On The Rise Of Ming Dynasty Literati Seal Carving And Its Imitation And Applicatio

In the mid-Ming dynasty,with the extensive use of stone seals,there was a proliferation of literati seal engravers who carved their own seals.The function of seal engraving also underwent changes.Although literati seal engravers adhered to the guiding principle of "the imprint school of Han and Wei",their seal carving was still based on the easily expressed medium of stone,thus gradually departing from the rigid conformity of the Qin and Han periods.The rise of Yangming School of Mind greatly liberated people’s thinking,pursuing self-adaptation,returning to oneself,enjoying the pleasures of life,and expressing the inherent nature of humanity,becoming a comprehensive reflection of literati life in that era.In addition,the psychological trauma suffered by literati in Jiangnan since the "North-South List" case led to seals becoming one of the paths for literati to express their aspirations to the Dao.Consequently,seal engraving works truly became art pieces that circulated in the market and among friends.As seal engraving gradually departed from its practical function,and moved closer to art,the content and form of the inscription and border designs became increasingly diverse.This article explores the initial stages of literati seal engraving from three aspects:blade technique,seal design,and seal script.Blade technique in seal engraving refers to a series of methods and rules that imitate the visual effect of practical ancient seals.The author classifies blade technique into five categories,including Wen Peng’s dental carving,He Zhen’s hurried blade style,Su Xuan’s imitation of the effects of Han stamped seals,Wang Guan’s imitation of the original Han seals,and Zhu Jian’s use of knife as a brush.The author analyzes this from two perspectives: the contrast between the red and white spaces left inside the seal,and the differences in overall arrangement within the seal.The selection of seal script is analyzed separately from studying Han and Wei’s learning methods and extending beyond them.Through summarizing their design,structure treatment,This article improves the level of Ming dynasty literati seal engraving creation and aesthetic height.