국립중앙박물관 NATIONAL MUSEUM OF KOREA

Highlights
Stele for National Preceptor Nanggong at Taejasa Temple
  • Exhibition Name

    Stele for National Preceptor Nanggong at Taejasa Temple

  • Nationality/Period

    Korea

  • Provenance

    Yeongju-si

  • Materials

    Stone

  • Author

    Assembled characters from Calligraphic works of Kim Saeng (金生, 711-?)

  • Category

    life in society - commemoration - monument

  • Dimensions

    218.0x102.0cm

  • Designation

    Treasure 1877

  • Accession Number

    Bongwan 6754

  • Location

    Calligraphy and Painting

This stele was erected in 954 at Taejasa temple (太子寺) in memory of National Preceptor Nanggong (朗空大師, 832-916). It consists of running script characters taken from the Unified Silla period calligrapher Kim Saeng (金生, 711-?)’s works and assembled by the monk Danmok (端目). Kim Saeng, one of the four great masters of calligraphy in Korean history, was revered as the “Sage calligrapher of the Eastern Nation (Korea)” or as the “Wang Xizhi (王羲之) of Silla”. Since few of his original works remain today,this stele is a crucial source of knowledge about this legendary artist. Therefore, this stele serves as the most important standard for understanding Kim’s calligraphic style.