Studies On The Six-facet Seals From The Eastern Jin Dynasty To The Northern And Southern Dynasties

The six-facet seals (a cubic Chinese seals with seal-cutting on all six faces ) played a distinctive role in the history from Eastern Jin Dynasty to Northern a nd Southern Dynasties when transitions of seal-craftsmanship took place. With inadequate and unsystematic researches towards those seals, most scholars in C hina believed that six-facet seals was made for practical use.The first chapter is an introduction that introduces the thoughts and methods of this paper and the relative studies of the six-facet seals in academia.In the second chapter, make the systematic arrangement of the existing data, including the data sources:Yinpu, archaeological materials, dominant museum collections and private collections and Japanese collections in which is 104 pieces in total.In the third chapter, according to the master of seals and the official names, combined with the age of the graves, excavated sites and historical documents, determine the age of these six-facet seals. Based on all of this information above, six-facet seals’ popular times is supposed to from the Eastern Jin Dynasty to the Southern and Northern Dynasties (The sixteen-states is to be covered).In the fourth chapter, take advantage of archaeological typology to discuss the type system of six-facet seals and the rule of evolvement. Specifically, it consists of the following three types:A-type (the columnar handle of seals), B-type (the columnar handle of seals with double-platform) and C-type (the trapeziform handle of seals). Further crystallization is possible; A-type can be decomposed into two subtypes (Aa-subtype and Ab-subtype). On this basis, the spatial distribution of six-facet seals is analyzed with the help of excavated sites.Then, research the inscriptions of the seal. First, the inscriptions content of seal is analyzed after dividing into the personal information and the words of documents. The personal information includes name, family, official status and such information. The the words of documents generally involved the form of ancient official documents and sealed phraseology, thus we could see officers how to use signets on their documents in the Six Dynasties. Furthermore, using experimental archaeology and simulations to produce two forms in order to discuss the calligraphy and sculpture styles.In order to discuss the essence of the six-facet seals, the sixth chapter researched official documents and service condition in this time. Combined with literature and material, we reveal that they generally use paper to write official documents, and use the seal cover on the paper with cinnabar.By the means of type system, institution and environment of the six-facet seals, the final chapter aims to infer the essence of the six-facet seals.It is deemed to a funerary object. Seemingly, there are some relation between six-facet seals and the Taoist funeral.In summary, the six-sacet seals is a specified funerary object which gained popularity from the Eastern Jin Dynasty to the Southern and Northern Dynasties. The columnar handle of seals is the characteristics in Eastern Jin Dynasty and Southern Dynasty, in which the cross section is square or rectangular and the Xuanzhenzhuan. By contrast, the trapeziform handle of seals preserved much more characteristics of Mouzhuan in Northern Dynasty. The inscriptions of seal is divided into the words of documents and the personal information, the former is almost exactly the same as the dominant format in that era and most likely intended to assist the owner of tomb in official business during the afterlife, the latter plays a role similar to the epitaph.