Zi Ban (Character Panel): The Entire Structure Built for Those Few Characters

A close-up of the central inscription panel of a paifang. It is a horizontal stone or wooden slab embedded between the lintels above the central bay, not large in size but in the most prominent position, surrounded by a carved frame. The panel features three to four large characters, carved in intaglio, with deep and wide strokes. The script is formal regular script (kaishu) or seal script (zhuanshu), with a rigorous structure. The carved lines were originally filled with vermilion or gold lacquer, most of which has now peeled and faded, with only a trace of color remaining in the concave corners of the strokes. Dark streaks from rainwater runoff extend downwards from the lower edge of the characters on the stone surface. Smaller inscriptions (luokuan) are located above or to the side of the main panel. Avoid: writing characters in a cursive or non-traditional style, using raised relief characters, depicting the lacquer fill as brand new and vibrant, making the frame a modern, simple line.

Translated from Chinese by AI.

牌坊中央字板的近景。它是一塊嵌在明間上方額枋之間的橫向石板或木板,尺寸不大但位置最顯眼,四周有一圈雕花的邊框。板上是三到四個大字,以陰刻的方式刻入,筆畫深而寬,字體是端正的楷書或篆書,結構嚴謹;刻痕內原本填著朱紅或金色的漆,現在大部分已經剝落褪色,只在筆畫的凹角殘留一點顏色。石面上有雨水沖刷留下的深色痕跡從字的下緣往下延伸。字板的上方或側邊有較小的落款。避免:把字寫成潦草或非傳統的字體、使用凸出的浮雕字、讓填漆全新鮮豔、把邊框做成現代的簡潔線條。