During ancient times the use of inscriptions was the most common form of eulogizing a hero or commemorating a special event. Unlike ancient Greece and Rome, where such events were marked by the commissioning of grandiose statues, the Chinese favored written inscriptions.
莊伯和說，在古代的埃及、西亞、波斯、希臘、羅馬…… 等地，帝王為了顯示權威，或是紀念某位英雄，常利用寫實雕刻手法鑄像，甚至以建築或石柱來紀念功跡。