Epigraphy and Seal Engraving
01 · Historical Records
From the 13th century onward, literati artists chose stone instead of metal to carve their own seals, and in the course of development formed different artistic styles and schools. In the early 18th century, Ding Jing inherited the 'oblique-cut' (qiedao) technique created by the Ming dynasty's Wen Peng; Jiang Ren, Huang Yi and others followed his lead, forming the 'Zhejiang school' centred on the 'Eight Masters of Xiling'. Between 1912 and 1949, seal-carving schools became still more diverse, represented by the freehand seal style of Zhao Guni, Chen Shizeng and Deng Sanmu; the 'Yishan school' of Deng Erya, Qiao Dazhuang and others; and the 'rounded vermilion script' (yuan zhu wen) style of Wang Fu'an and Chen Julai.
02 · Core Techniques & Process
Metal-and-stone seal carving is a traditional Chinese art form that combines Chinese characters with engraving and expresses itself in the form of seals. Using stone as its principal medium and the carving knife as its tool, it combines within a square inch the linear beauty of Chinese characters, the compositional beauty of layout, and the natural plainness of blade technique and metal or stone; it is an artistic treasure of China. The art of seal carving developed from the techniques of carving ancient Chinese seals. Ancient seals were cast and chiselled in metal. Seal carving takes the engraving of ancient scripts as its principal means of expression, possessing a beauty of abstraction, of wonder and of the humanistic. Metal-and-stone seal carving has multiple cultural and social functions: the various kinds of seals in seal-carving works have the practical function of serving as credentials, such as name seals, reign-title seals, collector's seals and signature seals. The stamping of a personal seal indicates ownership of an object; when applied to works of calligraphy or painting, it serves as authentication and appreciation. By examining the seals on works of calligraphy and painting, one can also trace the history of their transmission. The art of seal carving continues to exist in modern society, and its practical function as a means of sealing remains in use. With the development of the times, the fields of application of metal-and-stone seal carving are also gradually expanding. Seal-carving works are usually given to one another as gifts of refined cultural taste. Deng Shiru, Wu Rangzhi and Xu Sangeng formed the 'Anhui school'. Zhao Zhiqian opened the way of 'seeking seals beyond seals', which deeply influenced Wu Changshuo and Huang Mufu. Qi Baishi's single-knife seal making has a distinctive character. Contemporary seal carvers, drawing on the seal styles of their predecessors, have formed styles of their own.
Seals as credentials
Name, reign, connoisseur and colophon seals served as credentials; on paintings they certify ownership and reveal a work's transmission.
The Zhejiang school
In the early eighteenth century Ding Jing inherited the cutting-knife method and, with Jiang Ren and Huang Yi, formed the Zhejiang school.
The Anhui school and beyond
Deng Shiru and others formed the Anhui school; Zhao Zhiqian's search beyond seals influenced Wu Changshuo and Qi Baishi.
Freehand and round seal script
From 1912 to 1949 freehand manners, the Yishan school and round seal-script styles proliferated.
Stone and graver
From the thirteenth century literati carved their own seals in stone instead of cast metal, uniting brushwork, composition and knife-cut simplicity.
03 · Regional Records & Related Items
In its transmission and evolution over generations, metal-and-stone seal carving has produced a great diversity of schools. Today, its practitioners and audiences are widely distributed throughout the country, with numerous members of seal-study associations and seal-carving enthusiasts.
Other submitting regions for the same item: Epigraphy and Seal Engraving.
04 · Cultural Value & Contemporary Safeguarding
Metal-and-stone seal carving gathers together the cultural essence of literature, history, aesthetics, epigraphy, calligraphy and painting; 'small as it is in square inches, it presents a universe of phenomena', and it has considerable aesthetic and collection value.
06 · Authoritative Sources & Bibliography
Sources
China Intangible Cultural Heritage Network (ihchina.cn)
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