篆刻欣赏

 简介

早在殷商时代，人们就用刀在龟甲上刻“字”（即现代称为甲骨文）。这些文字刀锋挺锐，笔意劲秀，具有较高的“刻字”水平。在春秋战国至秦以前，篆刻印章称为“玺”或鉨，玺为在玉上刻制的，鉨是金属上刻制的。秦始皇统一六国后，规定“玺”为天子所专用，大臣以下和民间私人用印统称“印”，从此鉨就废而不用了。这就形成了帝王用印称“玺”或“宝”，官印称“印”，将军用印称“章”，私人用印称“印信”。

篆刻的「篆」字，古时写作「瑑」，从玉字旁。凡是在玉石上雕琢凹凸的花纹，都叫做“瑑”。后来竹帛成为通行的书写用具，于是篆字的形符，也由“玉”改为“竹”。其实在古代凡属于雕玉、刻石、镂竹、铭铜的范围，都可称为“篆刻”，印章的刻制只是其中的一小部分而已。到了秦始皇时，将全国书体作综合整理，书分八体，印面上的文字叫“摹印篆”；王莽定六书时，称为“缪篆”，从此便明定篆书为印章印文的使用字体。唐宋之际，由于文人、墨客的喜好，虽然改变了印章的体制，但仍以篆书作印，直到明清两代，印人辈出，篆刻便成为以篆书为基础，利用雕刻方法，在印面中表现疏密、离合的艺术型态，篆刻也由广义的雕镂铭刻，转为狭义的治印之学。而此治印之学也有人直接称为“刻印”、“铁笔”、“铁书”、“刻图章”等。

在2009年9月28日至10月2日举行的联合国教科文组织保护非物质文化遗产政府间委员会第四次会议上，中国申报的端午节、中国书法、中国篆刻、中国剪纸、中国雕版印刷技艺、中国传统木结构营造技艺、中国传统桑蚕丝织技艺、龙泉青瓷传统烧制技艺、妈祖信俗、南音、南京云锦织造技艺、宣纸传统制作技艺、侗族大歌、粤剧、格萨（斯）尔、热贡艺术、藏戏、玛纳斯、花儿、西安鼓乐、中国朝鲜族农乐舞、呼麦等22个项目入选“人类非物质文化遗产代表作名录”。

篆刻起源

篆刻，自起源至今的三千七百多年的漫长历史中，历经了十余个朝代。在这个长期的发展过程中，篆刻艺术出现了两个高度发展的历史阶段。

一个是战国、秦汉、魏晋六朝时期，这一时期的篆刻用料主要为玉石、金、牙、角等。它被称为“古代篆刻艺术时期”，它的篆刻艺术特点主要是以时代来划分。篆刻发展到了唐、宋、元时期，则处于衰微的时期。在这一时期，由于楷书的应用取代了篆书，同时官印和私印根本上分家，篆刻艺术走上了下坡路。这种形势到了元末出现了转机，画家王冕发现了花乳石可以入印，从而使石料成了治印的理想材料。到了明代，篆刻艺术进入了复兴时期。

明清以来，篆刻又迎来了它的第二个发展高峰期，它的篆刻艺术特点主要是流派纷呈。在这一时期文彭、何震对流派篆刻艺术的开创起了重大的作用。文彭是文征明的儿子，是他在一次偶然的机会，发现了“灯光石”冻石可以当做治印材料。经过他的倡导，石材被广泛的应用。在这以后的一段时期内篆刻艺术流派纷呈现，出现了程邃、丁敬、邓石如、黄牧甫、赵之谦、吴让之等篆刻艺术家，一时间篆刻艺术呈现出了一派繁荣的景象。

直至近现代篆刻大师吴昌硕、齐白石，从而形成了一部完整的中国篆刻历史。篆刻艺术是书法、章法、刀法三者完美的结合，一方印中，即有豪壮飘逸的书法笔意，又有优美悦目的绘画构图，并且更兼得刀法生动的雕刻神韵。可称得上“方寸之间，气象万千”。

在我们游心赏玩之前，先要弄清楚篆刻的定义。篆刻是什么呢 它的解释，有广义与狭义的两种。篆刻的“篆”宇，古写作“瑑”，从玉（说文的注释上说明：“圭璧起兆，瑑也。”），凡是在玉、石上雕琢凹凸的花纹都叫做“瑑”，后来，竹帛成为通行的书写工具，于是篆字的形符也由“玉”改从「竹」。

