Ancient Indian Collection -- Warring States Volume (Warring States Volume)

Author: Lai Yishi
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2000-11-01
Features: Ancient seal carving is not far from the Three Dynasties, with ancient methods unbroken and new rules yet to be established. Only in this way can its diverse styles surpass those of the Qin and Han dynasties. Comparing ancient private seals with ancient official seals, the number of official seals is only half that of private seals; yet in terms of style, official seals even surpass private seals. Private seals prioritize clarity and simplicity, as they are worn for practical purposes. Ancient official seals, beyond serving as credentials, symbolize certain power and will. Given the diverse cultural backgrounds of states during wartime, their styles are naturally varied. In contrast, official seals are larger in size, with fewer or more characters arranged within, ranging from three to four characters to eight or nine. When characters are numerous, the principles of "distribution of force and spacing" differ greatly from the ordinary, or the vertical and horizontal relationships between characters, or the left-right interplay of lines, can be discussed from the perspective of "calligraphic composition" rather than being confined to "seal composition theory." Private seals are smaller in size with fewer characters, so their arrangement and spacing can be analyzed using conventional layout theories. Based on modern prints, this work discusses seals in isolation, combining traditional aesthetic perspectives to summarize the alignment of ancient seal carving with the principles of seal carving. It provides a technical introduction covering four sections: boundary lines, character methods, cutting techniques, and composition theory.