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Traditional Significance of Seals in China Chinese seal carving is an art form which developed independently from Chinese painting. It actually originated for the purpose of the emperor. Just as the scepter and crown were symbols of royal power in the West so was the seal the highest symbol of imperial authority in China. The imperial seal was absolutely crucial as an indication of the final consolidation of power when emperors and Dynasties changed. Imperial statements and decrees were not seen as legitimate without the presence of the imperial seal. This is well reflected by the Han Dynasty story according to which the first seal in history was given to the mythological Yellow Emperor by a dragon that descended from the sky. In another story Emperor Yao of the Shang Dynasty receives the Seal from a phoenix as a legitimization to over throw the old Xia Dynasty. These stories shows how the seal represents the Chinese concept of the ‘Mandate of Heaven’, namely, the indication that a ruler has receives the legitimacy to rule over the human sphere by nature itself. Another indication of the importance of the seal in Chinese tradition is when we inspect the character ‘Bao’ which is the word used both for seal and for treasure. The character is composed of three main components, namely the symbol for king, a dot and a roof. The little dot signifies the Imperial seal. This means that the king in his palace is only a king when he possesses the imperial seal. Background and History The earliest examples of traditional Chinese seals are from the Shang Dynasty around the 16th century B.C but it is only during the warring states period (411-221 B.C.) that we see clear indications of wide use of seals in the official as well as the private sectors. Seals served emperors, kings, aristocrats, landlords, warlords, merchants and even ordinary people. Like many things that begin as a type of craftsmanship, seal carving slowly evolved into a proper art with different schools, styles and approaches. Seals and Painting So what is the relationship between Chinese seals and painting? The answer is very interesting and it shows how practical cultural habits slowly evolve into aesthetic demands. It really started with art collectors, including emperors, stamping paintings to indicate ownership. So the first people to stamp paintings were actually the owners not the painters. As this habit of stamping paintings became widespread, a bear painting without a seal looked awkward and unfinished so artists began stamping their own works. Still, much of the Chinese masterpieces we see today have seals from both the artist and the various collectors who owned the piece through the ages. Therefore the story of seals and painting in China is sometimes a rather tragic one where pieces of art were vandalized by collectors’ obsession to perpetuate their names on great works of art. The main problem is that the seal usually came with an additional calligraphic inscription which made these additional traces on the painting more apparent and at times absolutely disastrous; Emperor Qian Long of the Qing Dynasty was a good example of a reckless seal vandal. On the other hand the fact that seals were stamped by collectors, famous artists and emperors gives some works of art a unique character which displays it's particular history and identity. Today we can witness ancient paintings affixed with seals of generations of emperors, collectors and art connoisseurs, beautifully displaying these works' particular life story and genealogy. Seals and Politics As seals were a symbol of rank they were given to officials by the imperial family. These official seals had different characteristics depending on the owner and his identity. Rank was indicated by the type of design and material used, especially of the handle and by the color of seal past used. The regulations changed considerably as Dynasties changed but the main idea persisted where the particular characteristics of the seal were indications of rank and prestige. Official seals were usually in a size that was convenient enough to attach to the belt of the official and carried around. The type of seal script used developed and changed as time went by, different scripts and styles become more fashionable and popular under different rules. This change in script goes hand in hand with the development of the Chinese characters as well, therefore the art of Chinese seal carving is a combination of carving and calligraphy. at times this art also involves expertise in stone appreciation as stones are one of the major materials used to carve on. this can even be seen as an ancient form of Gemology (the science of precious stones in the West). Although we can see diversity in official seals it was the private seals that show the greatest variation as they were not under the restrictions of any official codes or standards. Private seals, like official ones can still be divided and categorized according to different applications and use. Obviously many seals have a persons name carved on them to indicate ownership, however many people especially scholars preferred pseudonyms and pen names. In other occasions we have the so-called 'leisure seals' which usually carry a sentence or motto that the owner finds dear to his heart. The seals of art dealers and connoisseurs stamped on art works were mainly a symbol of authentication which meant that these seals could make the price of a work increase considerably. Materials At the early stages Chinese seals were made of rather soft materials such as ivory, bones, wood and tortoise shells. Later, the use of metal became popular while today Chinese seals are mostly carved from jade and other semiprecious stones, other materials include, ivory, gold, silver, rhinoceros horn, magnet, and tiles. The Famous Heirloom Seal China's most famous imperial seal was that of the first Emperor of the Qin who united China and put an end to the chaotic warring state period (411-221 B.C). The seal was carved from a priceless Jade stone called the He Shi Bi which previously belonged to the ruler of the state of Zhao. As the first Emperor took possession of this precious stone he ordered to carve the words “The one who has received the Mandate of Heaven shall enjoy longevity and prosperity” he then declared it as the official imperial seal. The famous inscription was written in the script of the famous calligrapher and statesman Li Si, later on this seal has come to be known as the “Heirloom Seal”. As the Qin Dynasty collapsed and gave place to the famous Han Dynasty the Seal changed hands again. The notorious reformer Wang Mang who actually became emperor for about a decade forced the Empress dowager to give him the seal. In her furry she threw it on the floor refusing to hand it over formally. The corner was chipped and Wang Mang ordered to restore the missing corner in gold. This legendary seal survived many dynasties and was passed on from ruler to ruler as a symbol of legitimate power – The Mandate of Heaven. Many battles were launched exclusively for its attainment especially during the Three Kingdom period between the Han and the Tang Dynasties. This seal made its way to the hands of the infamous General of the Wei kingdom Cao Cao who is also the antagonist of the famous classical novel “The Three Kingdoms”, it passed through the Wei, Jin, Sixteen kingdoms and Sui Dynasties all the way to the three hundred year long and glorious Tang Dynasty. Some claim it was lost sometime during the Five Dynasy period (907 – 960) while others believe it was still around during the Ming during the 14th century. On its long and mysterious journey the Heirloom Seal was held by loyalists who committed suicide, it was exchanged for a whole army, was stolen several times, fought for killed for and desired by China's greatest leaders. Three theories exist as to how it was lost:
In any case, the Seal was known to be lost by the beginning of the Ming Dynasty. Both the Ming and the Qing dynasties did not have the Heirloom Seal. This partly explains the Qing Emperors' obsession with creating numerous imperial seals, in order to reduce the significance of the Heirloom Seal. Copyright ©2005 Art Realization (tm) - The World of Chinese Art (tm) - Site implementation by Blissweb.
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