In China hundreds of years ago, seals were not only a symbol of power and status, but also a favorite of literati and scholars. These seals silently convey people's thoughts and become a unique art form. And the Qianlong Emperor, the emperor with the largest number of seals in Chinese history, could not resist its charm.
Clear. According to the record of "Qianlong Baoxu", the number of seals of the Qianlong Emperor is amazing, with a total of more than 1,800 squares. These seals are not only numerous in number, but also of high quality, reflecting Emperor Qianlong's love and pursuit of seal art.
Among them, Qianlong is the most favoriteTian Huang triptychIt is one of the top ten treasures of the Palace Museum. With its exquisite craftsmanship and profound cultural connotation, this seal has become a treasure of Chinese culture. The texture of its Tianhuang stone is warm, the color is gorgeous, the carving is fine, and it is unique. The ornamentation of the seal means auspiciousness and good luck, and it is full of strong cultural atmosphere.
This Tian Huang triptych is not only a work of art, but also a historical relic. It bears witness to Emperor Qianlong's love and pursuit of seal art, and also witnesses the breadth and profundity of Chinese culture. It is one of the treasures of Chinese culture and one of the treasures of the Palace Museum.
However, with the passage of time, the seal gradually changed from practical to artistic, becoming a niche ornament. People pay more attention to the ornamental value of seals, but rarely really understand the history and origin behind seals. Judging from the existing seals, the history of seals can be traced back to the Warring States period. At the time, they were commonly used as valid credentials for authentication, just as ID cards are today. With the evolution of history, seals have been classified into three major types: jade seals, official seals, and seals.
The jade seal is a seal that can only be called a "seal" if it is used by the emperor. The term originated from Qin Shi Huang, who unified the six kingdoms, and symbolized supreme imperial power. At the 2010 Sotheby's auction in Hong Kong, two parties were showcasedQing Jiaqing Imperial Dragon Button Jade Seal, the transaction price at that time reached a sky-high price of 69.01 million!
The official seal is a symbol of official power, and the official seal of different sizes and materials is used in order of the highest to the lowest. Generally speaking, the higher the official position, the larger the official seal, and the more expensive and rare the material used. For example, a copper official seal during the Song Dynasty was unearthed in a cellar in Zhejiang. The content of the seal is "the first general seal of the water army in front of the palace stationed in Jiaxing Fupu", which should be left behind when the Song army resisted the Yuan Dynasty.
The seal is an important part of the creation of Chinese painting, which indicates the author's ownership of the painting and calligraphy work, similar to the current signature. It can be used by the common people, and there are no restrictions. In the special seal hall of the Shanghai Museum, there are seals used by literati and artists of various eras. These seals all show the whimsical ideas of the ancients!
A small seal can hold a lot of imagination and form a pattern of its own. This is the reason why seals have evolved to this day. In every square inch, we see the love and pursuit of art and life of the ancients. These seals not only attest to the identity and power of the owner, but also play an important role in the course of history. In their unique way, they record the changes of the times and the development of human civilization. While we are amazed by the wisdom and talent of the ancients, we also have a deep reflection on our own life and cultural inheritance.