Page 84 - Sothebys HK Dragon Emperor April 2024

EMPEROR QIANLONG’S IMPERIAL ALBUM AND
HIS APPRECIATION OF IMPERIAL SEALS*

GUO FUXIANG

The Qing dynasty was one of the most prosperous eras in and ordered his officials to write essays on these seals.
Chinese history. The Qianlong Emperor was especially fond The Emperor himself also wrote poems to enhance their
of ancient art and was a great collector. During the sixty value. This is the first album that was made to record the
years of his rule, his art collection reached an unprecedented emperor’s seal collection.
level. His collection was recorded in detail in albums that Qianlong’s poems and writings give us information on
provide essential information for the study of the Emperor’s his vast jade collection. From archival records we know
collection. Qianlong himself was involved in the inventory that there were fifteen ‘groups’ of jade seals that were
work of his collection and spent considerable time putting appreciated, valued and recorded in albums by the emperor
his seal collection in order. The present album is therefore an and his officials.
important document of seals collected by the Emperor.
The valuation of Qianlong’s ancient jade seal collection
The Emperor’s seal collection mainly comprised of ancient involved the following process: firstly, the length of time
bronze and jade seals, and ivory and stone seals of the devoted to the making of the seal was determined by
Ming Dynasty. The Jian gu xi zhen (Ancient Treasures examining the material, the style of carving and the contents
Reflecting the Past) Album is the work of the Emperor and of the inscription found on the seal. The seals were then
his officials. The album contains thirty-two seal marks from presented to the emperor for review. After the emperor
Qianlong’s seal collection. It is in an album format, and made his valuation of the seal, his officials usually confirmed
the front and back cover is made of ying wood. The front his decision. Secondly, under the emperor’s order, the seal
cover is incised with the four-characters Jian gu xi zhen in marks were preserved in an album together with his poems
lishu. The album contains nine double-pages. The first and or essays. The workmanship of these albums is superb and
the second pages are made of a special paper that contain extremely fine. Finally, the albums were stored in boxes and
gold specks. The characters ‘Wu Fu Wu Dai Tang gu xi kept in the Palace.
Tianzi bao’ (The Treasure of Tianzi of the Five Happiness
and Five Generations Hall) are printed together with the About twenty known officials were involved in the making
characters ‘Ba zheng laonian zhi bao’ (The Treasure of the of these albums. Among the officials were Liang Shizheng,
Eight Commemorable Battles of the Old Gentleman). The Dong Bangda, Yu Minzhong, Jin Deying, Wang Youdun, Jiang
third double page is incised with the two characters ‘Lang Pujiu Ri Xiu, Zhang Ruodeng, Qian Weicheng, Qian Rucheng,
Zhao’ (Perfect Brilliance) in the Emperor’s writing. Below it Wang Jihua and others. All these officials were also scholars
is a portrait of the Qianlong emperor. The following pages of literature, history and the arts, and they all excelled in the
contain seal marks and the landscape painting of Dong field of calligraphy and painting. Their main task included the
Bangda, a flower painting by Zou Yigui, a landscape painting recording of the seals reviewed by the Emperor. They had to
by Qian Weicheng, the painting of the story of Wang Xizhi, find evidence for strengthening the emperor’s decision about
and the calligraphy of Ding Guanpeng. The eighth page of the the seals. For example, in one of the valuations it is recorded
album contains a poem by the Qianlong emperor and short that, ‘By imperial order, the 16 pieces of seals are of lustrous
essays by eight high-ranking officials, such as Jiang Pu and quality, with colorful and vivid design pattern and incised
Wang Youdun. The ninth page contains the six characters in zhuanshu by the carvers. From their quality it is evident
‘Taishang Huangdi zhi bao’ (Treasure of the Emperor that they are seals of the Qin and Han dynasties. They are
Emeritus). The album is a collection of poems, calligraphy, undoubtedly made by Yan Liu’.
paintings and seal marks. In order to understand the value Then they eulogized the Emperor Qianlong as outstanding
of this album, it is important to introduce its historical and peerless, such as the following: “Our Emperor respects
background. the ancient things, evaluates carefully and researches
The Qianlong Emperor considered the recording of his seal widely, checks each piece, each article, and gathers all the
collection an important part of his activities. His interest in materials, to confirm that the object is indeed a treasure
seals started around the 10th year of his reign (equivalent to from the past.” In order to achieve a suitably high level of
1745 A.D.). It was largely due to his love of jade artifacts. In praise, they would sometimes write in a contrived manner.
his opinion, ancient jade seals of the Qin and Han Dynasties Comparing the emperor’s poems with the essays by the
were especially worthy of his appreciation. In the 14th year officials, we can see that even whilst putting the seals into
of his reign, he had boxes made to contain sixteen jade seals. order and evaluating them, the main role was still played by
In addition, he had the rubbings of the seal marks made the emperor himself.