Gujin Yinze was a four-volume manual copied and selected by Cheng Yuan in the Ming Dynasty. The book included the ancient seals, jade seals, marquis seals, private seals, and imperial seals of the Qin and Han Dynasties. Cheng Yuan was a famous seal cutter in the Ming Dynasty. His seal script and seal carving were very recognized at that time and were known as the three pillars of the seal world. He had carefully selected the seals of various collections and the works of famous seal carvers at that time to copy and create the Ancient and Modern Seal. This book was published during the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty and was one of the best at that time. It was not only an important record of ancient seals, but also a display of the level and style of the art of seal carving at that time.
Ancient and Modern Seal Rules (One Letter and Five Volume): The First Volume of the First Series of the First Series of the The series was planned to be published in three parts, with a total of 150-200 types, covering rare and precious books at home and abroad. Each series would release multiple albums, each album containing 10-12 types of printed music, using the method of mixing generations. The book was published by Xiling Seal Press and published in April 2019.
The Encyclopedia of Ancient Official Seals was a list of different types of official seals. We can get some information about ancient official seals, but we don't have a complete collection of official seals. According to the historical records, there were many types of ancient official seals, including the emperor's jade seal, the imperial treasure, the official seal of all levels of court officials, the official seal of local administrative officials, the official seal of all levels of institutions, the official seal of military officials, the seal of low-level institutions, the seal of feudal regime, the seal of ethnic minority regime, the seal of peasant uprising regime, and so on. These official seals were different in terms of material, button style, and seal text, reflecting the rank and power of different official positions. However, the specific types and forms of official seals required further research and data collection to give a complete collection of official seals.
The Collection of Ancient Seals was a set of six volumes of Seals compiled by Gu Congde in 1572 during the Longqing period of the Ming Dynasty. It contained the seals of the author himself and others, including more than 150 jade seals and 1600 bronze seals. This set of seals was the first of its kind, and after it was published, it caused a huge shock in the world of gold and stone. In 1575, the number of jade seals increased to more than 220, and the number of bronze seals increased to more than 3200. Ji Gu Yin Pu was very detailed in the arrangement of the title, the specifications of the paper, the translation and other aspects, which laid the foundation for the later seal. This set of seal records preserved the appearance of ancient seals and had important reference value for the study of Qin and Han seals.
In ancient times, the official seal's rank was determined by the official's rank and status. The seal of a high-ranking official was larger in size, wider in surface, exquisite in text, and generally made of jade, copper, or iron. The seals of low-level officials were smaller in size, with a narrower surface and simple characters. They were mostly made of bronze or stone. The official seal was mainly used on official documents, documents, memorials, and other important documents. It had serious legal effect and official symbolic significance.
I found some ancient novels about seals. Here are some novels that might fit your needs: 1. " Who Said the West Wind Is Cold?" This ancient romance novel told the story of the female protagonist Gu Xiliang who transmigrated to become a beggar and was taken in by a handsome ice sculpture as a hostage. The two of them then embarked on a journey of bizarre murders. 2. [The Daughter of the Female Venerable Kingdom, Sword Under the Heavens]: This ancient sword immortal female protagonist novel tells the story of a female swordsman and a prince in distress. In the world of female Venerables, women were the main characters, followed by men. The plot was very attractive. 3. " The Soul of the Seal ": This modern romance and urban life novel tells the story of a thousand-year-old beauty who wakes up in a completely unfamiliar world after a thousand-year-old corpse is released, as well as the secret behind the thousand-year-old seal. Please note that the novels recommended above may only meet some of your needs. You can choose to read them according to your preferences.
The size of the ancient official seal changed in different periods. From the Qin and Han Dynasties to the Northern and Southern Dynasties, the size of the official seal was roughly 20 mm to 30 mm square. However, by the Sui and Tang Dynasties, the size of the official seal had increased to 50 mm to 60 mm square. The size of the official seal of the Ming Dynasty was generally 10-12 cm square, and the handle of the seal was gradually increased. Some were as high as 8 cm, and the edge of the seal was also gradually widened. The official seal of the Song Dynasty was roughly 5 to 5.5 centimeters in size. Therefore, the size of the ancient official seal changed in different periods.
