New Trends in the Study of Medieval Stele Inscriptions in the Past Decade

Abstract

The study of stele inscriptions is an important subject in the research of medieval Chinese history and has, to date, yielded fruitful results. Over the past decade, this field has witnessed several new trends, including the discovery of family genealogies recorded in inscriptions and the examination of their construction process; the confirmation of deviated engravings (or non-standard engravings) and the study of historical writing in inscriptions; and going beyond textual records, the exploration of the political landscape effects of inscriptions from a visual perspective. Compared with the traditional approaches, research reflecting these new trends focuses more intently on examining the inscriptions themselves, thus freeing them from their traditional subordinate status as mere appendages to transmitted historical records under the tradition of epigraphy, and promoting a shift from relatively narrow source criticism to meticulous and comprehensive historical analysis. Nevertheless, such research is limited in circumstances and has its own latent concerns, and therefore cannot replace traditional research. The two approaches should complement each other so that the study of medieval stele inscriptions can be elevated to a higher level.

Keywords

construction of family genealogy / historical writing / political landscape / stele inscription / medieval China

RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS

Higher Education Press