As an art category with national historical and cultural characteristics, seals are like a wonderful flower that continuously exudes a unique fragrance in the extensive and profound Chinese Art Garden, attracting people to enter this small world.
The artistic function of seals
Seals were originally tokens and served as confirmation. After the Song and Yuan Dynasties, due to the emphasis on calligraphy, painting, inscriptions and signatures, calligraphers gradually realized the artistic role of seals and paid attention to playing this role in calligraphy works, so that the art of combining calligraphy and seal was formed. The contrast between calligraphy and printing not only adds color to calligraphy works, enlivens the atmosphere, and has the effect of "icing on the cake", but can also adjust the focus, remedy deficiencies in layout, and stabilize and balance the work.
Signing and sealing calligraphy works can show solemnity and prevent forgery; stamping with elegant and meaningful leisure seals can also express the ambition and taste of the calligrapher. Therefore, calligraphers have always attached great importance to the use of seals, and even engraved them themselves, so that the calligraphy and seals can be organically combined to produce a more beautiful and stronger artistic appeal.
Shu Tong's calligraphy works
Wu Changshuo, a famous painter in the Qing Dynasty, believed: "The most elegant calligraphy and painting must also focus on seals. For those who are exquisite in calligraphy and painting, a good seal will enhance the color." Seal The best ones are like the finishing touch, adding color and splendor to calligraphy and painting works. One of the characteristics that distinguishes Chinese calligraphy and painting from the West is that the author not only inscribes the title and signs it, but also seals it with a seal. The calligraphy and painting look like a dragon, and the seal is the finishing touch. This point can be described as "the uniqueness of China" (Lu Xun's words).
Several kinds of seals commonly used in calligraphy and painting works
(1) Name seal
Name seal is used to sign the inscription. Some names are connected together and some are separated. The inscription and seal should be written with one name and one character, or one surname and one name. The name of the money is printed; the name of the money is printed with a name stamp. If the payment has a surname, a name seal can be used. If the payment does not have a surname, or if the payment is not signed, a name seal should be used to facilitate identification of the author.
In Mr. Qi Gong’s calligraphy works, you can see the old man’s name seal and calligraphy seal.
The ancients paid attention to etiquette when using seals; when a humble child writes to his elders, he should use a name seal; among ordinary people, he should use a character seal; when an elder writes to a humble child, he should use a different name seal. On the contrary, it will make people laugh. Zhang Daqian, a modern calligrapher and painter, believes that "square is the best shape for name stamps, and round is acceptable. If the waist is round, the natural shape is not suitable."
Name stamps are generally divided into Zhuwen (Yangwen) and Baiwen (Yangwen). Yinwen) two kinds. When there are two name seals on a calligraphy work, it is best to have one in red and one in white, and the two chapters should be of appropriate size. When multiple chapters are used at the end of the payment, the order is the name seal first, then the word and number seals.
The so-called Yang script means that the characters protrude on the stone, while the Yin script is the opposite.
(2) Xianzhang
Xianzhang is also called the layout chapter, including the leading chapter, the side seal, the corner seal and the waist seal.
1. Introductory chapter
The introductory chapter is a seal stamped on the upper right side of a calligraphy work. It is also called a "suspended seal" and is carved according to the shape of the stone. Generally speaking, it is not suitable to be square, but semi-circular, rectangular, round, semicircular, gourd-shaped, natural shape, Xiao-shaped, etc. are better. Whether the initial seal should be stamped on the calligraphy work depends on the needs. If the initial seal is too neat, it needs to be "broken"; the final seal is too heavy and needs to be "upgraded"; the distribution of seals on the work is monotonous and needs to be "adjusted". This is An initial seal should be considered.
