How to appreciate seal cutting?

"Seal cutting is a unique traditional art in China. As the name implies, it is the seal carved by the seal script. " This is the most common understanding of seal cutting. However, "seal cutting" is not the most accurate title of traditional seal cutting, and it is not the basis for understanding this art, and it is not an unshakable truth to call it "seal cutting". Linguistically, the title "seal cutting" must be widely used in various languages to highlight the uniqueness of lettering. As far as we know, Yang Xiong, the first person to use the word "seal cutting", was the Han people after Lishu. Seal cutting before the Han Dynasty can not be called "seal cutting", even after the Han Dynasty, the title of "seal cutting" is rare. In the history of India, we can see that most of them are called "seal cutting", "casting and printing" and "making treasures".

In the Ming Dynasty, Guan Xu mentioned the name "seal cutting" in the History of Ancient and Modern India, which can be said to be the place where the word "seal cutting" was first seen in the monograph. "wouldn't it be generous if you sealed the secretary of the map and didn't know six books?" Words only refer to the operation of seal engraving, not the whole art of printing management. The word "seal cutting" was not mentioned in more printing monographs before and after Guan Xu. Seal cutting was first called "Thirteen Views on Seal Cutting", which was written by Yuan Sanjun in Qing Dynasty. Since then, the name of "seal cutting" has spread, and some works in the name of seal cutting have appeared. Mr. Shou Shigong is the author of the book Seal Cutting, but his text is called "seal cutting", "seal tube", "engraving" and "printing" in many places, only one or two places are mentioned. The content of seal cutting is not limited to the discussion of seal cutting, but covers many aspects such as name, faction, material selection, composition, style and seal. It can be seen that Mr. Shou Shigong does not simply think that the art of printing management is "seal cutting", but only follows the custom in the name of "seal cutting". Until the end of the Qing Dynasty, most literati used seal script to engrave characters. Therefore, they say that "seal cutting" is not contradictory to the practice of managing printing, but it can make literati feel superior-showing that they are intellectuals who understand ancient Chinese-which is of course gossip. Therefore, it is a linguistic misunderstanding to think that the art of managing India is simply "seal cutting".

Three people form a tiger and regard Lu as a fish, but they are not familiar with another more appropriate name, which developed with the art of managing India. Looking through ancient and modern seal cutting works, we can find that most of them are in the name of seal cutting. However, only a few works named "seal cutting" actually acquiesce that "seal cutting" is just a synonym and a generic term, and the discussion and description of seals account for most of the space. In the first sentence of Yang's Yinmu, the art of managing printing is directly called printing science. Yin Mu also talked about copying, engraving and its artistic requirements and standards, and also comprehensively discussed the artistry of managing printing art, such as evaluation, appreciation, composition and knife cutting. Yang chose "seal cutting" instead of "printing" because "printing mother" is a knowledge about copying, engraving, quality printing, printing people, printing spectrum and printing theory. "Printing" not only points to the true meaning, but also its packaging capacity is unmatched by the common name "seal cutting". As long as you pay attention; You will find that not all seals are engraved with seal script, and it is not only seals engraved with seal script that have artistic value, and the knowledge to be studied in printing science is not included in a "seal engraving". All aspects of printing management need printing science to study. The key to their communication is the seal, which is the artistic practice and knowledge around the seal. Therefore, for our artistic practice and theoretical research, it is more appropriate to abandon the common name "seal cutting" and restore the name "printing".

Before that, the difference between "seal cutting" and "printing" could be ignored. Now, why "a thorn in the flesh" and bring up the "old story"? This is because the artistic practice of management printing has always been bound by "seal cutting", because this difference has affected the further development of printing science. "As long as history is limited" (Guo Moruo's words). As a historical relic, seal script can no longer be developed. In the practice of seal cutting, it has always been to check the Hanyin Fenyun Co-editor first, and then to check Shuowen Jiezi. "If there are no words in Shuowen, you should look up more books, and don't mix them with radicals ... You always expect to have a few books, but you can't make your own seal script." "If the ancient seal script didn't yearn for Han Li, Han Li couldn't live without it". During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, a large number of archaeological excavations provided rich seal script materials for Indian studies and created a number of masters and masterpieces. Wen Tao, Oracle bones, ancient monuments, inscriptions and bricks are all familiar to Indian academic circles, no matter whether they are inscriptions (Zhongding Yi wares, spring cloth, mirrors, weights and imperial edicts). It is unlikely that there will be new archaeological discoveries in the future, and even if there is, it will be limited. As a writing form that has lost the foundation of social real life, the innovation of seal script is lack of foundation. With the limited amount of cultural relics excavated and the reduction of seal script materials, the innovation and development of art are naturally limited in the face of the only original materials that have been chewed repeatedly.

