Stele of the Mysterious and Secret Pagoda [Chinese calligraphy]

Liu Gongquan (778–865 CE) was a leading calligrapher of the Tang Dynasty, renowned for his rigorous, upright, and sharply structured style of regular script (kaishu). His most famous work, the Xuanmi Ta Bei (Stele of the Mysterious and Secret Pagoda), was engraved in 841 CE to honor the life and teachings of a prominent Buddhist monk, Dada Chan Master.

The inscription exemplifies Liu’s distinctive calligraphic style – often described as “bone-like” for its strength, clarity, and disciplined brushwork. His approach, known as “Liu style,” became one of the standard models for learning kaishu, frequently paired with Yan Zhenqing‘s style in the saying “Yan’s sinew, Liu’s bone” (Yan jin Liu gu).