篆刻印章起源甚早，据《汉书 祭祀志》载：“自五帝始有书契，至于三王，俗化雕文，诈伪渐兴，始有印玺，以检奸萌”。

远在三千七百多年前的殷商时代，便盛行刻字艺术。但印面并无本来意思的文字，只有象征血缘集团的记号，附加在同时代的青铜器或旗子上。虽说是记号，确有一定的读音。到了周代，以青铜质为主的“周玺”大为兴起。各种大小形状都有，一般分为白文，朱文两种。秦代是中国文字由“籀书”演变成为篆书的时期，印的形式也更为广泛，印文圆润苍劲，笔势挺拔。

汉代印章到达兴盛，史称汉印，字体由小篆演变成“缪篆”。汉印的印形制、印纽亦十分精美。西泠八家的奚冈曾说：“印之宗汉也，如诗文宗唐，字文宗晋”。唐宋之际，由于文人墨客的喜好，虽然改变了印章的体制，但仍以篆书作印。直到明清两代，印人辈出，篆刻便成为以篆书为基础，利用雕刻方法，在即面中表现疏密、离合的艺术型态，篆刻遂由广义的雕镂铭刻，转为狭义的治印之举。

篆刻种类

周玺印：

秦朝以前，不论官印或私印都不称为印，统称为“玺”。

这是中国印章最早的名称。玺有大有小，大的几寸见方，小的只有几分。印质有铜有玉。玺印采用大篆、籀文，布局松而不散，舒展自如，气势雄健挺拔。小玺则比较清丽。

秦汉官印：

秦始皇统一中国后，对混乱的六国文字作了改革，制定了统一的字体─小篆。在当时社会，小篆是规范用字，因此也是印章上的规范用字。

秦印的形式与以往不同：四周多采用“田”形框。印文平均分配在框内。

唐宋以来的官私印：

唐代印章仍用篆体，但和六朝以前有很大区别。

秦汉印印文多用缪篆，刻白文。

唐代因用印色直接盖在棉纸上，官印一律采用朱文，当时也有人用隶书入印。

宋代官印接近唐代。但到金代则用「九叠篆」入印。宋元私印变化很多，用途广泛，质地除铜、玉外，又增用象牙、犀角之类。当时并且以能看到朱红印泥印在书画作品上，产生艺术效果。

