| Seal-cutting is traditionally listed along with painting, calligraphy and
poetry as one of the "four arts" expected of the accomplished scholar and a
unique part of the Chinese cultural heritage. A seal stamp in red is not only the
signature on a work of calligraphy or painting but an indispensable touch to liven it up.
The
art dates back about 3,700 years to the Yin Dynasty and has its origin in the cutting of
oracle inscriptions on tortoise shells. It flourished in the Qin Dynasty of 22 centuries
ago, when people engraved their names on utensils and documents (of bamboo and wood) to
show ownership or authorship. Out of this grew the cutting of personal names on small
blocks of horn, jade or wood, namely the seals as we know them today.
As in other countries, seals may be used by official departments as well as private
individuals. From as early as the Warring States Period (475- 221 B.C.) an official seal
would be bestowed as token of authorization by the head of a state to a subject whom he
appointed to a high office. The seal, in other words, stood for the office and
corresponding power. Private seals are likewise used to stamp personal names on various
papers for purposes of authentication or as tokens of good faith.
Seals reflect the development of written Chinese. The earliest ones, those of the Qin
and Han dynasties, bear the zhuan or curly script, which explains why the art of
seal-cutting is still called zhuanke and also why the zhuan script is also
known in English as "seal characters". As time went on, the other script styles
appeared one after another on Chinese seals, which may now be cut in any style except the
cursive at the option of the artist.
Characters on seals may be cut in relief or in intaglio. The materials for seals vary
with different types of owners. Average persons normally have wood, stone or horn seals,
whereas noted public figures would probably prefer seals made of red stained Changhua
stone, jade, agate, crystal, ivory and other more valuable materials. Monarchs in the old
days used gold or the most precious stones to make their imperial or royal seals. Today
Chinese government offices at lower levels wood ones.
Seals cut as works of art should excel in three aspects-- calligraphy, composition and
the graver's handwork. The artist must be good at writing various styles of the Chinese
script. He should know how to arrange within a limited space a number of characters-- some
compact with many strokes and others sketchy with very few-- to achieve a vigorous or
graceful effect. He should also be familiar with the various materials-- stone, brass or
ivory-- so that he may apply the cutting knife with the right exertion, technique and even
rhythm. For the initiated to watch a master engraver at work is like seeing a delightful
stage performance. |
go to the index of The China Experience
