The Emperor's Birthday Seal

The famous era of the Chinese Emperor Qianlong is quite incredible.  Whenever an issue of national importance happened, the emperor would commission a seal to note the occasion.  For instance, Qianlong reached the age of seventy which was also the forty fifth year of his reign.  The emperor promptly ordered a seal to be inscribed.  This particular seal aso had an adaptation from a line in Du Fu's poem.  When it is translated it means "Treasure of the Seventy Year Old Son of Heaven."  It is of interest to note that this was done to celebrate the emperor's birthday!  Another feature of the many seals commissioned during the Qianlong era is that when all of them are displayed they tell the tale of the entire reign of this emperor!

From the point of view of Emperor Qianlong himself, these imperial seals were symbolic of his great achievements as a Qing ruler.  These seals, which resemble figurines today, were a highly significant part of the official business of the empire.  Knowing these facts will greatly help one understand what they are looking at when they view the Qianlong Imperial Seals of China.  The serious collector will be able to mentally sketch the great contributions made to the imperial courts, as well as to the history of China's emperors, when these seals are carefully observed.  Such artifacts as these tell a very old and important story!

Harlan Urwiler

For more information, feel free to visit my website at:  http://www.myorientalgallery.com/.