明代官印也沿用“九叠篆”，尺寸比宋代、元代更大。多数是阔边粗朱文。

清代官印半边用汉篆，半边用满文。常设正规官，官印是方形；临时派遣的官，官印是长方形，叫做“关防”。

 皖派（徽派）

代表人物：何震、文彭、苏宣等

歙派（歙中四子）

代表人物：程邃、巴慰祖、胡唐、汪肇龙

泗水派

代表人物：苏宣

粤派（黟山派）

代表人物：黄士陵

浙派（西泠八家）

代表人物：丁敬、蒋仁、黄易、奚冈、陈豫钟，陈鸿寿、赵之琛、钱松

新浙派

代表人物：赵之谦、厉良玉、吴昌硕

赵派（虞山派）

代表人物：邓散木

鲁派（齐鲁派）

代表人物：刘兴、孟国波、李家栋、张诚、司彬钰、李旸铭

娄东派

代表人物：汪关、林皋（林派）、巴慰祖

扬州派

代表人物：林皋（林派）、汪关、沈世和

如皋派

代表人物：许容、童昌龄、陈瑶典等

云间派

代表人物：王曾麓父子、鞠昆皋

京派

代表人物：齐白石

闽派（莆田派）

代表人物：宋珏、吴晋、练元素、薛穆生、许有介、兰公漪等

 先秦及秦、汉的玺印，是古代人们在交往时,作为权力和凭证的信物。此外，吉语印、肖形印、黄神越章等印，也反映了古代的社会生活习俗和人们的思想意识。

当时不分尊卑都称为玺。玺文分朱文(文字凸起，亦称阳文)和白文（文字凹入，亦称阴文）两种，古玺的形状、大小不一，有长方形、方形、圆形和其他异形。内容有官职、姓名、吉语和肖形图案等。古玺制作精工，或凿或铸；玺文精细，章法生动。朱文玺有的边栏宽阔，白文玺多有界格，还有一种朱白文相间的古玺也很别致，可见当时玺的制作已趋成熟。在河南安阳殷墟曾发现过3枚类似古玺的实物,有人据此推断古玺的起源当在商代，但尚须进一步探讨。到了秦代，皇帝的印称玺，一般人的则称印。秦印文字是秦书八体之一的摹印篆，与秦代使用的小篆相近。秦印印文庄重秀丽，在方形的官印上加"口"字格和"田"字格，在长方形印上（又称半通印）加"日"字格，这是秦印显著的特点。秦印除官印、私印之外，还有以成语入印的，已开后世闲文印的先河。

汉代是玺印发展空前灿烂辉煌的时期。汉代除帝王印仍称玺外，其余都称印。在官印中有的称章或印章,私印中有的称信印或印信。现代通常使用的印章一词，即来源于此。汉印无论从内容到形式比以前都更为丰富，尤以私印的种类最为繁多。汉印以缪篆体入印。这种字体与汉代隶书的兴起有关系，结体简化，笔画平整方直。汉印中还有以鸟虫书入印的，装饰性很强，是古代的一种美术字体。汉印分铸、凿两种。西汉的印章多为铸造，其中以西汉末年新莽时期的印章制作最为精美。东汉的印章以凿印最有特色，因为东汉末期社会动荡，战乱不已，官员将领经常调动或阵亡，造成封拜频繁，往往印章来不及铸造，就在预先准备好的印坯上临时急就刻凿而成，印文多不加修饰。汉代铸印庄重雄浑，凿印健拔奇肆，这两种截然不同的风格，都给后世的篆刻以很大的影响和启发。

古代玺印的材料质地，多为金属和玉石等。这些印材虽有耗损极慢和垂诸久远的优点，但是由于硬度高,坚涩难刻，古代玺印制作须出自专门的工匠之手。据传元末画家王冕最早采用花乳石来刻印。早在古代的玺印中，曾发现有石质印章，在唐、宋私印中也有石刻的印章。花乳石易于镌刻，自王冕采用之后，就为文人和艺术家用刀刻印开辟了新的天地。明代文彭也有用灯光石（即冻石）刻印的记载。石质印材的广泛使用，为篆刻艺术的发展提供了极好的物质条件。

 篆刻知识入门

篆刻是一门综合性很强的艺术，直溯文字渊源，旁通书、画之理，与其姊妹艺术有着千丝万缕的联系，又兼涉镌刻技艺，内含人品性格和文学修养，从里到外都散发着强烈的艺术感染力。关于“篆刻”的含义、“篆刻”与“印章”的关系，以及古代的玺印制度首都师范大学赵宏教授的《篆刻教程》有生动、详细的介绍，此处不再枝蔓。

　　“印宗秦汉”几乎是所以篆刻学习者的座右铭，可见秦汉印是篆刻史上的一座丰碑！传世的“作品”也不少，但需要注意的是，人们主动地去创造篆刻之美，是在宋元以后，文人篆刻，才渐渐拉开帷幕。在此之前，“篆”与“刻”通常是由文人和工匠合作进行的，到宋元以后，篆刻的材质也由原来的铜、玉等转变为石料等，文人才有能力自篆自刻。这种由“被动”到“主动”变化，使得篆刻的艺术性、可视性得到提升。以致到了明清，提出的 “刀法者，所以传笔法者也”（朱简语）的刀法观念，强调“印从书出”，这是篆刻艺术的一大突破！这一时期，也出现了大量的名家，譬如：明中期的文彭、何震等；清初的程邃、林皋等；清中期的西泠前四家（丁敬、蒋仁、黄易、奚冈）、后四家（陈豫钟、陈鸿寿、赵之琛、钱松）、“皖派”代表邓石如、巴慰祖；清晚期的有邓的弟子吴让之、融合皖浙两派的赵之谦、厉良玉、吴昌硕、黄士陵等都是各具特色的大师级人物！

