Page 224 - Christie's Important Chinese Works of Art, May 31 to June 1, 2023 Hong Kong

identical approach taken by Jiaqing and Qianlong to seal-making, it seems greeted by hectare after hectare of sprawling fields of crops, which to him
to suggest quite a deliberate attempt on the part of Jiaqing to emulate his was ‘a visceral reminder of farmers’ constant battle with the elements.’ T0
father Qianlong. Emperor Qianlong, what sprang to mind was the hardship suffered by
those tilling and toiling on the land come rain or shine, often with bare-
While Jiaqing’s emulation of Qianlong in seal-making can be viewed as bones equipment and scant protection. Time and again, this reminded him
part of the imperial lineage and legacy, the inscription of the current lot of the seawall project in Zhejiang and rekindled his wish for good weather,
seems more indicative of Jiaqing’s own heart and soul, which is in turn flood control, and a peaceful and prosperous existence for all. However,
crucial to our interpretation of this work. As mentioned above, it belongs this scenery did not quite stir up the same sentiment in Emperor Jiaqing,
to one of the many palace seal ensembles commissioned by Jiaqing, each who instead pondered his governing duties, and this later found its artistic
comprising three works with closely related inscriptions, and each with expression in the shiyuanweiming and xiaguanerhua seals. Shiyuanweiming,
two yajiao seals pointing to the owner’s interpretation of the name of a meaning ‘with clear views comes vision’, is a quotation from the chapter
specific palatial structure. Given that, the author suggests that any individual of Taijia in Shangshu (Book of Documents), which recounts the story of
work from this category should be examined as a group of three. By the Taijia (a king of the Shang dynasty) being banished to a palace at Tong
same token, the current lot can only be duly understood by placing it side and subsequently given a royal welcome back to the capital Bo by Yi Yin.
by side with the accompanying shiyuanweiming and xiaguanerhua seals and Over a discussion about statecraft, Yi Yin mentioned shiyuanweiming and
within the historical context that shaped their owner Jiaqing. tingdeweicong (‘With an open ear to wisdom comes sound judgement’) in
his advice to the king. The two phrases essentially mean that from sight
Inspired by Longhongting (Pavilion of Dragon Brook) in Hangzhou, and sound emerge insight and vision, yet what we see often clouds our
Feiditing is a small four-column pavilion sitting atop an artificial judgement, hence the importance of staying clear-sighted and judicious;
rockscape in Anlanyuan, Yuanmingyuan, and commanding a bird’s eye likewise, we can easily be led astray by what we hear, hence the need to
view of the scenery that Qing emperors often delighted in during their listen out for wisdom so as to be able to tell good from bad. It is therefore
stays at Yuanmingyuan. By reading Qianlong’s imperial poems, one can important for a monarch to be mindful of his moral integrity as well as his
see that whenever the emperor visited this pavilion and took in the own words and actions. He should be good at taking advice and be quick
panoramic view beyond the imperial grounds, he would find himself

隆皇帝那裡承續而來的。乾隆時製作了相當數量的由一方引 遠惟明」璽和「下觀而化」放在一起，並將其與印主嘉慶皇
首章和兩方壓角章組成的三方一組的組璽，這種組璽又可分 帝的歷史境遇結合起來加以考察。
為兩種情況：一是引首為宮殿璽，兩方壓角為詩文警句璽，用
按飛睇亭是在圓明園安瀾園一處假山上仿杭州龍泓亭而建
以說明殿名璽中殿名的含義及來歷，可以稱之為宮殿組璽；
造的四柱小亭，是皇帝駐蹕圓明園時的登高望遠之所。通過
一是引首和壓角都是成語璽，在內容上可以相互注解，可以
乾隆皇帝的御製詩，可知乾隆皇帝在登臨此亭時，每每縱望
稱之為成語組璽。嘉慶帝亦步乾隆之後塵，刻製了不下七十
園外，稻塍千頃，皆在目中，便生出「直與農夫田父共較雨量
組這樣的組璽。而此方「飛睇亭」所在的組璽就屬於前一種
晴矣」的感覺。他想到的是犁雲鋤雨、雨笠風簑的農家生活
情況。嘉慶帝這種製作組璽的行為與乾隆如出一轍，使我們
的不易，也就每每想起浙江的海塘工程，希望天下能夠風調
明顯地感覺到嘉慶帝在具體行為上對乾隆的刻意模仿。
雨順，河海安瀾，百姓安居樂業，生活寧謐。而嘉慶皇帝似乎
如果說上述在寶璽製作方面嘉慶帝對乾隆的刻意模仿反映 沒有乾隆帝這樣的感同身受，登臨此亭，想到的卻是自己在
出嘉慶帝與乾隆帝之間的延續和繼承關係的話，那麼對此方 國家治理中的責任。這種責任即通過「飛睇亭」組璽的「視
寶璽內容的解讀似乎更能折射出嘉慶帝自己的思想和意識， 遠惟明」和「下觀而化」印文得到了詮釋。「視遠惟明」典出
這也是我們理解嘉慶皇帝此方「飛睇亭」璽應該關注的重 《尚書》「太甲」篇，講的是商王太甲被放逐桐宮後，伊尹以
點。前面已經講過，「飛睇亭」璽是嘉慶帝諸多三方一組宮殿 帝王之禮奉迎太甲回到亳都。君臣就為君之道進行討論，伊
組璽中的一方，而這種宮殿組璽中的三方印文在內容上又關 尹告誡太甲有「視遠惟明，聽德惟聰」之語。意思是人的內
聯甚密，兩方壓角章表明了印主對宮殿名稱的理解和詮釋。 心所獲得的真知灼見，來源於目見耳聞。而目見往往會見近
因此，筆者認為，對於這樣的組璽，要理解組璽中的任何一 迷遠，故須明察秋毫，才能明辨是非。耳聞往往易背正從斜，
方，都必須將三方組璽放在一起進行解讀。同樣，要很好地 故須耳朵靈敏，才能識知善惡。引而申之，即是作為君主要
理解此方「飛睇亭」璽，就要將它和與它同組的另外兩璽「視 時刻注重自身修養，時刻躬身自省，檢討自己的言行。善於

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