New Frontiers in the Study of Medieval China

Sixth Annual Workshop: On Commemorative Inscriptions

Friday, May 17 – Saturday, May 18, 2023, 9 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Academic Building-West, Room 6051, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ

This workshop is co-organized by Jessey Choo and Alexei Ditter. It is generously supported the Tang Research Foundation, Global Asias Initiative, Global Medieval Studies, and Department of Asian Languages and Cultures at Rutgers University.

This sixth meeting will focus on commemorative inscriptions produced in Middle Period China. Key issues to be discussed include:

1. The “literary” qualities of the text, including its use of style, voice, allusion, or other literary devices, as well as the degree to which these suggest or anticipate different potential audiences of the inscription (e.g., present or future patrons, literary or political rivals, etc.).
2. The relationship between the style and content of different parts of the text, such as the preface (xu 序) and closing elegy (ming 銘 or ci 詞/辭), if present, as well as how these discrete parts work in coordination to shape interpretations of the inscription.
3. The visual and material aspects of the inscription, such as the style and quality of calligraphy, decorative elements (creeping vines, jihe decoration 幾何紋), etc.), images (spirit animals 神獸, twelve zodiac 十二生肖, 28 constellations or “star lodges” 星宿), the size of the stone, and the layout of text and/or visual elements.
4. The impact of the accessibility and visibility (e.g., physical locations and contexts) of the inscribed stone on readership and reception.