有关篆刻流派以及篆刻的发展史，请详细阅读沙孟海的《印学史》这是一本篆刻史上的经典之作。学习篆刻的第一步是学习篆书，学习篆书的第一步是识篆，《说文解字》就是我们识篆不可或缺的一本工具书。在古文人中，文字学属于“小学”，是基础的基础，所以如民国的大学问家章太炎、罗振玉、王国维等，都熟记《说文解字》，对于学习篆刻和篆书者而言，这也是必修课。篆书由秦篆（泰山刻石、峄山刻石等）入手还是清代篆书（邓石如、吴让之、赵之谦等）入手说法不一，从客观讲，清代篆书较易入手，比较适合出学，走这个路子的人也比较多；而秦篆对线条力度的要求极高，不允许一丝偏差，容易使初学者失去信心和兴趣，故我们不支持由此入手，但日后不能不学。

篆刻与篆书的学习是分不开的，那些急功近利不学书法而直奔篆刻的人是不会有多大成就的。篆刻以刀法至上，而刀法种类繁多，我们主要使用冲刀法和切刀法，这些内容在西泠印社社员、西泠印社版副总编辑李早先生的《怎样学篆刻》一书中有详细介绍，该书图文并茂，清晰直观，可以帮助初学者解决许许多多的问题！要想提升自己对篆刻章法的认知和理解，可参考西泠印社社员谷松章先生的《篆刻章法百讲》，内有大量篆刻经典作品，系统化、调理化地给篆刻章法处理技巧分了类别。在平常，我们还需大量观摩印谱，从前人那里汲取营养，我认为这个过程是充满乐趣和享受的。

如何解读篆刻

面对一件篆刻作品，有些人可能会无法解读（无法从中获取信息），就是所谓审美的“失语症”。那么，我们应该如何着手去解读呢？既然是审美，那么，它除了具有一些主观因素外，必然会有一些客观的评判标准。我根据自己平时的一些经验，借用平时用来评点菜肴的“色、香、味、意、养、形”六大方面，试着讲讲对如何进行篆刻作品解读，或许对一些初涉篆刻的朋友有所启发。

一、“色”。

主要是指视觉效果、观感。我们面对一件篆刻作品，首先要大处着眼。解读作品时，要相信自己的第一感觉。章法要看分红布白是否视觉平衡，是否醒目精神，是否安妥停匀，是否气韵生动。字法要看配篆是否统一和谐，是否腾挪变形有度，是否生造夸张过度，是否相互关照呼应。刀法要看技法是否使用得当，是否自然，是否刀笔相融笔意传达到位，是否轻重徐疾富于节奏。总之，在大的视觉效果上要首先把握一个基本的定位。

二、“香”。

指“香气”，原本是指菜肴的嗅觉效果。用在篆刻方面，我们可以把它理解为篆刻作品的“气”或者“气息”，我们要看作品是否具有金石气、书卷气、山林气、村野气、江湖气、庙堂气、狂狷气、奇气，甚至是戾气、俗气、匠气、习气。它或浓或淡，或清或浊，或远或近，或俗或雅。篆刻作品的气息是作品气质品位的体现，它往往是评判一件篆刻作品高下的重要标准。

三、“味”。

就是口感，落到篆刻作品上，就是作品的风格定位，是醇古还是辛辣，是淡雅安宁还是生猛活脱，是寓巧于拙还是空灵淡定，是艰涩难咽还是味滞杂陈，是形同嚼蜡还是回味无穷，是清淡还是呛鼻。虽说酸甜苦辣各有所爱，各人口味不同，把握好调味火候，都是能整出佳肴来的。我们在解读作品时，可以有自己的口味偏好，但也要尽量做到就味论味，尝尽百味才能成为一名美食家。

四、“意”。

就是指意态、意韵、意境、用意、创意。“意”是判断作品是否具有生命力、表现力、艺术感染力的重要因素。无论写意或是工整，缺乏意态意趣的篆刻作品是不成功的创作。用意贵自然，忌做作或用意太显。

五、“养”。

是指营养。就篆刻作品而言，就是指作品的根源、基础，要看是否取法有源、是否充分吸收前人经验，是否根正苗红，是否缺钙软骨缺铁贫血，是否脂肪过剩导致痴肥，是否营养不良萎靡不振，是否内分泌失调导致满脸豆豆，是否气结虚火徒生浮躁，是否催生早熟，是否夹生囫囵，是否营养失衡。

