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The Museum of Beijing Stone Inscription Art is located in the grounds of Five-Pagoda Temple, 200 meters north of Beijing Zoo. The Five-Pagoda Temple, formally called Dazhengjue Temple, is so called for the five small pagodas that rise like diamonds from a square base below. The pagoda is one of the few Indian-inspired “Diamond Throne” pagodas in Beijing. The Stone Inscription Museum, arranged on all four sides of the pagoda, is divided into six sections, namely: comprehensive stone inscription, tablets of merits and virtues, of epitaph, of calligraphy, of temples and guildhalls, and stone carvings.
In the comprehensive stone inscription area, there are two huge carved tables that were made for emperors Qianlong and Shunzhi of the Qing Dynasty.
The 12 tablets of merits and virtues applaud famous officials and nobility of the Ming and Qing dynasties for their good deeds and upright behavior.
In the epitaph section, there are 300 inscriptions on tombstones from the Tang to Qing dynasties that had been carved for imperial family members and high officials.
The tablets on calligraphy record works by famous calligraphers in the last two imperial dynasties, and those for temples and guildhalls collect inscriptions from provincial, industrial and commercial associations.
Lastly in the stone carving section are the Yuan Dynasty dragon and phoenix slabstones, as well as other statues from the Ming and Qing dynasties.
(china.org.cn)
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