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Lot Essay
The impression of the current seal, Hua Nong Xue Ju, is included in the Qingdai dihou xiyin pu [Compendium of Seals of Qing Emperors and Empresses], Jiaqing juan, vol. 2, Beijing, 2013, p. 177 (fig. 1).
The verse huanong xueju (the blooms dense amidst gathered snow) is taken from a prose written by Yu Xin (513-581) of the Later Zhou Dynsaty. Entitled An ode to mounted archery in the Hualin Garden on the 3rd day of the 3rd month, it is composed in praise of the Later Zhou emperor’s archery skills:
‘… the birds are chirping, the blooms dense amidst gathered snow; jade flutes regulated by bells, gold cymbals accompanied by drums…’
These verses describe the scene of the emperor’s mounted archery at the time when spring is returning and flowers are blooming amidst residual snow, accompanied by sounds of percussion. The Qing emperors were taught archery from a very young age so the memory of Manchu’s conquest of China with military might could live on. It is perhaps with this in mind that the Jiaqing emperor commissioned this seal. The material and carving of the current seal is reminiscent to those made in the Qianlong period. Indeed, with more than 980 seals recorded in the imperial seal compendium, Jiaqing emperor possessed a great number of seals, just like his father. The ones inscribed with poems are considered leisure seals that express the interests and aspirations of the owner, such is the case of the current example.
The verse huanong xueju (the blooms dense amidst gathered snow) is taken from a prose written by Yu Xin (513-581) of the Later Zhou Dynsaty. Entitled An ode to mounted archery in the Hualin Garden on the 3rd day of the 3rd month, it is composed in praise of the Later Zhou emperor’s archery skills:
‘… the birds are chirping, the blooms dense amidst gathered snow; jade flutes regulated by bells, gold cymbals accompanied by drums…’
These verses describe the scene of the emperor’s mounted archery at the time when spring is returning and flowers are blooming amidst residual snow, accompanied by sounds of percussion. The Qing emperors were taught archery from a very young age so the memory of Manchu’s conquest of China with military might could live on. It is perhaps with this in mind that the Jiaqing emperor commissioned this seal. The material and carving of the current seal is reminiscent to those made in the Qianlong period. Indeed, with more than 980 seals recorded in the imperial seal compendium, Jiaqing emperor possessed a great number of seals, just like his father. The ones inscribed with poems are considered leisure seals that express the interests and aspirations of the owner, such is the case of the current example.