IMPERIAL SEALS OF EMPEROR KANGXI - Absolute Rarities of Chinese Art

Shan Guoqiang, Researcher, Beijing Palace Museum

This set of twelve imperial seals, which belonged to Emperor Kangxi, was originally kept in the imperial study Peiwen Zhai (Study of Literary Grace) in the Summer Palace, Yuanming Yuan. The Peiwen Zhai was located in the Changchun (Tranquil Spring) Garden in the Summer Palace. It was the study and living quarters of Emperor Kangxi as well as the most important cultural venue in the Yuanming Yuan. More than sixty imperial publications were compiled in the Peiwen Zhai including Peiwen yunfu (Hall of Rhymes from the Peiwen Zhai - An index to pre-Qing Chinese literary works in rhyme order) produced in 1711, Peiwen Zhai shuhuapu (Painting and Calligraphy Catalogue from the Peiwen Zhai), Guang Qunfangpu (Augmented Edition of The Book of Botanical Studies) and Kangxi zidian (Kangxi Dictionary). The Peiwen Zhai imperial seals were closely associated with these cultural activities and are therefore of great importance.

In comparison to his successors, Emperors Yongzheng and Qianlong, Kangxi owned relatively few personal seals. Extant examples are very rare, and the present complete set of seals is undoubtedly unique. All twelve of the Peiwen Zhai seals in this set are recorded in the imperial seal catalogue Baosou (Concourse of Treasures), whereas only three Kangxi seals are today preserved in the Beijing Palace Museum, also recorded in the same publication. As such, this gives an indication of the special value and great importance of this complet set of seals.

As laid out in their fitted box, the set comprises from top right to bottom left: a Shoushan soapstone seal with the rectangular mark Tantan dangdang (Generous hearted and broadminded); a Shoushan soapstone seal with the square mark Jiezhi zaide (Guard against avarice); a white jade seal with double square marks Kangxi chenhan (Imperial writing of Kangxi) and Jigu youwen (Learning from antiquity to advance in literary studies), the latter in intaglio; a nephrite seal with the square mark Baohe taihe (Preserve perfect harmony); a spinach-green jade seal with the double-gourd-shaped mark Zhonghe (Harmony and balance through the middle way); a nephrite seal with the square mark Kangxi chenhan in intaglio; two tianhuang soapstone seals with the oblong marks Jingyun qinian (Good fortune and longevity); a white jade seal with the rectangular mark Changchun (Tranquil Spring) in intaglio; a tianhuang soapstone seal with double square marks Kangxi chenhan and Jiezhi zaide, the former in intaglio; a white jade seal with the rectangular seal Peiwen Zhai (Peiwen Study) and last of all, a tianhuang soapstone seal with the rectangular mark Tantan dangdang. All seal marks are carved in relief unless otherwise stated. The materials from which they are carved are all of superb quality, and amongst them the tianhuang seals are the most precious. Particularly rare is the tianhuang double-seal bearing the marks, Kangxi chenhan and Jiezhi zaide, which is noted for its gelatine-like translucency. The Shoushan soapstone seal with Jiezhi zaide is close to tianhuang in texture, and is a fine example of its kind. The seal knobs are vividly conceived and exquisitely carved while the characters are well composed and multifarious in design, epitomising the style of seal-carving during the Kangxi reign.

Although these seals were associated with Emperor Kangxi's literary and artistic pursuits, their contents reveal the emperor's political thoughts and moral concepts, as exemplified by Baohe taihe, Zhonghe, Jiezhi zaide, Jigu youwen and Tantan dangdang. Of particular significance is the "Jiezhi zaide" seal carved in the 60th year of the Kangxi period (1721). It is noted in Shengzu Renhuangdi shu Xinjing ce (The Heart Sutra copied by Emperor Kangxi) in Juan 1 of the imperial painting and calligraphy catalogue Midian zhulin (Pearl Grove of the Hall of Secrecy) and Juan 13 of Gaozong yuzhiwen erji (Imperial essays written by Emperor Qianlong, Vol. 2) that in the 59th year of the Kangxi's reign, the Emperor ordered his court officials to select phrases from the classics to be carved into seals that were to be used to commemorate the 60th year of his reign. A number of suggestions were submitted but the emperor found none of them satisfactory. Finally, Kangxi selected a four-character phrase 'Jie zhi zai de' and he was recorded to have said, "What contemplation should I have? All I should do is to follow this Confucian four-character maxim." The carving of this seal was completed in the 5th month of the 60th year of his reign. Since that time Kangxi carried it with him wherever he went and it is known that he used it frequently. During one of his visits to Bishushanzhuang, the Manchu Summer Resort in Jehol, his favourite grandson Prince Hongli, who later became Emperor Qianlong, was given this seal. This act was a token of great favour that eventually contributed to the Prince's smooth accession to the throne. Small though it is, this seal is endowed with immense significance.

