From The Work Of Craftsman To The Art Of Literati

In the history of Chinese seal-carving, the era throughout Sung and Yuan dynastytook the significant place. Based on abundant historical documents concerningseal-carving, and through the discussion of seals of literati in now existed Sungand Yuan paintings and calligraphies, the dissertation underlines a historicaldevelopment that the literati class were engaged in the seal-carving whichpreviously was the craft of craftsman. Due to the participation of the literati, thetechnique, style and function of seal-carving was changed fundamentally. Itsymbolizes the rising of literary seal-carving, changing from the work of craftsmanto the art of literati.The dissertation have four chapters. Chapter One: Seal-carver in sung and Yuan.This chapter discusses the seal-carvers acted in Sung and Yuan period indifferent identities, including officials, literati and low-classed craftsmen.Chapter Two: The Social Life and Living of Seal-carvers. The Chapter discussesthe social life of pure literati and the make living of professional seal-carversrespectively.Chapter Three: The Practice of Seal-carvers. This chapter focuses on the technicaland concept elements in the practice of seal-carving, including the carvingmaterial and the conception of Yongdao (using carving knife) and so on.Chapter Four: The Development of Seal in the Literati Life and the SeparationBetween Government and Private. The last part concentrate on the differencebetween public and private, government and person, discusses a serial ofproblems such as the norm of Sung and Yuan official seals, the rising of Huayaseal (signature seal) , style of literary seal and the forming of the mode ofcalligraphy-painting-seal. The author want to argue some new understandings onthe new taste of literary seal-carving in Sung and Yuan.