Stone Engraving from a Shrine

This stone engraving shows the image of a front-facing figure—probably the depiction of a deceased individual. He wears a flat cap and a long garment. Crossing his arms in front of his chest, he holds an axe in his left hand and a hook in his right. The left side of the stone is inscribed with Shizhai ciyuan in one vertical line of four characters in clerical script; the word ciyuan refers to a shrine in which the living present sacrifices to the departed. The engraving is included in the catalogue Stone Images from the Han and Jin in the Thatched Hall of Juzhen (Juzhen caotang Han Jin shiying).

Chinese entry by Fang Bin
Translated and edited by Adam J. Ensign and Zhuang Ying