六、“形”。

是指形制、形式、样式，一些可视的外部特点。篆刻中的三要素章法、字法、刀法都会通过一定的“形”表现出来。我们要看作品所采用的形制形式是否适当（比如，随意形、加分栏是否应用得当），阴刻阳刻的使用是否得当，印文布局配篆是否合理，章法字法刀法是否配合协调到位，边栏与印文是否和谐，等等。

以上六方面的发挥，直接影响作品的效果。另外，每一种艺术都具有自身特质，但是它们之间也会存在一些共性的东西，譬如，篆刻之于文学绘画的意境，篆刻之于书法的笔情墨趣，篆刻之于音乐舞蹈的旋律节奏，篆刻之于建筑雕塑的空间结构，等等，所有这些，都为我们在解读篆刻作品时提供更广阔的联想空间，我们可以“印外读印”，可以从作品中获取到更多的信息。

总之，解读篆刻作品的过程是复杂而有趣的。从某种意义上讲，解读是“二度创作”当我们掌握了一套解读的路径，可以对一件篆刻作品从外而内地层层分析理解，那么，解读的过程就成为我们不断提高自身水平的一个很好的途径了 。

篆刻艺术的发展

先秦及秦、汉的玺印，是古代人们在交往时，做为权力和凭证的信物。此外,吉语印、肖形印、黄神越章等印，也反映了古代的社会生活习俗和人们的思想意识。

当时不分尊卑都称为玺。玺文分朱文(文字凸起，亦称阳文)和白文（文字凹入，亦称阴文）两种，古玺的形状、大小不一，有长方形、方形、圆形和其他异形。内容有官职、姓名、吉语和肖形图案等。古玺制作精工，或凿或铸；玺文精细，章法生动。朱文玺有的边栏宽阔，白文玺多有界格，还有一种朱白文相间的古玺也很别致，可见当时玺的制作已趋成熟。在河南安阳殷墟曾发现过3枚类似古玺的实物，有人据此推断古玺的起源当在商代，但尚须进一步探讨。到了秦代，皇帝的印称玺，一般人的则称印。秦印文字是秦书八体之一的摹印篆，与秦代使用的小篆相近。秦印印文庄重秀丽，在方形的官印上加"口"字格和"田"字格，在长方形印上（又称半通印）加"日"字格，这是秦印显著的特点。秦印除官印、私印之外，还有以成语入印的，已开后世闲文印的先河。

现代的篆刻家在继续开创篆刻流派艺术的发展道路，借鉴民族的优秀艺术传统，突破秦、汉玺印和明、清流派篆刻的规范，勇于革新，不断探索，揭开了现代篆刻艺术新的一页。现代有成就的篆刻家有丁仁、易熹、王大昕、乔曾劬、钱瘦铁、赵叔孺、陈半丁、寿石工、来楚生、傅抱石、黄琦等，而以齐白石影响最大。他的篆刻初学丁敬和黄易，进而又追摹赵之谦和汉凿印。他还把《祀三公山碑》、《天发神谶碑》等汉、魏碑刻书法，融化到他的篆刻中去。他以简练的单刀法和汉代《急就章》的神韵，创造出奇恣跌宕、淋漓雄健的齐派风格。

 As early as the Yin and Shang Dynasties, people used knives to carve "characters" on tortoise shells (modern called oracle bone inscriptions). These characters have sharp blades, strong brushwork and high level of "engraving". Before the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period to the Qin Dynasty, seal engraving was called "seal" or "seal". Seals were engraved on jade and on metal. After the unification of the Six Kingdoms, Qin Shihuang stipulated that "seals" were exclusively used by the Emperor of Heaven, and that "seals" were collectively referred to as "seals" by ministers and private people. This led to the formation of emperors'seals or treasures, officials' seals, generals'seals and private seals.

In ancient times, the word "seal" was written beside the word "jade". Every concave and convex pattern carved on the jade is called "gong". Later, bamboo and silk became popular writing tools, so the shape of seal characters was changed from "jade" to "bamboo". In fact, in ancient times, all belong to the scope of carving jade, carving stone, carving bamboo, inscribing copper, can be called "seal engraving", the engraving of seals is only a small part of it. By the time of Qin Shihuang, the whole country's calligraphy was sorted out comprehensively. The characters on the printed surface were called "copying seals". When Wang Mangding wrote six books, they were called "miao seals". From then on, it was clearly determined that seal books were the fonts used for seals. During the Tang and Song Dynasties, because of the preferences of literati and Mohists, although the seal system was changed, seal carving was still done in seal books. Until the Ming and Qing Dynasties, seal carving became an artistic form based on seal books, using carving methods to express density and separation in the printing surface. Seal carving also changed from carving in a broad sense to carving in a narrow sense. The study of seal treatment. Some people directly refer to this theory as "engraving", "iron pen", "iron book", "engraving seal" and so on.