These twelve seals were mainly affixed to paintings and calligraphic works both by the Emperor Kangxi's own hand, and on his favourite masterpieces in the Palace collection. The imperial catalogues Shiqu baoji (Precious collection of the Shiqu Library) and Midian zhulin have revealed that the following calligraphic works by Kangxi bear these seals: Yushu Jinlianhuafu juan (Prose-poem on Golden Lily, written by the Emperor), Yushu Guwenyuanjianxu juan (Preface to a Collection of Ancient Books, written by the Emperor), Lin Gaozong shu Hangaozu qiuxianzhao zhou (Quoting A Quest for Talents written by Emperor Gaozu of the Han dynasty, after the calligraphic style of Emperor Gaozong of the Southern Song dynasty), Lin Dong Qichang shu Qilinfu juan (Quoting Prose-poem on Qilin after the calligraphic style of Dong Qichang), Lin Dong Qichang Dadaozan juan (Quoting Eulogy of the Ways after the calligraphic style of Dong Qichang), Shu Tuoluonijing juan (Quoting Dharani Sutra), Shu Fumo Guangjijing ce (Quoting Demon-quelling and Pain-relieving Sutra). The seals were also found on colophons written by Emperor Kangxi: Ba Mi Fu Tianmafu (Colophon to Mi Fu's Prose-poem on Heavenly Horses), Ba Zhao Mengfu Buziqiwen (Colophon to Zhao Mengfu's Essay on Not Giving Oneself Up) and Ba Dong Qichang Shujintangji (Colophon to Dong Qichang's Essay on the Hall of Painted Brocade). There are many ancient or contemporary paintings which bear these seals, including Jiao Bingzhen's Gengzhitu ce (Tilling and weaving), Jiang Tingxi's Meihuajuan (Prunus Blossoms), Juhuajuan (Chrysanthemum), Liantang bailutu zhou (Lotus pond with egret), Huaniao xiesheng zhou (Flowers and birds painted from life), Huaguo xiesheng juan (Flowers and fruits painted from life), Mudan zhou (Peonies), Pantao zhou (Peaches) and Guihua zhou (Osmanthus), He Yi's Shanjutu zhou (Mountain retreat), Xiqiao jielutu zhou (Landscape with hut, bridge and stream), Shuicuntu zhou (Village by the water), Yanjiang yutingtu zhou (Fishing on a misty river), Lize chuiluntu zhou (Fishing), Shanzhong dushutu zhou (Studying in the mountain), Qiushantu zhou (Autumn landscape), Fang Ni Huang hezuotu zhou (Landscape after the joint work of Ni Zan and Huang Gongwang), and Dai Tianrui's Zhuxitu zhou (Landscape with bamboo grove and stream) and Qiushantu zhou (Autumn landscape). The most frequently used seals are "Peiwen Zhai", "Kangxi chenhan" and "Baohe taihe". Kangxi's seals were also affixed to many paintings by Jiang Tingxi and He Yi, both artists served as court officials, and their work found immense imperial favour.

This complete set of Peiwen Zhai imperial seals epitomises the Kangxi Emperor's social, historical, cultural, and artistic legacy. It is remarkable that among all extant examples of Qing imperial seals used in association with artistic and cultural pursuits, this unique group has managed to survive intact to the present day.

(Translated from the Chinese text)

THE PEIWAN ZHAI SEALS OF THE KANGXI EMPEROR

The present impressive set of miniature seals comprises the personal seals of the Kangxi emperor. The seal chops are carved in zhuan shu, 'seal script', either in a style known as zhuwen, 'cinnabar characters', to provide a positive impression of the seal mark, or in baiwen, 'white characters', where the characters appear white reserved against a cinnabar-ground.

