Over 300-year-old stone tablet found in North China's Hebei

SHIJIAZHUANG -- A stone tablet dating back to the year 1693, which falls within the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), was discovered in Daming county, North China's Hebei province, said local authorities.

The tablet, found in Jindong village, measures 1.4 meters high, 0.61 meters wide, and 0.14 meters thick. Made of bluestone, it has a total of 307 characters on it.

The inscription recorded the process of building the King of Medicine Temple in the county during the reign of Emperor Kangxi and described the grand occasions of temple fairs and humanistic stories at that time.

According to the inscription, after the completion of the temple, the local medicine expert meeting was organized here on April 28 in most years of the Qing Dynasty, during which all kinds of talented people performed, and the vocal music lasted for more than ten days, said Wang Jianping, an expert in literature and history of the county.

This stone tablet is relatively well preserved with clear characters, which is significant for studying cultural and economic activities in the southern part of Hebei during the Qing Dynasty. It also provides evidence for the development of local pharmacies, Wang said.