A SUPERB IMPERIAL SOAPSTONE SEAL QING DYNASTY, YONGZHENG PERIOD

of square form, the seal top deftly carved with three bearded and horned qilong dragons playfully clambering atop a large rocky boulder, one beast with its limbs outstretched across the top, and the two smaller beasts with their bodies writhing as they clamber up the sides, their long bifurcated tails wrapping around the boulder, one gripping a long sprig of lingzhi fungus in its mouth, the long flowing mane picked out with fine incised lines, the seal face deeply carved with the characters Si shi jia xing yu ren tong ('People prosper as the seasons go by'), the translucent stone of a rich creamy tone with light brown inclusions

Removed from the Shouhuangdian (Hall of Imperial Longevity), Beijing, 1900.
Private Collection, France.

As visible in the catalogue illustration, there are old nibbles to the edges. There is general expected wear and small losses, the largest of approx 0.4 by 0.2cm to the front, as visible on p. 45. There are small losses and minor surface wear to the qilong, the largest to the tail of the middle qilong, of approx 0.5 by 0.2cm, and a small nibble to the lingzhi fungus. The losses do not detract from the overall appearance of the seal, and it is otherwise generally in very good condition.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Qianlong Emperor's 'Si Shi Jia Xing Yu Ren Tong' Seal
Guo Fuxiang
Department of Palace History
The Palace Museum, Beijing 

The present seal belonged to the Qianlong emperor when he was a prince and was made before his enthronement. It is made of soapstone and is decorated with landscape and three qilong on its handle. It contains seven characters in the emperor's calligraphy in the zhuanshu style which reads 'Si Shi Jia Xing Yu Ren Tong' and can be translated as 'People prosper as the seasons go by'.

According to archival records the present seal was made in the Imperial Palace and was part of a group of 70 seals stored in 13 boxes. The Qianlong emperor was enthroned at the age of 25. It is known that the ten years before his enthronement he collected over 70 seals which were placed in 13 boxes. An imperial record titled "Record of Boxes" notes that "In the winter of the 46^th year of the Qianlong reign, the Qianlong Emperor ordered to have boxes made for the seals frequently used by Sheng Zu, Shi Zung, and his own seals collected in the decade before his enthronement''. These boxes were stored in the Shouhuangdian in Jingshan. It is regrettable that due to the turmoil of the last years of the Qing dynasty, imperial seals kept in the Shouhuangdian have been lost with the only exception of one box containing 16 seals which are now in the collection of the Palace Museum in Beijing. The present seal is one of a pair.  The companion seal is inscribed with the Emperor's writing which can be translated as 'one is satisfied when observing all the things in the world with a peaceful mind'.

One of the important characteristics of Qianlong's seals is the large variety of sources used for the inscriptions. It is well known that Qianlong admired the Han culture and studied the writings of Confucius and Mencius. His profound knowledge of the Han dynasty is widely reflected in all aspects of his life, including his seals. Inscriptions on his seals are often taken directly or indirectly from classics such as the Lun Yu, The Book of Odes, Shang Shu, Shou Yi, Li Ji and others. Furthermore, many of the inscriptions were taken directly from famous poems by Li Bai, Du Fu, Xu Hun and Yu Liangshi who were all poets of the Tang dynasty. The inscription on this seal is quoted from a poem titled, "A Note Written by Chance on an Autumn Day" by Cheng Hao of the Song Dynasty. Cheng Hao was born in Luoyang, Henan province. In his youth he studied under the famous scholar Zhou Dunyi who was the founder of Neo-Confucianism during the Song Dynasty. Cheng Hao was a kind man with a candid mind. He further developed the theories of Mencius, and with his brother, Cheng Yi, developed Neo-Confucianism into an organized philosophical school. The Cheng brothers built their philosophies on the concept of li (basic truths), and stressed calm introspection and investigation of the myriad things of the universe and participation in human affairs. Cheng Hao's idealistic system of "heavenly rationalism" played an influential role in the development of Chinese philosophy over time. The Kangxi Emperor of the Qing dynasty was especially keen to promote Cheng's philosophy. In the 25^th year of Kangxi's reign, the emperor upgraded Cheng's position from ru to xian.  Qianlong followed his grandfather and was known to have admired the teachings of Cheng Hao. He is quoted saying, "It is highly effective when applied to major matters and less effective when applied to minor matters. Overall it is most suitable for ruling the world.'' Qianlong valued Cheng Hao's philosophy and the poem "A Note Written by Chance on an Autumn Day" is a summary of Cheng's teaching. Therefore, it is quite natural for the emperor to quote from Cheng's writings.

The present seal is a rare example of seals collected by the emperor when he was still a prince. It reflects the prince's peaceful mind at that time when he observed happenings in the world. As his other seals, it is made of soapstone, but the carving found on this seal is especially vivid and strong. This seal makes it possible for us to understand and appreciate Qianlong's seal collection when he was a prince.