Unlike official and commemorative seals that were used to authorise Imperial edicts, this group was used for Kangxi's private compositions of calligraphy, poetry and paintings, and also on paintings in the Imperial collection. Imperial seals are catagorised into five groups by the eminent scholar Guo Fuxiang, from the Beijing Palace Museum, in an essay Yushu Qianyong Zhuxi, 'Various seals used on Imperial Books', Ming Qing Dihou Baoxi, 'Emperors and Empresses' Precious Seals of the Ming and Qing dynasties', Forbidden City Press, 1996, pp. 132-133. These five groups are:

1. Nianhao xi, seals indicating a particular reign, such as the four-character mark, Kangxi chenhan, 'Imperial writing of Kangxi', which appears on three of the present seals (nos. 3, 6, and 10).

2. Gong dian xi, seals bearing hall or location names, such as two of the seals in the present set of seals: the first carved a two-character mark, Changchun, 'Tranquil Spring', which is located in the Yuanming Yuan; and the other with a three-character mark, Peiwen Zhai, 'The Study of Literary Grace', Kangxi's study in the Changchun Garden (nos. 9 and 11).

3. Jian cang xi, inspection and imperial collection seals; no example appears in the present set as this category relates to 'official' rather than 'personal' seals. Official seals were impressed on works in the Imperial collection by court officials, whereas these small seals were used by the Emperor himself to indicate on his own compositions or works in his collection.

4. Jiayan ji shici xi, seals carved with auspicious or poetic phrases, such as the four-character seal Jiezhi zaide, 'Guard against avarice' (a Confucian maxim); Jigu youwen, 'Learning from antiquity to advance in literary studies' (nos. 2, 3 and 10).

5. Faya xi, Signature or imprint seals.

Personal seals from the early Qing period are rarely published. The present set of seals are recorded in Baosou, 'Concourse of Treasures', compiled for Emperor Qianlong, and recorded seals that belonged to Qianlong's forefathers, including seals from his own collection, which he felt were particularly important. Examples of personal imperial seals in public and private collections are extremely rare. As mentioned in an essay by Shan Guoqiang, a researcher at the Palace Museum, Beijing, 'Imperial Seals of Emperor Kangxi - Absolute Rarities of Chinese Art', published in the present catalogue, only three other Kangxi seals in the Beijing Palace Museum collection, are recorded in the Baosou.

Seals themselves were innately a Han Chinese scholarly tradition, popular among the literati during the Ming period as part of the Confucian ideal. As early Qing emperors, Shunzi, Kangxi, Yongzheng and Qianlong were keen to establish the authority of Manchu rule, they placed great emphasis on assimilating Chinese culture particularly those related to the literati tradition, and as such the fashion for seals was eagerly embraced by the Qing Court; for a further reading, see Xu Qixiang, Qingdai Baoxi, 'Precious Seals of the Qing Dynasty', op. cit., 1996, p. 82. Although extant Kangxi seals are limited, a large selection of seals were made for the emperor Qianlong who was renowned for his scholastic pursuits.

Compare a set of nine tianhuang seals dated to the Qianlong period, illustrated by James Watt, 'The Antique Elegant', Possessing the Past - Treasures from the National Palace Museum, Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1996, pl. 344. Qianlong ordered impressions of these seals to be published in a book which he had reproduced as a jade book, now in the British Museum collection, ibid., p. 542, fig. 183. Compare also a set of three princely seals dated to the early 18th century, sold in these Rooms, 3 November 1998, lot 1077; bearing the seal chops of Baoqinwang Bao, Changchun jushi, and Sui An Shi. This group of three seals identified its owner as Prince Hongli before he ascended the throne as Emperor Qianlong. The name Baoqinwang was an official title bestowed on Prince Hongli, who whilst still a prince also adopted a sobriquet for himself Changchun jushi, 'The dweller in everlasting Spring'. Sui An Shi, 'Sui An Study', was the name of Hongli's study.

Kangxi's study is known as Peiwen Zhai, as represented by the rectangular white jade seal surmounted by a mythical beast with an elongated body (no. 11), in the present collection. Peiwen Zhai is located within the Changchun Garden in the Yuanming Yuan. Thus the present set of seals are known as the Peiwen Zhai seals. The characters of the seal chops reveal Emperor Kangxi as a studious man of literature who had a high regard for Confucian ideals. His choice in selecting the short phrase, Jiezhi zaide, to commemorate his sixtieth year of his reign, originated from the Confucius maxim that when one reached old age one should guard against avarice.