At the 4th meeting of the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee for the Protection of Intangible Cultural Heritage, held from September 28 to October 2, 2009, China declared the Dragon Boat Festival, Chinese Calligraphy, Chinese Seal Carving, Chinese Paper-cut, Chinese Engraving and Printing, Chinese Traditional Wood Structure Building, Chinese Traditional Silk and Mulberry Weaving, etc. Longquan celadon traditional firing technology, Mazu belief and custom, Nanyin, Nanjing Yunjin weaving technology, Xuan Paper traditional production technology, Dong national anthem, Cantonese opera, Gesar (Si), Regong art, Tibetan opera, Manas, Huaer, Xi'an drum music, Chinese Korean agricultural dance, Humai and other 22 projects were selected as "intangible cultural heritage of mankind". List of representative works.

Seal engraving has gone through more than ten dynasties in the long history of more than 3700 years since its origin. In this long-term development process, seal carving art has two highly developed historical stages.

One is the Warring States Period, Qin and Han Dynasty, Wei and Jin Six Dynasties, during which the seal carving materials are mainly jade, gold, teeth, horns and so on. It is known as the "period of ancient seal carving art", and its characteristics of seal carving art are mainly divided by the times. Seal engraving developed into the Tang, Song and Yuan Dynasties, but it was in a declining period. During this period, seal cutting art went downhill because the application of regular script replaced seal book, and official seal and private seal were fundamentally separated. At the end of the Yuan Dynasty, a turning point appeared. The painter Wang Mian discovered that the lactite could be printed, which made the stone an ideal material for seal treatment. By the Ming Dynasty, seal carving art entered a revival period.

Since the Ming and Qing Dynasties, seal carving has ushered in its second peak period of development. Its characteristics of seal carving art are mainly various schools. During this period, Wen Peng and He Zhen played an important role in the creation of school seal cutting art. Wen Peng, the son of Wen Zhengming, was accidentally given the chance to discover that the "lamplight stone" permafrost could be used as a seal material. After his advocacy, stone is widely used. In the following period, various schools of seal carving art emerged, such as Cheng Yong, Ding Jing, Deng Shiru, Huang Mufu, Zhao Zhiqian and Wu Jean-zhi. For a time, seal carving art showed a prosperous scene.

Up to Wu Changshuo and Qi Baishi, masters of modern and contemporary seal carving, a complete history of Chinese seal carving was formed. Seal engraving art is a perfect combination of calligraphy, constitution and knife. On the one hand, there are bold and elegant calligraphic brushwork, beautiful and pleasant painting composition, and more vivid carving charm of knife. It can be called "between cubic inches, thousands of weather".

Before we go to enjoy ourselves, we should first make clear the definition of seal cutting. What is seal engraving? There are two kinds of explanations: broad sense and narrow sense. Seal engraving "seal" Yu, ancient writing "jar", from the Jade (notes to say: "Gubi from the omen, jar is also"). All concave and convex patterns carved on jade and stone are called "goblets". Later, bamboo silk became a popular writing tool, so the shape of seal characters changed from "jade" to "bamboo".

Seal engraving seals originated very early, according to the "Han Shu Sacrifice Records" contained: "Since the Five Emperors began to have a Book deed, as for the three kings, vulgarized carvings, fraud and falsehood gradually thrived, seals began to have seals, in order to detect the germination of adultery.

In the Yin and Shang Dynasty more than 3700 years ago, the art of lettering prevailed. But there is no original meaning on the printed surface, only a symbol of consanguinity group, attached to the bronze or flag of the same era. Although it is a mark, it does have certain pronunciation. By the Zhou Dynasty, the bronze-based "Zhou Seal" had risen greatly. There are various sizes and shapes, generally divided into Baiwen and Zhuwen. Qin Dynasty is the period when Chinese characters evolved from "seal book" to seal book. The form of seal printing is more extensive, the seal is round and vigorous, and the style is straight and straight.

