In China, seals were used quite earlily as practical matters. But artistic real-carving didn’t develop quite a long time later until the collection and appraisement of calligraphy and painting prevail.udMasterpieces of calligraphy and painting were put mark on to tell if they were genuine or counterfeited. At first people signed on the masterpieces or the accessories. They also testify with seals sealed on the articles, and in this way artistic beauty is especially required to secure coordination. Besides appraising seals, private and official seals were also used to identify the authors of the masterpieces. The combination of appraising seals, calligraphy and paintings was the first step that led they way for seals to be arts with great significance.udThe application of seals on calligraphy, painting and appraising urged the literary men to respect the artistic beauty of seals. But due to the hard materials, the literary men designed scripts on seals and then ordered the workers to carve for them. Seal-carving arts did not flourish until the literary men carved by themselves. From Soong to Yuan dynasties, rock materials made it possible for the literary men to carve and thus promoted them to be devoted on seal carving.udThe discovery of seal materials helped to develop the theories issued in Yuan dynasty by Chao Meng-Fu and Wu Chiu-Eng. Those were great milestones for the development of seal arts.udChao Meng-Fu suggested the idea of estheticism on seals. He criticized and opposed the fanciful and vulgar methods at that time, and moreover introduced the concept of plainness and elegance. The estheticism of Han-seal was thus set up and continued to make great influence on seal carving.udWu Chiu-Eng’s theory of learning the ancients was esteemed as the first classic writing of seallogy. It established significant foundation in the theory of seal-carving arts.udIn Ming dynasty, it became popular to collect ancient seal genealogy. The fashion of imitating Han-seals pushed the seal-carving arts to a top development.udThe publication of Seal-Collection and seal genealogy made the cavers learn the beauty of Han seals through ancient ones. Seal carvers appeared in great quantities. Seal carving arts became popular and promoted the development of seallogy theories on seal material, writing, figuring and carving.udFrom Ching dynasty on, factions of seals developed prosperously and theories were discussed more widely and deeply. Seals Originated In Calligraphy and Seals Beyond Seals were the most important. People thought that the creation of seal carving required learning from multiple masters and respective calligraphy. In order to make the seal styles more affluent, they must gain the nutrition of tablets and antiques.udDeng Shi-ru’s “Seals originated in calligraphy” was derived from the inscription calligraphy. Only the seals with characteristic style could make the creator surpass the range of ancients and create new image of arts.udChao Tse-Chien’s “Seals beyond seals” appeared due to the prevalence of verification, the affluence of antiques and the gathering of literary men. It was the spring of seal varieties. By reacting with seal feature, it broadened the contents of seal arts.ud“Seals beyond seals” was considered to be the supplement of “Seals originated in calligraphy.” The latter emphasized characteristic style of calligraphy on the feature of seal carving, while the former adopted ancient literary letters as nutrition to broaden the style and display of respective seals. Though originated in different ways, the both were connected with calligraphy and the seals all displayed with ego characters. These two theories became popular art thoughts on seals. Seal-carving hence developed atop.udFacing the historic development of seal-carving, we are in an era with better codnitions than the ancients. We should learn more about ancient seal theories, but not be limited within the range of them. Every theory has its backgrounds and conditions of time and space. We ought to keep the quintessence and discard the unfit. Only in this way can we make a breakthrough to get more affluent developments, explore and advance to light up the vision of seal arts.
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