Mr. Qi Gong’s calligraphy work uses the introductory chapter
The introductory chapters in calligraphy works can be divided into the following types according to their content:
(1) Zhai Hao Zhang The Zhai Hao Zhang originated from the jade seal of the residence of Li Miduan, Prime Minister of the Tang Dynasty. After the Song and Yuan Dynasties, this trend became more and more popular, and almost every calligrapher had a Zhai title seal. Wen Zhengming, a calligrapher of the Ming Dynasty, said: "Many of my bookstores are built on seals." Zhai names are usually called Zhai, hall, room, building, pavilion, pavilion, xuan, nunnery, etc., such as Weiqingzhai, Xuexitang, Mo Sword Room, Xiaoyin Tower, Songfeng Pavilion, Laigu Pavilion, Yushangxuan, Lotte Temple, etc.
Calligraphy works by Sheng Xuanhuai, named Yuzhai
(2) Yaqu chapters are ancient auspicious chapters and phrases, many of which have moral meanings, are full of elegant taste, or are compiled with philosophical and thought-provoking meanings. Thoughtful idioms and aphorisms, or record your own interests and feelings.
Elegant and interesting chapters have a wide range of content and encourage people to learn, such as "carry out", "learn from the past", "bookworm", "be good at diligence", "art has no limit", "learn from the past but not learn from the past", "learn widely" , "Reading books is a pleasure", "People who love to learn will be wise", "Long-term accumulation and accidental acquisition", etc.; there are expressions of feelings, such as "relying on virtue", "clear ambition", "pure interest", "happy and healthy", "Bliss in suffering", "Cherish the Yin", "Ruzi Niu", "Jade Clean Bingqing", "Indifferent Tianqu", "Laoji Fufang", etc.; there are expressions of the interest of pen and ink, such as "splashing ink", "pen farming", "Xiangtian", "Divine interest", "Hidden clumsiness", "Addicted to this", "Xinyu hand pursuit", "Business in the inkstone field", etc.; there are auspicious wishes, such as "fulfillment", "long happiness", "beautiful and immortal", " "Auspicious days and good times", "Life is long and prosperous", "Shuhan has longevity", "Eternal and everlasting", etc.
Lin Zexu carved "All favors and disgrace are forgotten" in his later years
Note: During the Opium War, Lin Zexu was demoted to Xinjiang. After that, he carved this "All favors and disgrace are forgotten", Use it to encourage yourself.
(3) The year stamp is used to record the age of calligraphy works, such as Jiazi, Yichou, Bingyin or 1989, 1990, 1980s, 1990s, etc. .
(4) Month number stamp is used to record the month order of calligraphy works, such as Shangchun, Ruyue, Silkworm Moon, etc.
2. Border seal
Border seal refers to the seal that is stamped on one side of the calligraphy work, which plays the role of blocking the edge and gathering energy.
Cai Xiang's "Wan'an Bridge"
3. Corner seal
The seal stamped on the corner of a calligraphy work is called a corner seal. The upper right corner is called "Yingshou", and the two lower corners are called "Yijiao". The edge seal can only be used on one side; the corner seal can be used on both sides. It closes to the corner and plays the role of "blocking the edge and sealing the corners", "filling the void" and adjusting and stabilizing the picture.
Mi Fu's "Coral Tie"
4. Waist Seal
For long calligraphy works such as banners, if there is only one introductory seal on the upper right, the center seal If it looks empty, it can be stamped with a waist seal. The content is mostly the place of origin of the calligrapher, or the calligrapher's zodiac sign can also be used. The waist seal should be smaller than the initial seal and the last name seal, and the three seals should not be stamped in a straight line.
The above-mentioned kinds of leisure seals are not "free" in fact. If the seals are properly printed, they can not only play the role of pen and ink, but also play a role that pen and ink cannot play. As modern calligrapher and painter Pan Tianshou said: "The first chapter and the corner seal, like the name seal, can echo the color changes on the picture, break up the flatness, and stabilize the balance."
< p> (3) Appreciation and Collection SealAppreciation and Collection Seal is a seal used by appreciators and collectors. According to reports, the collection seal also began in the Tang Dynasty and became popular after the Song Dynasty. Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty used the two characters "Zhenguan" in his own calligraphy as a series of seals, and Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty made a series of seals with the characters "Kaiyuan", both of which were used in the imperial collection of calligraphy and paintings. Later, there were many names for appreciation, such as collection, treasure, appraisal, appreciation, inspection, etc.
