Jade seal, auspicious and wealthy

The history of seals is long! It is a unique symbol of Chinese royal family, aristocrats and literati. The documents, books, letters, calligraphy and paintings handed down to us today are all covered with various kinds of seals. Not only are the inscriptions different, but the materials and images are also varied. They are not only a symbol of personality, but also carry China's long history and profound culture.

So when did seals originate? Judging from the existing seals, they can be traced back to the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period; at first they were only used as certificates for commercial exchanges of goods. Since Qin Shihuang unified China, seals have served as a symbol of power and have been controlled by those in power as a tool to rule the people.

Ancient seals are a general term for seals from the pre-Qin period. The earliest seals we can see now are mostly ancient seals from the Warring States Period. For example, Su Qin, a famous prime minister who advocated the alliance of six countries, wore the seals of the six countries.

After the Qin Dynasty, the Sui and Tang Dynasties ushered in another new stage of China's classical seal system and style. The length suddenly increased from about 2.3 cm to about 5.4 cm, completing the transformation from official seals to official office seals.

Until the Song Dynasty, when everything was in ruins and needed to be rebuilt, official seals were once again the old seals of the Five Dynasties. When the official seal was recast soon after, the words "new" or "newly cast" were often embedded in the seal to distinguish it from the official seals of the Five Dynasties, such as the "Newly Cast Seal of Dongguan County" in 980 AD, the fifth year of Taipingxingguo in the Northern Song Dynasty. All official seals were cast in copper, and their sizes varied according to the official's rank.

Since the Yuan Dynasty, the appreciation of seals as a work of art can be roughly divided into two parts: one is the seal itself, and the other is the engraving of the seal text, and the two are closely related. At that time, people liked to use stone as seals, which became most popular after the Yuan Dynasty. These stone seals were mostly made of talc, and the three most treasured types were Qingtian stone, Changhua stone, and Shoushan stone.

During the Ming and Qing dynasties, the requirements for the materials of seals were getting higher and higher, and seals became an elegant plaything for literati. The price of stone doubled at one time. The standards pursued were: fine, clean, moist, smooth, warm, and condensed, which were called the "Six Virtues". Only when all six standards could be basically met could it be said to have "all six virtues". In addition to stone seals, ivory, agate, crystal, rhinoceros horn, etc. can all be selected as materials for seals. From the late Qing Dynasty to the present day, as jade has become more and more popular among collectors, precious and elegant jade seals have gradually become a treasure in the study rooms of scholars and politicians, shining brightly on books, letters, and manuscripts.

There are three main types:

First, the jade seal, which is the most familiar jade seal, is a symbol of status and power. It belongs to the emperor. Its rise and fall is related to the country and the survival of the people. Therefore, the jade seal symbolizes eternal peace and power.

Second, the jade official seal. Those who hold the jade official seal and are in charge of the people of a region, can make the people live and work in peace and contentment, and at the same time they can also rise to prominence, only by caring about the people and being steady and responsible. Therefore, the jade official seal symbolizes responsibility and status, implies people's respect, and also implies rising fame and success.

Third, the jade seal. Seals are a type of jade seal that ancient literati and poets preferred. Many ancient people liked to stamp their works with seals after writing. The seal represents the true temperament and romantic style of the literati. Therefore, jade seals symbolize extraordinary talent and talent.

Nowadays, seals are still widely used. Each department and unit has several large red seals, from central ministries to street offices, from public institutions to private enterprises, with different uses: personnel, finance, administration, internal and external, each seal is clearly distinguished and cannot be confused.

With the popularization of jade culture, the commercial value of jadeite is also rising. Today, it has become the king of gems that integrates multiple functions such as wearing, collection, and investment. The jadeite seal is a combination of oriental treasures and cultural history. The two are combined and complement each other. The jadeite adds to the noble temperament of the seal, and the seal displays the kingly style of the jadeite.

Jade seals have long surpassed their original functions and have become a new favorite in the collection world. Especially a jade seal made of superior jade and exquisitely carved, its preciousness can be described as priceless.

If the jade bracelet represents the gentle elegance, gracefulness and dignity of oriental women, then the seal demonstrates the great talent and extraordinary bearing of oriental men!

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