Epitaphs often consist of three parts: title, text and inscription.

1, title

The title generally consists of the name and language name of the deceased. Such as Liu Zihou's Epitaph.

2. Text

Generally speaking, the content of epitaph text includes three aspects.

First of all, we should briefly introduce the main life experiences of the deceased;

The second is to evaluate the main merits and social value of the deceased;

The third is the significance of writing a monument, while expressing condolences for the unfortunate death of the deceased.

Step 3 sign

The inscription shall indicate the name of the unit that erected the monument and the name of the author, and shall be dated in words. It should be pointed out that some epitaphs have been written under the title, so only the date of writing can be indicated.

A tombstone that introduces the inscription of the deceased's life. This kind of inscription generally includes name, native place, family background, experience, works, year of death, place of burial, and finally, the inscription, mostly in verse, three characters, four characters, five characters, seven characters or Sao style. Most of them were written by the descendants of the deceased. Such as Han Yu's epitaph of Liu Zihou. There are also simple inscriptions and short epitaphs to introduce the dead.

Writing requirements of epitaph

The writing requirement of epitaph is narrative summary, gentle language and concise text. Writing epitaphs has two characteristics that cannot be ignored, one is generality, and the other is originality. Due to the limitation of tombstone space, epitaphs cannot be lengthy. In addition, concise and clear words are also convenient for readers to read and remember. Therefore, no matter what style of writing epitaph is used, the author is required to have a strong generalization. Han Xin's Tomb, the link is as follows: "Life and death are known; Two women survived. " A few words, highly summarized the great experience of Han Xin's life.

model

Zhou Xianyan xx, aged in Bingdong. Be taught by poetry and learn to sew. Light as water, tender as rainbow. After the Wu Jia incident, I went back to my father, lived a hard life without complaining, and worked hard at housework. Serve the upper and raise the lower, and be wise inside and wise outside. Hunger does not choose food, but cold does not have clothes and poverty. Give birth to four women and one man, be happy to teach by virtue, love to guide by benevolence and succeed others. When you are extremely tired, you will be blessed. When you are in the middle of autumn, you will die. What a sad life!

Extended content

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In the Ming dynasty, Xu once said in the preface: "those who follow it must remember it;" The inscription also got its name. "Record the name, font size, native place, rank, merits and demerits of the deceased in the form of prose. The inscription sums up the whole text in verse, expressing condolences, comfort and praise to the deceased, and euphemistically expressing emotion. But some only use inscriptions (texts) or inscriptions.

Inscriptions are records and carvings. Initially, it was carved (or cast) on a bronze tripod. Later, it was also engraved on stone tablets, metal plates and other utensils, or called merit or extended reference, and gradually evolved into an independent style. Liu Xie's Wen Xin Diao Long contains Ming Zhen. Xiao Tong's Selected Works of Zhaoming contains five inscriptions by Ban Gu and others. Among Wu Chucai and Wu Diaohou's Notes on Ancient Chinese Literature, there is Liu Yuxi's Humble Room Inscription, which has been handed down to this day.

The inscription is short and lively, or in a Sao style, or like a five-character or seven-character poem or song advocated by Buddhists, or like a warning motto. The punch line is implicit and flashy, and it contains philosophy but is not obscure. This is the characteristic of epitaphs and other aphorisms in the inscription of merits and things. The Ming Ministry of War Shangshu Festival really says "Yuan Gong's Epitaph": "According to the shape, the public can stand, the word is polite, posthumous title Huan. (Today) I used to live in Fengyang and Zurong. At the beginning of the country, hundreds of households in the city were built with military exploits, that is, they moved to Suiyang Wei and replaced them with virtue. "