Huang Tingjian's "Hua Qi Xun Ren Tie" contains several collection seals
The seals used for collections should be based on the size of the calligraphy and painting, so as not to damage the words and pictures. Some collectors, in order to preserve their reputation through the ages, often destroy the picture when stamping. This should be avoided.
What should you pay attention to when stamping calligraphy works?
The seals on calligraphy works are not stamped randomly, but have certain rules. If the seal is improperly stamped, not only will it not be the icing on the cake, but it will be self-defeating and destroy the artistic effect of the entire work. Therefore, how to seal requires serious consideration and careful consideration. In general, the following points can be grasped:
1. Appropriate size
The size of the seal should match the format of the work, and should be equal to the inscription, preferably smaller. It's okay, but it can't be larger than the inscription, otherwise it will be indecent. If the characters are small and the paper is narrow, you can use small couplets and beads to show your thoughtfulness. When two seals of different sizes are used in a work, the upper one should be smaller and the lower one should be larger to achieve stability and avoid the disadvantage of being top-heavy. If several people cooperate, the seals of several people should also be of the same size.
Dong Qichang's "Ode to the White Feather Fan"
2. The quantity should be small
The number of seals is odd in ancient times. There is a seal that says, "Use one instead of two, use three instead of four, and use an odd number to support the yang and suppress the yin." The number of seals should not be too many, because too many seals will cause confusion and even overwhelm the guest. If a work is digitally printed, different printing surfaces must be selected to avoid duplication.
Mi Fu's "Public Discussing Post"
3. Appropriate positioning
When sealing, you should pay careful attention to the position. A work always has its virtual reality, density and density.
If the dense areas are not compact enough, you can use seals to fill them; if the sparse areas feel empty, you can use seals to fill them in, just like moving small "weights" to make the picture even and smooth.
Part of Zhao Mengfu's "The Great Cave Jade Scripture"
The position of the name and font size seal at the end of the inscription must be carefully arranged. If there is a blank space under the title, the seal should be placed between the signature and the inscription. Bottom; if there is no blank space, it should be left rather than right. The stamps at the end of the payment should be kept at appropriate intervals to avoid crowding and loosening. A work should bear both the introductory chapter and the corner seal, and should not be placed aside. The corner seal should be placed in the lower left corner, diagonally opposite to the lead seal.
4. Trade-off between weight and weight
As far as printing colors are concerned, red printing is lighter and white printing is heavier. For works with light and elegant ink, it is appropriate to use a red seal to keep the two in harmony; for works with a heavy ink, it is best to use a white seal to create a strong contrast between the red vermilion and the jet-black ink. If a work is printed with several seals, the printing colors should be of primary and secondary importance, that is, more vermilion and less white, more white and less vermilion, so that it is both varied and coordinated.
Nian Gengyao’s calligraphy works
5. Consistent style
The style of the seal should be consistent with the calligraphy and style of the work. For example, a straightforward urgent seal should not be stamped on a neat and beautiful regular script work. A bold and vigorous calligraphy work should not be stamped on a graceful iron wire seal. Otherwise, it will be out of place and directly affect the artistic effect of the calligraphy work.
This "Water Village Picture" was created by Zhao Mengfu in the Yuan Dynasty. The very eye-catching thing in the upper right corner is a "Treasure of Emperor Qianlong's Royal View". Seal alone is not enough, there is a string of inscriptions next to it that stretches the entire scroll and is also written by Qianlong.
When using a seal, you must not only make sure that the content is integrated with the text of the work, but also keep the content and style of the seal consistent. For example, the seal of "Motherland, Rivers and Mountains" cannot be carved into pieces. The seal of "hero of a generation" cannot be engraved thinly and weakly. And so on.
But the most exaggerated one is Wang Xizhi's "Quick Snow and Clear Tie". Emperor Qianlong not only covered it with big seals such as "Treasure of Qianlong's Imperial View" and "Gu Xi Emperor", but also filled it with words. , unable to restrain the joy in his heart, he wrote the word "神" in the middle.
