A Collection of Exquisite Seals and Stamps from Various Dynasties in China

Author: Dai Shanqing
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2001-10-01
Features: The art of Chinese seal carving originated in the Shang and Zhou dynasties and has a history of over three thousand years. Macroscopically, it can be divided into the bronze seal system and the stone seal system. The bronze seal system began in the Shang and Zhou dynasties and ended with private seals in the Ming dynasty and official seals in the Qing dynasty, with craftsmanship as its mainstream. By the Warring States period, it had developed into a grand spectacle. Due to the division of states and the emphasis on various schools of thought, the lack of unified script led to diversified aesthetic tastes, forming the diverse artistic styles of ancient seals. The harmonious charm of exquisite seal script and unconventional layout became the guiding principle for generations. With the unification of China under the Qin dynasty, the unification of script, and the suppression of the Hundred Schools of Thought, the seal style became more respectful of Confucianism, which was later revered as the model for future generations. The development of Han seals reached its peak during the Xin dynasty, declined in the Eastern Han dynasty, and became crude and simplistic by the Northern and Southern Dynasties. Ancient seals and Han seals are the most brilliant pages in the history of seal carving. However, with the decline of seal script from the stage, the idea that seals should not use seal script stubbornly persisted for over a thousand years. It was not until the private seals of the Song and Yuan dynasties that a new brilliant page in the history of seals was opened, which is the Yuan. The Yuan originated from the sub-shaped symbols of the Shang and Zhou dynasties. Broadly speaking, the Yuan matured in the Yuan dynasty, with the bronze private seals of the early and mid-Ming dynasty also belonging to the Yuan. The greatest contribution of the Yuan was the use of common scripts such as regular script, clerical script, and cursive script in seals. Compared to the dead end of seal script seals in the nine-layered style, the Yuan demonstrated a new and tremendous vitality.