Seals of the Han Dynasty flourished, historically known as the Chinese seal, the font from small seal evolved into "Miao seal". The printing and printing of Chinese seal are also very exquisite. Xigang of the eight Xiling families once said, "The Han Emperor of Yin is also the Emperor of Poetry and Literature, Tang Dynasty and Jin Emperor of Literature and Literature". In the Tang and Song Dynasties, because of the preference of literati and poets, seal system was changed, but seal books were still used for printing. Until the Ming and Qing Dynasties, seal carving became based on seal books, using sculpture method, to express the close and close artistic form in the face, and seal carving changed from broad carving to narrow treatment.

The seals of the pre-Qin and Qin and Han Dynasties are the relics of power and credentials when ancient people communicated with each other. In addition, Jiyu seal, Xiao seal and Huang Shenyue seal also reflect ancient social customs and people's ideology.

At that time, they were called seals regardless of dignity or inferiority. Seals are divided into Zhu Wen (protruding characters, also known as Yang Wen) and Bai Wen (concave characters, also known as Yin Wen). The shapes and sizes of ancient seals vary, with rectangular, square, circular and other irregular shapes. The content includes official position, name, lucky language and Xiao-Shao pattern, etc. The ancient seals are exquisitely made, chiseled or cast; the seals are exquisite and the rules are vivid. Some of Zhu Wenxi's side bars were wide, and many of the Baiwen Seals had boundaries. Another kind of ancient seals with Zhu Wenxi and Baiwen were also unique. It can be seen that the production of the seals was maturing at that time. Three ancient seals have been found in Yinxu, Anyang, Henan Province. Some people infer that the origin of ancient seals should be in the Shang Dynasty, but it still needs to be further explored. In the Qin Dynasty, the emperor's seal was called seal, while the common people's seal was called seal. Qin seal script is one of the eight types of Qin script, which is similar to the small seal script used in Qin Dynasty. The seal of Qin Dynasty is solemn and beautiful, with the characters of "mouth" and "field" added to square official seals and "day" added to rectangular seals (also known as semi-general seals), which is a remarkable feature of Qin Dynasty's seal. In addition to official seal and private seal, Qin seal has also been printed with idioms, which has opened the pioneer of leisurely print in later generations.

The Han Dynasty was an unprecedented and brilliant period for the development of seals. In the Han Dynasty, all the seals were called seals except imperial seals. In official seals, there are titles or seals, and in private seals, there are titles or seals. This is the origin of the term seal, which is commonly used in modern times. Chinese seal is more abundant in content and form than before, especially in the variety of private seal. The seal of Han Dynasty is printed in the form of seal. This kind of font is related to the rise of Li Shu in Han Dynasty. Its structure is simplified and its strokes are smooth and straight. There are also bird and insect books printed in the Chinese seal, which are very decorative. They are an ancient art font. There are two kinds of Chinese seal: casting and chisel. The seals of the Western Han Dynasty were mostly cast, of which the seals of Xinmang period in the late Western Han Dynasty were the most exquisite. Seals of the Eastern Han Dynasty are chiseled with the most distinctive features. Because of the social unrest and war in the late Eastern Han Dynasty, officials and generals were often mobilized or killed, resulting in frequent feudal worship, often the seals were chiseled on the pre-prepared blanks in a short time, and the seals were mostly unmodified. The two distinct styles of the Han Dynasty, solemn and vigorous casting and printing, and chiseling and chiseling, have greatly influenced and inspired the seal carving of later generations.

The material texture of ancient seals is mostly metal and jade. Although these printing materials have the advantages of very slow wear and tear and long standing, due to their high hardness and toughness, ancient seals must be made by special craftsmen. According to legend, Wang Mian, a painter at the end of Yuan Dynasty, was the first to use lactite to engrave. As early as in ancient seals, stone seals were found, as well as stone seals in private seals of Tang and Song dynasties. Lactolite is easy to engrave. Since Wang Mian's adoption, it has opened up a new world for literati and artists to engrave with knives. Wen Peng of Ming Dynasty also has the record of using lamplight stone (i.e. frozen stone) to engrave. The wide use of stone printing materials provides excellent material conditions for the development of seal cutting art.