The Revival Of The Seal-cutting Art In The Qing Dynasty

As an integral part of Chinese calligraphy and painting, the seal-cutting art has gone through a long course of development. Although it was taken into calligraphy and painting very late, it has been attached unprecedented emphasis to since its rise in Song Dynasty and Yuan Dynasty. The seal-cutting art started with the collection of ancient seals and seal design in Song dynasty. In Yuan Dynasty, its foundation was laid, and it boomed in Ming Dynasty and Qing Dynasty. Yet, the seal-cutting art experienced a series of ups and downs as well. Although the seal-cutting art developed further in Ming Dynasty, because of kinds of reasons the seal-cutting art went from prosperity to decline, and the end of the Dynasty even witnessed a period of stagnation. By the Qing Dynasty, its development started to revive and flourished during the middle and late Qing Dynasty.This thesis discusses the characteristics of the seal-cutting art during Qing Dynasty in example of Cheng Sui, one of seal-cutting artists in She county. Firstly this thesis discusses the important theories and thoughts of the seal-cutting art from Yuan Dynasty to Qing Dynasty. Their influence on Cheng Sui might not be directly,but stood for aesthetics at that time. Secondly, the thesis discusses different schools of seal-cutting artists, especially those artists from Anhui and their pupils. A variety of schools appears in Anhui, including Wan style, Hui style, Huangshan style, Xin’an style, etc. In all these schools, there were many major figures, including He Zhen,Cheng Sui and so on. Cheng Sui linked the past and future, and changed the tendency of stagnation in late Ming Dynasty. He was honored as Four Great Maters of She county, together with Ba Zuwei, Hu Tang, and Wang Zhaolong.It is stated in the thesis that the revival of the art would have been impossible without the efforts of the seal-cutting artists in the She County, such as Cheng Sui,which contributed to the development of the seal-cutting art during Qing Dynasty. So the thesis analyzes Cheng’s unique style different from the old traditions set by He Zhen and Wen Peng, by reviewing his life and experiences. Also, the thesis discussedthe reasons for the revival in the context of the economic, social and cultural development in the Ming and Qing dynasties.Based on historical records of Ming Dynasty and Qing Dynasty, this thesis examines the reason for the revival of the seal-cutting art in Qing Dynasty from different aspects. And this thesis analyzes the characteristics of the seal-cutting art at that time, by discussing the works of Cheng Sui and other seal-cutting artists from She county, hoping to benefit today’s seal-cutting art’s development.