Correcting the name of printing science means correcting the understanding of printing science, so that the practice of printing science is no longer limited to "seal engraving" but complacent. As long as we look at the theory of ancient and modern printing, the first technique involved is seal cutting, while Indian academic circles emphasize learning from the ancient times, which has caused a large number of people to "learn from the ancient times without learning from their hearts, and cannot produce the ancients." "Yin Mu" talks about two things that you can't be a writer, saying that you attack ... with the intention of copying what our predecessors did and flying from color to color. ..... Yue was arrested ... Glued seal script, carefully noted and finished, followed by handwriting, carefully carved, and the shackles between heart and hand were endless. " Let Indian studies continue along the dead end of seal cutting, and it will be even more unimaginable in the 22 nd and 23 rd centuries. Jin Nong wrote a poem about printing: "The ancients thought about seal cutting and confused it with the cloud on the ridge. When they saw the wonders of the Six Dynasties, Tang and Song Dynasties, they never attached themselves to the Han family again. " At present, all kinds of arts are considering how to express and lead modern people's thinking. If Indian studies are still sleeping in the pile of old papers more than 2,000 years ago, they have to be sent to the history exhibition hall.

Facing the lush mountains, why do you have to dig your ancestral graves to burn firewood? Where is the mountain? From the height of the essence of printing science, from the height of art, as printing science, all printable materials can be used as materials for the performance of printing science. How much are these raw materials? On the one hand, only calligraphy can be used for reference, and it is a sea of Wang Yang. In addition to seal script, it has existed since ancient times. Song Biyu and Wu Yinyu of Putian School. There were official seals engraved with official and running scripts in the Five Dynasties, and even regular script seals handed down from generation to generation in Wang Mian at the end of Yuan Dynasty. "Three Continuations and Thirty-five Movements" records that "there are statues in Wei, Jin and Six Dynasties. Although not ancient, unbreakable. " There are even bronze, Xixia, Mongolian and Manchu seals, as well as English seals carved by Qian Juntao. "Seal script is not sealed or transferred" (ancient and modern printing). That is to say, seal script is absorbed from various books, which meets the requirements that seal script should have its own characteristics and be written independently. This is why Qin Shu's Eight-body Style is the unity of imitation and printing.

The most successful example of printing other books in history is the flower seal in Yuan Dynasty. Yuan Ya's achievements have long been recognized by Indian academic circles. In the Qing Dynasty, the Thirty-five-watch Movement in Yao Yan was "simple and difficult for future generations, but the Yuan Dynasty was still ancient." Zhao, Wu Changshuo,, Sha Menghai,, etc. They all imitate Yuan's gambling. Yuan Ya proved that seal script can be simple and profound, and other characters can also be expressed. The problem of calligraphy style is not the essence of seal artistry. Yuan gambling is flexible, rich and friendly, even surpassing China and India.

Various styles and schools of calligraphy are artistic classics created by working people and calligraphers in past dynasties. "China's cultural thought and aesthetic consciousness embodied in calligraphy art are so magical, rich, fascinating and intoxicating" (Introduction to Zhong Mingshan's Calligraphy Appreciation). The gift of regular script, the elegance of official script, the agility of cursive script, the fluency of running script, the innocence of North Monument, the naturalness of literary talent, the different temperament of Europe, Yan, Liu and Zhao, and the charm of Lanting's "Zhangdian", "Mi Dian" and "Drunken Man". As well as a large number of calligraphy books, is the best source of reference for Indian studies. Seal cutting has been learning from calligraphy since its birth, and it is impossible to exist and develop without calligraphy and printing. The famous calligraphers in the late Qing Dynasty were so famous that "the signer must be a calligrapher, but the calligrapher may not be a calligrapher" (thinking of Mr. Deng Sanmu's attitude towards seals). Mr. Si Ti calligraphy has visited the Han tablet. "He believes that you must learn calligraphy first, and the level of calligraphy determines the success or failure of seal cutting creation." India's academic qualifications pay attention to the accumulation of wealth, not to mention calligraphy closely related to the origin of India. What we have to do is to conform to the essential laws of Indian studies, inherit the correct views and methods of our predecessors, and carry them forward.

