Chinese Ch'ing Dynasty Stele - Harvard University - Cambridge, MA - Smithsonian Art Inventory Sculptures on Waymarking.com

In Cambridge, on the campus of Harvard University, is this marble monument given by Harvard alumni in China commemorating the 300th anniversary of Harvard's founding.

The monument sits near the west side of Widener Library and east of Grays Hall.

The statue is roughly 15 ft tall and 6 ft by 8 ft wide. The form is a Chinese fu dog (I'll go with the Smithsonian inventory description, though the subject tag says 'Animal - Lion' - another source said it was a dragon) supporting a tall tablet. The entire sculpture has visible erosion. Text - in Chinese - is visible but barely legible. A plaque at the base has the following about the monument (English side shown):

"300th Anniversary Stele

This slender marble slab, or stele, was presented to Harvard in 1936 as a gift from Chinese alumni on the occasion of the University's tercentenary. The inscription commemorates the importance of culture and learning both in the United States and China. The full Chinese text is 370 words long; the original calligraphy, in kaishu style, is that of the famous scholar - diplomat Hu Shi (1891 - 1962), who took part in the 1936 ceremonies as the representative of Peking University and received an honorary degree. The full text and translation, along with further information, is available via the QR code link."

One additional remark from the inventory text: "In 1936, Harvard alumni living in China gave this sculpture in commemoration of Harvard's tercentenary. The sculpture was installed near Boylston Hall because at that time Harvard's center for Far Eastern research, the Yenching Institute, was located in Boylston Hall."

There is an article from the Harvard Gazette about efforts to scan the monument in 3D to preserve the appearance. The article also stated that the sculpture is covered over in the winter (no evidence of that during the visit in August 2017). The article mentioned that at one time the background to the text was painted black.

Also from the Gazette article:

"The monument dates to the early 1800s and stood in the Old Summer Palace, Yuan Ming Yuan, that was razed in 1860 by French and British troops during the Second Opium War. The statue was purchased by Chinese alumni and reinscribed to mark the University’s 300th anniversary."

Other Source:

Harvard University (Gazette - A Monumental Task. . . ):
(visit link)

TITLE: Chinese Chi'ing Dynasty ARTIST(S): Unknown (Chinese) sculptor DATE: 1/1/1800 MEDIUM: Marble CONTROL NUMBER: IAS MA000357 Direct Link to the Individual Listing in the Smithsonian Art Inventory: [Web Link] PHYSICAL LOCATION: Within the main campus of Harvard University, west of Widener Library, north of Boylston Hall, and east of Grays Hall. DIFFERENCES NOTED BETWEEN THE INVENTORY LISTING AND YOUR OBSERVATIONS AND RESEARCH: Some clarification is needed in the entry whether this is a Fu dog or a lion. The Harvard Gazette described it as a 'tortoise-dragon.'

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Please give the date of your visit, your impressions of the sculpture, and at least ONE ORIGINAL PHOTOGRAPH. Add any additional information you may have, particularly any personal observations about the condition of the sculpture.

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Date Logged Log   07/12/2018 lesden visited it