Yijing, Shijing, Shujing, Yili, Liji, Zhouli, Zuozhuan (later expanded under the Northern Song dynasty to include Gongyang zhuan, Guliang zhuan, Mengzi)
Northern Song Stone Classics (北宋石经, Bei Song shijing, "Stone Classics of the Northern Song") Northern Song dynasty Erzi shijing 二字石经; Jiayou shijing 嘉祐石经 Completed in the 6th year of the Jiayou era (1061 CE) under Emperor Renzong of Song Seal script (篆), Clerical script (隶) Yijing, Shijing, Shujing, Zhouli, Liji, Chunqiu Zuozhuan, Xiaojing, Lunyu, Mengzi
Southern Song Stone Classics (南宋石经, Nan Song shijing, "Stone Classics of the Southern Song") Southern Song dynasty Song Gaozong yushu shijing 宋高宗御书石经 — — Yijing, Shijing, Shujing, Zuozhuan, Lunyu, Mengzi, and five chapters of the Liji (Zhongyong, Daxue, Xueji, Ruxing, Jingjie)
Qing Stone Classics (清石经, Qing shijing, "Stone Classics of the Qing Dynasty") Qing dynasty — Beijing — Thirteen Classics

Buddhism

Daoism

Other examples

  • Stone Sutra of Mandalay (in Myanmar) (Chinese: 曼德勒石经, Mandele shijing)

See also

References

  1. ^ cf. Buddhist Stone Sutras in China (Chinese/English)
  2. ^ Imre Galambos: Orthography of Early Chinese Writing: Evidence from Newly Excavated Manuscripts. Budapest Monographs in East Asian Studies. Budapest 2006, p. 13, note 9 (Online)
  3. ^ cf. article "Shijing", in: Zhongguo zhexue da cidian

Bibliography

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