Without rich and fresh materials, it is impossible for art to maintain its vitality, appeal and attraction. "Ask where the canal is so clear, because there is a source of living water." To have vitality, we must have a life and be close to the lives of the masses. "Thirty-five strokes" "Twenty-four strokes, Zhu's miscellaneous printing should not be too strange, and it is ok to choose his free word." We should get rid of "miscellaneous seal characters" and replace them with various existing seal characters, because "miscellaneous seal characters" are expensive and unreasonable now. The speech at the Yan 'an Forum on Literature and Art also required literature and art to serve the people. "I'm not familiar with my description object and the recipients of my works, or I'm strange ... I don't know enough about the rich and vivid language of the masses. Many literary and art workers are not familiar with the people's language because they are divorced from the masses and lead an empty life. Therefore, their works are not only tasteless, but also often contain some uncommon words that are contrary to the people's language ... If there are many people who don't understand the language, what about literary creation? Heroes are useless, which means that your set of great principles are not appreciated by the masses. The older you are, the more you look like a "hero". The more you sell this set, the fewer people will buy your account. If you want the masses to know you, if you want to blend in with the masses, you have to make up your mind and go through a long and even painful tempering. " Looking back, what is our seal cutting like for the masses? Since the Han Dynasty, seal cutting has always been something that literati, scholars and officials enjoy or show off their power, and the masses neither understand nor appreciate it. Using such things to express people's thoughts and feelings, infect people and make people cry, can only be to seek fish from the edge of the wood.

An era has its artistic temperament and formal style. How can a thing that even people in this era don't understand show the spiritual consciousness and artistic style of the times? Is it to popularize seal cutting and seal script? Or gradually fade out of the public and the times? I'm afraid it's not our choice! If Indian studies want to keep pace with the times, in the information-based 2 1 century, these ancient characters must return to ancient literature, rather than exist in the art representing the spirit of this era. The seal of Qin and Han dynasties is a pearl in the treasure house of art, and it is also the only brilliant work of art unearthed in the tomb of Qin and Han dynasties. Should everyone sew the same? "We must inherit all the excellent literary heritage and critically absorb all the beneficial things as a reference for us to create works from the literary and artistic raw materials in people's lives here and now ... but inheritance and reference can never be a substitute for our own creation, which is absolutely irreplaceable. It is the most unhelpful and harmful literary dogmatism and artistic dogmatism to copy and imitate the ancients uncritically in literature and art. " (Speech at Yan 'an Forum on Literature and Art). "Qin and Han people are not stupid, dare to make it alone, so they can transcend the ages. I don't care about the ancients, but the custom thinks there is no foundation. I often lament people's stupidity. I didn't think that Qin and Han people, the son of man, and we are also sons of man. I don't think I'm unique. If I let my predecessors see it, I will be soft-hearted "(Qi Baishi). The study of Qin and Han seal should start from the artistic essence and creative method, not from gourd painting, but from seal cutting. "Those who learn from Han and India have to learn from its essence, but they don't have to be humble. If they are photographed, they will be embarrassed and take advantage of the ancients" (On the Seal of Dunhao Hall). Do you want to learn to fish, not as long as the fish don't learn to fish, or will you eat more? You can't live on leftover fishbone all the time, can you?

The reason why Indian academic circles are confined to "seal cutting" and can't make a difference is that they treat Indian studies with "seal cutting" in their ideological understanding and are blinded by this misunderstanding. Correct the name of Hinduism, broaden your horizons and get rid of this illusion. What else can we see besides the mountain of calligraphy? It is no exaggeration to say that this is an endless world that makes people linger. The achievements of various sister arts and the excellent wealth of folk crafts are all materials that can be used for reference. The people's infinitely rich life, language, thoughts and feelings are inexhaustible artistic food. Art based on this will never be exhausted, rigid, empty and pale; Always maintain the richness, vividness and appeal of art; Never out of date, always able to represent and confide the voice of the times.

"Today is just a copy of the past, who lives in the past? Poetry, calligraphy and painting have true meaning, so you can pursue further study and seek their communication "(Wu Changshuo's Engraving the Ancient). The problem of ideological understanding is the fundamental problem, absent-minded and blind. "If literary and art workers want to make their works popular with the masses, they have to change their thoughts and feelings and make some changes. Without this change, without this change, nothing can be done well and everything is out of place. " At present, it is an urgent need for the development of Indian studies to correct the name of Indian studies and remove "seal cutting" from ideological understanding. Only in this way can we solve the dilemma in the practice of Indian studies and promote the further development of Indian studies. Although there are still many problems to be solved in the practice of printing all kinds of books, drawing lessons from all kinds of sister arts, and expressing people's lives, thoughts and feelings, the practice and theoretical research of ancient and modern Indians have proved by ironclad facts that this road is bound to be correct, and we should have the courage and ability to solve it. "There is no road in the world. If there are more people walking, it will become a road. " Leaving aside the leaves of seal cutting thousands of years ago, we can see the development, direction and bright future of Indian studies, and the road of Indian studies will also extend forward with the efforts of the vast number of Indian workers.