Practical Seal Carving Manual. Seal Impressions of Fan Zi Zhai and Guan Yin

Author: Dong Hongcheng
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-01-01
Features: Zhai, Tang, Guan, and Ge were places where literati read, wrote, studied, gathered, and held gatherings throughout history. Starting from Li Bi's "Duan Ji Room" in the Tang Dynasty, seals were created using these names, which are commonly referred to as "Room Name Seals" or "Zhai Guan Seals." The names of Zhai Guan seals are numerous, including: Zhai, Tang, Shi, Ge, Wu, Ju, She, Guan, Lou, Ting, Xuan, Xie, An, Lu, Yi, Chao, Xiao Zhu, Shan Fang, etc. There are also those named after Zhuang, Yuan, and Cun. Moreover, some even named their homes after boats, transcending the ordinary, such as Zhou, Ge, and Ting. Among these seals, whether present or absent, the names of Zhai Guan seals all declare the literati's yearning for elegant environments and their aspirations to immerse themselves in the beauty of mountains and rivers, as well as their desire for self-purification and detachment from worldly affairs. Seals with Zhai Tang Zhu Ge names are mostly products of literati's seal carving and are an indispensable category in seal carving works. The Zhai Guan seals illustrated in this book, except for the four seals "Duan Ji Room," "Jian Ye Wen Fang," "Song Xue Zhai," and "Ting Yun Guan," are all masterpieces passed down by seal carvers of various schools. In these works, the depth of the authors' knowledge, their profound skills, their ingenious designs, and their diligent efforts are all evident. They are worth reference and inspiration for serious scholars.