China Travel Reference

Image Seals

Seals carved with images developed as an off-shoot from the art of character-cutting on seals. They bear likenesses in life or things in nature. The cutting of these images come close in technique and skill to the art of engraving in general; only it is done on the limited space of a small seal, hence it is also called “miniature engraving”.

The images that went on these seals were already many and varied in the Han Dynasty. Old image seals are found to cover a wide range of subjects, including the imaginary dragon and phoenix, the tiger, crane and other animals, which are supposed to bring luck and good fortune. Other images are of the more familiar animals: chicken, duck, sheep, goose and fish. Still others portray activities such as dancing, music playing, hunting and livestock-raising. Every seal is a piece of art reflecting something in the life of the artist’s age and showing distinctive local and national features. A great deal is contained in a space rarely exceeding the size of a postage stamp.

Image-bearing seals, like seals in general, may be cut in relief or in intaglio.

With the recent development of the tourist industry in China, shops at certain scenic sites have introduced souvenir seals with images of the Great Wall, the Tang Dynasty Tri-colored pottery horse, etc. to be stamped on the albums of he tourists -a traditional art put to practical use, which is very well received.
　