The ancient official seal was mainly distinguished from the real one by comparing it in many ways. We can understand that there are several ways to identify the authenticity of ancient official seals: 1. Observing the characteristics of the handprints: The handprints left by the ancient government in the case files were often the marks of the entire palm. By observing the size of the palm, the texture of the palm, the length of the knuckles, and other aspects, the error rate could be reduced. 2. Checking the seal: In ancient times, after an official was promoted, they would leave with the official seal that had been stamped on it. Then, they would go to the local area to check with the local seal. If the two were the same, he could confirm the authenticity of the official seal. 3. [Anti-counterfeit mark: The notes of ancient money houses usually have unique anti-counterfeit marks, such as secret codes and poems.] These marks could be compared to the order of the songs of Chu and the Book of Songs to distinguish the authenticity. 4. Observing the characteristics of the seal: The characteristics of the ancient official seal varied according to the dynasty. For example, the characters on the official seals of the Pre-Qin period were usually different characters, while the official seals of the Warring States period were occupied by all kinds of strange characters. By observing whether the seal on the seal matched the characteristics of the characters at that time, one could determine its authenticity. In summary, the authenticity of ancient official seals could be distinguished by observing the characteristics of the handprint, checking the seal, anti-counterfeit marks, and observing the characteristics of the seal.
The Imperial Seal was an official document held by an ancient Chinese emperor to represent the power and authority of the country. In ancient times, the imperial jade seal was one of the most important treasures of the emperor and was considered to represent the highest power of the country. According to historical records, there had been many Imperial Jade Seals in Chinese history. The most famous ones were the Imperial Jade Seals of the Western Han Dynasty and the Tang Dynasty. The Imperial Seal of the Western Han Dynasty was a square seal made of red jade and green jade. Its diameter was about 23 centimeters and its weight was about 20 grams. The imperial jade seal of the Tang Dynasty was a circular seal made of green jade. It was about 33 centimeters in diameter and weighed about 20 grams. In addition, there were also heirloom seals from other periods, such as the Ming Dynasty heirloom seal, the Qing Dynasty heirloom seal, and so on. Every heirloom seal had its own unique imprint and symbol to ensure its authenticity and authority.
The difference between imperial seals and Han seals lay in the font, layout, and rules. You can learn the following information: - Royal Seals referred to ancient seals, including ancient seals and Qin Seals, while Han Seals referred to the seals of the Han Dynasty. - The characters and layout of the ancient seal and Qin seal were more free and did not have fixed rules and restrictions, while the Han seal was more orderly, fair, and solemn. - The characters of the ancient seals and Qin seals were unique and varied, with a messy layout, while the characters of the Han seals were rigorous, thick, straight and square. - The strokes of the ancient seal and the Qin seal were arranged in a compact manner. The red spaces between the lines were wider, while the red spaces between the lines of the Han seal were narrower. - The characters of the ancient seal and Qin seal were larger, while the characters of the Han seal were smaller. In summary, the difference between imperial seals and Han seals was mainly reflected in the font, layout, and rules. Royal Seals were more free and unrestrained, while Han Seals were more orderly and solemn.
In ancient times, officials of all ranks had official seals. The official seal was the symbol of an ancient official, used to indicate their official rank and power. The size and material of the official seal were related to the official's rank. The higher the official position, the larger the official seal. The imperial treasure was the highest grade of official seal. It was more than twice the size of the imperial seal of the three divisions, three dukes, and three princes of the imperial power, indicating the supremacy of the imperial power. The official seals included the emperor's imperial treasures, jade seals, and gold treasures, the official seals of all levels of court officials, the official seals of local administrative officials, the official seals of all levels of institutions, the official seals of military officials, the seals of low-level institutions, the seals of feudal feudal regime, the seals of ethnic minority regime, and the seals of peasant uprising regime. Therefore, officials of all ranks had official seals.