The second section of the Stele Forest (Beilin Museum) begins at the Xiaojing Pavilion. Inside of this structure is the Stone Tablet of Classic Filial Piety (Xiaojing in Chinese). The text was created in 745 during the Tianboa Period of the Tang dynasty at the request of Emperor Xuanzong (reign 713 – 756). The four blocks of stones record a conversation between Confucius and a student named Zengzi, one of the Four Sages of Confucianism. The teachings explain how to respect one’s parents, elders and ancestors. Behind this pavilion are seven halls containing over 3,000 steles. The collection represents well-preserved etched tablets primarily from the Tang (618 – 907), Song (960 – 1279) and Qing (1636 – 1912) dynasties. The most famous are the Stone Classics of the Kaicheng Period created in 837. They represent 12 of the Thirteen Confucian Classics.