Twenty-Five Rules of Seal
Seal (qián yìn), the seal symbol on Chinese calligraphy, painting, and books, is the last critical step when works such as calligraphy and painting are about to be completed. , this is a unique and characteristic art in China. Seals began with Su Dongpo in the Northern Song Dynasty and have a history of one thousand years. A calligraphy and painting work can be "icing on the cake" if used properly, but otherwise it will be self-defeating. Please remember the following twenty-five seal rules:
1. When inscribing and sealing calligraphy and paintings, the seal should not be larger than the characters. It is natural to put a big seal on a large area and a small seal on a small area.
2. The traditional Chinese painting should be stamped directly under the inscription and straight down to the bottom corner. No corner stamps are allowed. For example, if you sign on the upper right corner, you can stamp the "Xian" seal on the lower left corner; if you sign on the upper left corner, you can stamp the "Xiang seal" on the lower right corner. If the seal of the above paragraph is close to the lower corner, the idle seal does not need to be stamped.
3. When signing the traditional Chinese painting banner, there should be no free stamps on the left and right corners. If you sign on the upper right corner, you can stamp it with a square seal on the lower left corner; if you sign it on the upper left corner, you can stamp it with a square seal on the lower right corner. If there is no need to stamp the seal here, but to stamp it reluctantly will be self-defeating.
4. Rectangular, round, or oval seals cannot be placed in the lower corner of the square seal.
5. The square seal cannot be placed on the blank space at the top of the calligraphy and painting, which will overwhelm the guest.
6. When signing a traditional Chinese painting in a straight frame, the characters at the end of each line should not be neatly aligned with the length of the characters at the end of other lines. The same goes for seals.
7. Two seals, one square and one round, cannot match. Same-shaped prints can be matched.
8. Two seals, one big and one small, cannot match. Same size available to match.
9. Two seals, one rectangular and one oval, cannot match. Same-shaped prints can be matched.
10. Two seals, upper yang and lower yin, cannot match. And upper yin and lower yang can match.
11. When stamping two seals, the distance should not be too far or too close. One seal should be separated by just the right distance.
12. When stamping two seals, the seals must be carved with the same knife technique.
13. No inscriptions are allowed after the signature is signed and sealed. If there are words on the upper and lower sides of the seal, the natural phenomenon will be lost.
14. After the payment has been made and the calligraphy and painting has been signed, it is not allowed to make another payment as a gift. It would be disrespectful.
15. Flower heads, bird tails, branches, and mountain tops are not allowed to be stamped or stamped.
This is the most basic common sense for painters and must be understood.
16. Craftsman-engraved seals cannot be used for calligraphy and painting. Stone seals carved by artistic seal carvers must be the best.
17. Do not put a stamp on the top of the above paragraph or place it on the person’s name. Firstly, it is disrespectful, and secondly, it destroys the picture.
18. The stamped corner seal should not be too small. Open the rice paper in four quarters and use a square stone seal, about 3 centimeters is more appropriate.
19. When stamping with corner stamps, do not stamp more than two stamps, one is just right. The distance between the print and the edge is about 1 cm.
20. The seal should not be stamped under the inscription, but should be stamped on the left and right sides of the inscription, separated from the line of inscriptions, and become something outside the painting, except in special circumstances.
21. Don’t put big seals on calligraphy and paintings. It will become a giant seal bomb and destroy the beautiful picture.
22. Name seals on calligraphy and painting should not be stamped with more than three stamps in a row. Two stamps should be stamped, or one stamp is appropriate.
23. Calligraphy and painting should not be stamped arbitrarily on the top, bottom, left and right sides. It is better to cover too much than to cover too much, and it is better to not cover well if the seal is not good.
24. When sealing the second seal, do not stagger around. How to seal the seal, how much force you use, and how to maintain the seal and ink pad should be studied carefully.
25. For the first calligraphy quadruple, a small seal can be stamped on the upper right. Don't cover the rest. If you cover them all, the flow of Qi will be destroyed.