A FUNERARY INSCRIPTION SET UP IN MEMORY OF
PRINCE ABRAHAM OF PERSIA

The stone tablet of a Persian prince. This is rubbing taken from the stone tablet set up in memory of Abraham, a Persian prince, who died in China on the 1st of the 4th month, the first year of the Ching-yün Period (710 A.D.) at the age of ninety-five years. The rubbing itself is about 18 inches square and contains 306 Chinese letters. Only eighteen letters are illegible, the rest being quite clear.

 
(Nestorian Stone Cross)

The Inscription on the stone tablet set up in memory of the late Great Persian Chieftain, the General and Commander of the Right Wings of the Imperial Army of T'ang (i.e., China) with the title of Grand Duke of Chin-Ch`êng-chün (in Gansu) and the Rank of Shang-chu-kuo (lit., "The first-class Corner Stone of the Empire"):

This is the stone tablet erected in memory of A-lo-han, a Persian prince by birth and the most illustrious of the whole tribe. During the period of Hsien-ch`ing (656-661 A.D.), the then reigning Emperor Gaozung the Great (649-693), hearing of the meritorious service and illustrious deeds of this Persian prince sent a special messenger to invite him to his own Palace (here are two illegible characters).

As soon as the Prince arrived at the capital, the Emperor appointed him Generalissimo, and charged him with the responsibility of defending the Northern Gate (i.e., the northern border region of China) (here is one illegible character) and sent him as the Imperial Envoy to the tribes of Tibet, Ephraim, and other countries.

On the western borders of Ephraim, he set up a stone monument which is still visible and is still preaching the essence of the Holy Teaching to the wild tribes; and ever since, all the surrounding countries (i.e., around the monument) have become very peaceful.

This is mainly due to the virtuous deeds and wise guidance of our great General, the prince of Persia, who ruled over those peoples, and invited several foreign tribes to organize the Imperial Guards as well as the other Army Divisions. So his meritorious service to the country and its Rulers is manifold.

His name should be written forever on the walls Ch`i-lin-ko (a great hall in the imperial palace where the portraits of illustrious men were displayed), whilst his peerless wisdom and priceless talents are worthy of being inscribed on this stone. Surely his name should be numbered as one of the Faithful in the Yün-t`ai Hall (another palace hall where the emperor displayed portraits of thirty-two famous generals).

On the lst of the 4th moon, the first year of the Ching-yün Period (710 A.D.) at the age of ninety and five years, the Prince died suddenly at his own private residence in the eastern Capital (Luoyang).

O woeful day on which we lost this great Prince, the Generalissimo and Leader of the Tribes! When he died, the wind that blew over the mountain-tops sighed more sorrowfully than ever! The sun that shines over us peered most drearily through the dark clouds! Even the birds refrained from singing on that sad day because of his death! How could we, therefore, restrain ourselves from shedding tears! The pine-tree. suffers from the drought, and we feel the silence of the waterless fountain the harder to bear. So felt all who followed him to the grave on that sorrowful day. 0 woe betide the day!