The history of kanji is dauntingly long and deep, and just thinking about why it is so interesting is such a fascinating and enjoyable thing that it becomes the sustenance of my life. I am glad that I had an encounter with calligraphy in this life. The country that has preserved and nurtured this history is also wonderful. I hope that peaceful days will return to this country as soon as possible, and that this wonderful culture will be passed down forever.
There are many stories to be told when looking at the path that kanji has taken. Letters that disappeared with the turbulent times, letters that were newly born... There are various factors, and while being intricately intertwined, each time it is completed and evolved, it is extremely rational and adapts to the times. I'm going. (I wonder if it's better to say that I'm at the mercy of the times)
In recent years, there is an exhibition room called "Sekkokan" at the National Palace Museum in Beijing, which receives an extraordinary number of visitors of about 80,000 every day. There are very valuable cultural relics on display, but compared to the other gorgeous buildings and exhibits at the National Palace Museum, there are only 10 black granite "stones" lined up, so it's plain. It is undeniable that And if you don't know the history of this "stone", you will feel that the exhibition room is a sober one. Therefore, even in the hustle and bustle of the Forbidden City, the silence makes it feel as if time has stopped.
By the way, about the "stones" displayed in this "Sekikokan". This is called a "stone drum" because its shape resembles a drum, and the characters engraved on it are called "sekkobun". It is the oldest stone-carved character material in China, and the size is about 60 cm in length and width, and there are 10 pieces in one set. The content is a four-word poem describing hunting, and it is also important as one of the literary materials that understand the life of the king at that time. There are various theories as to when it was made, but it is currently believed to have been made in Qin during the Warring States period (403-221 BC). In other words, it is a typeface before Qin Shihuang emperor unified China and unified characters.
So far, in this series, "Bone characters (characters engraved on turtle shells and cow bones = Yin Dynasty)", "Kinmon (characters cast in bronze ware = Yin and Zhou Dynasties)", We have introduced the "small seal (characters unified by the first emperor = Qin Dynasty)", but this time "stone drum" is a character used during the transition period between "golden" and "small seal", and it is an element of both. It is called ``large seal'' as opposed to ``small seal'' and occupies a unique position in the history of characters. And, in fact, the modern typeface "Tensho" is a generic term for all of these.
Stone drums were suddenly discovered in Chencang, present-day Shaanxi Province, in the early Tang Dynasty (618-907). It is said that damage was seen from that time, but it is said that it was around 800 that it was exposed to the rain immediately after excavation and preservation measures were taken. After that, it was repeatedly lost and rediscovered in each war, and during that time, due to destruction and wear and tear, more than half of the characters that were originally more than 700 have now been lost, leaving only 272 characters decipherable. rice field.
The most famous tragedy of stone drums is the one that went missing in 1052. The top half was cut off, the inside was scraped, and it was found in a state where it was being used as a stone mill in a private house. It is an episode that was done. At that time, the upper half of the verse also disappeared. However, the sekiko, which was in a pitiful state, and the stone drum, which was cut in half as a stone mill, has been handed down as a valuable story that represents the situation at that time. I feel proud of their very existence.
Stone Drum" followed a strange fate and finally settled in a room in the vast National Palace Museum. The sekikomon, which are neatly displayed in a glass case, differ from other stone monuments in that they have no corners, are round and plump, and even though they are stones, they are somewhat warm and charming. A calm appearance that you can get. I couldn't help but say, "Everyone, you've come this far."
It seems to be telling us quietly and gently.
(This article was published on February 13, 2020 in a series of essays published in the Nara Shimbun, "Calligraphy in Life")
