Twenty-four Meritorious Officials of Lingyan Pavilion

Yan Liben was entrusted with the task of creating the painting Twenty-four Meritorious Officials of Lingyan Pavilion by Emperor Taizong himself. Regrettably, the original painting has been lost, but a rubbing derived from a stone stele carved in 1090 provides a glimpse into its beauty. Only the images of four meritorious officials have been preserved. The delicate and smooth outlines of the characters are apparent in the rubbing. All four officials are depicted holding tablets, standing respectfully in a courtly posture. While their poses may be similar, subtle variations in appearance and facial expressions highlight both their shared attributes and individualities. The artist skillfully captures the essence of these distinguished officials.

Tang Dynasty (618-907) Yan Liben. Stone Tablet Carving. Topography in the Central Academy of Fine Arts, Beijing.

This piece is compiled from the Chinese edition of Three Thousand Years of Chinese Painting by Foreign Languages Press and Yale University Press, translated by Chen Ying.