(1) Words describing facts, achievements, etc. On artifacts and slates;
(2) Be wary of your own words.
The inscriptions with the first meaning, such as Liu Zihou's epitaph by Han Yu, a great writer in the Tang Dynasty, Sanhuaitang's epitaph by Su Shi, a literary master in the Song Dynasty, and Xu Jun's epitaph by Wang Anshi, all belong to this category. These classic inscriptions not only add charm to China's ancient prose with their unique literary forms, but also add their simple language and deep feelings.
The inscription with the second meaning, that is, the inscription of "use your own words carefully", which is what we usually call "motto", has its own genre, words or couplets, and its words are long and short, which plays the role of inspiring self-cultivation and urging the police to save the province. According to "Southern History", Wu Jie, a famous scholar in the Southern Song Dynasty, "Those who are good at reading history, remember the past, and record it and decide on the right seat. After a long time, the walls are full of proverbs. " This may be the early source of relevant aphorisms seen in official history.
However, as an inscription clock, the earliest inscription is not a word, but an object, that is, the "object inscription": it is said that during the Spring and Autumn Period, the Qi people built a temple for the dead. There is a wine container in it, which wakes up the wine. Once, Confucius and his students visited the temple. He said to the students, "When the vessel is empty, it should be tilted. Pour the wine or water into it, and then stand up when it is halfway." When the device is full, it will tilt. Therefore, in the past, Qi Huangong always put this instrument on the right side of his seat to warn himself not to be complacent. "As can be seen from the words of Confucius, the earliest motto is this kind of wine vessel called' distributor'.
Today, along with the long river of history, the "motto" has changed from the initial sacrificial container, later metal carving ... to today's words, and many "styles" evolved during this period are quite intriguing, and its warning significance still gives people profound enlightenment.