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Home » Feature » Art and Culture

Small but mighty: 
the ancient Chinese art of 
seal engraving

By Zhu Ying | 00:01 UTC+8 July 12, 2025 | Print Edition

A seal may be small, but in China, it carries big weight. Known as zhuanke in Chinese, seal engraving is much more than just stamping a name. It’s an art form where calligraphy, sculpture and philosophy meet, a miniature expression of the Chinese worldview.

For centuries, seal engraving has been regarded as one of the four traditional Chinese arts, along with painting, calligraphy and poetry.

Deemed as “a cornerstone of Chinese fine arts,” seal engraving was added to the UNESCO Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2009.

The history of seals in China goes back more than 3,000 years. During the Shang Dynasty (1600-1046 BC), bronze seals were already in use.

Archeologists uncovered the three earliest bronze seals at the Yinxu ruins in central China’s Henan Province in 1928. Collected by the Palace Museum in Taipei, they once served practical purposes — authenticating documents, marking goods and signifying authority.

By the Warring States Period (475-221 BC), seals had become essential tools for official documentation across all levels of government and society.

Over time, seals evolved from bureaucratic tools to artistic mediums where scholars expressed their inner world.

It was during the Song (960-1279) and Yuan (1271-1368) dynasties that seal engraving truly blossomed, becoming intertwined with calligraphy and painting.

By the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), seals became a playground for the literati. Scholars carved their own seals, using it as a personal even philosophical outlet.

“These abstract lines, though simple, carry immense philosophical meaning — a profound Chinese contribution to world aesthetics,” said Luo Pengpeng, director of the Chinese Academy of Arts Seal Engraving Institute, in an interview with CCTV.

Seals are typically carved using zhuanshu, an archaic seal script. Characters can be stretched or compressed to fit into a confined space, allowing artists to play with form to evoke feeling and thought.

There are two primary types of seal impressions: zhuwen (朱文), or red character, uses cameo carving to leave red characters on a white background; while baiwen (白文), or white character, employs intaglio carving to leave white characters on a red background.

The contrast between solid and void echoes the Chinese philosophy of yin and yang — balance and opposition in harmony.

Even the ink paste is an art in itself. Typically made from finely ground cinnabar mixed with castor oil and either silk fibers or moxa wool, it offers rich red hues and a lasting imprint.

Modern artists are pushing the limits with new materials and digital tools, even incorporating 3D printing.

Over 150 universities in China now offer courses in seal engraving. Younger generations are picking up blades, rediscovering this centuries-old tradition with fresh eyes.

China’s Four Great Seal Stones

The choice of material is as important as the engraving itself. While seals can be carved from jade, metal, or wood, stone remains the favored medium. Among all, the “Four Great Seal Stones” stand out:

Shoushan Stone: Mined in Fuzhou, southeastern Fujian Province, Shoushan stone is known for its vivid colors. Its most prized variety, Tianhuang, glows with a warm golden hue and is regarded as the “king of stones.”

Changhua Stone: Found in Changhua County, eastern Zhejiang Province, this stone is famous for chicken-blood stone, named for its striking red veins. The stone is hailed as the “queen of stones.”

Qingtian Stone: Originating from Zhejiang’s Qingtian County, this cool-toned stone is softer and easier to carve. It is deemed as the “gentleman of stones.”

Balin Stone: A later entrant from northern Inner Mongolia, Balin stone is admired for its clarity and vibrant hues. It is dubbed as the “up-rising star.”

Major schools of seal engraving

If stones provide the body to the seal, the carvers breathe in the soul. As seal engraving flourished through the Ming and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties, various regional and personal styles emerged:

Wumen School: Founded by Wen Peng, son of the famed painter Wen Zhengming from Suzhou (ancient Wu), this was the first formal school. It emphasized elegance and fidelity to Han Dynasty (206 BC-220 AD) traditions.

Hui School: Led by He Zhen from Huizhou ancient city, it integrated Qin and Han elements with innovation, laying the foundation for modern seal art.

Wan School: Developed by Cheng Sui in the Qing Dynasty in Anhui (abbreviated as “Wan”), this style favored bold, archaic designs, especially in baiwen seals.

Zhe School: Established by Ding Jing in Zhejiang, it stressed classical refinement and scholarly sophistication. Ding and seven peers are collectively known as the “Eight Masters of Xiling.” Founded in 1904, the Xiling Seal Engravers Society located in Hangzhou, the Zhejiang capital, continues to preserve and promote the tradition of seal engraving.

Wu School: It is dominated by late Qing master Wu Changshuo. Wu’s expressive and powerful style had a lasting influence, even shaping Japanese seal carving art.

Qi School: A modern wave led by Qi Baishi, whose simplified yet dynamic style introduced modernism into the genre.

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