The Study Of Confucianism In The Seal Theory

In the field of Chinese traditional culture,seal cutting has become one significant part of it for its rich cultural connotation and long history.Originally,seal cutting was a technique rather than an art.Since the Yuan Dynasty,because of the emergence of a large number of seal cutting theories,which summed up the experience and regular pattern of seal cutting,seal cutting has become a traditional art with comprehensive theory system.The development of seal cutting is closely related to Chinese Confucianism thought.Its form,system and function all get the glimpse of Confucian culture.Seal cutting rooted in the traditional culture,so the study of seal cutting art must hold many multiplicities.First of all,Confucianism has always advocated people to enter the official career,conduct benevolent government,honor credibility,and emphasize personal self-cultivation,so that Confucianism has an important impact to the development of seal cutting.In the early stage,seals were different from each other due to the different of their social status and social functions;In the Tang and Song Dynasties,seals were used as collection and signature alternatives.By the Ming and Qing dynasties,the material of seal was changed,the literati got involved in the seal cutting field,the school seal rose.During this period,the seal cutting art reached its peak.Credential was the initial function of the seal,it can be witnessed in all kinds of seal cutting theories.Based on these theories,comprehending the practicability of seal has become a necessary course to study the art of seal.Secondly,the seal cutting art cannot be studied without seal.The study of seal is based on the art analysis,summary and induction of seal itself.Not only the creation subject of seal cutting but also the aesthetic subject of seal cutting submit to and come from the main body of seal cutting ——person.Whether the level of seal making skill or the style of seal is determined all rested with the main body of seal cutting,person must be the important object of art research of seal cutting.Through the manipulation of man in seal materials to create artworks,by contraries,the style,the line texture and the aesthetic of seal cutting art can reflect the interests of human thoughts,also showing a certain background of the times.In the field of studying seal cutting art,the relationship between people and seal is an important research content.Thirdly,seal cutting is an art.To a large extent,the content of the seal cutting has the characteristics of the antiquities of Chinese classical literature and art.Emotional sustenance is an important link in the aesthetic mechanism of seal.Seal cutting art is a comprehensive art about aesthetics.The process of artistic aesthetics realization is also the process of emotional solidification of seal.The information which contained in the seal cutting is an important content to study the inherent beauty of the seal.Especially in the stage of literati seal cutting,the main body of creation is the literati intellectuals.This kind of seal is full of knowledge accomplishment rather than functional seal.The seal engraver are mostly traditional literati and Confucian,who possess excellent cultural accomplishment.It has important impacts for the style,cultural connotation and spirit symbol of seal works.The seal created by this group contains the Confucian thought which is the accumulation of other knowledge and skills.So the level of literati seal engravers' self-cultivation becomes an important factor for the style of seal.For the study of seal cutting art,the seal form,the seal theory and the print content of seal are all parts which cannot be ignored."Seal is a minor skill rather than a minor way",the seal is the product of Chinese historical culture.Only by putting the seal cutting art in the corresponding political,economic and cultural environment,and integrating seal cutting art with epigraphy and philology,can we fully and profoundly understand the art of seal cutting.Confucian culture plays an important role in guiding the aesthetic value orientation of seal.