AN INSCRIBED AND DATED 'TIANHUANG' IMPERIAL SEAL, Qianlong (1736 - 95), of rectangular form, the block with incised inscription "The Master of Heaven Qianlong, made by the House of Internal...

AN INSCRIBED AND DATED 'TIANHUANG' IMPERIAL SEAL, Qianlong (1736 - 95), of rectangular form, the block with incised inscription "The Master of Heaven Qianlong, made by the House of Internal Affairs', dating to the year 1787, the upper section delicately carved with coiled dragon and chilong amongst cloud swirls, the face with four characters in intaglio, apparently unrecorded, 9.5cm high, 7.5cm long

Provenance: Private European Collection

 

Colour is very important in Chinese culture, with strict rules around who in society could wear specific shades. The hierarchical ranking system placed yellow as the most important and thus was restricted to the ruling class. It was the imperial colour of the Emperor. The Tianhuang stone is highly prized for a similar reason. The vivid yellow tone of the gemstone made it synonymous with the Imperial court. It was used predominantly in the carving of seals, such as this present lot, which during the Ming and subsequent Qing Dynasties were presented to the Imperial palace as tributes. The Tianguang was carved into the shape of auspicious symbols, the coiled dragon and chilong, for instance. The stone originates from Shoushan in the Fujian province of China. There are numerous meanings associated with it, including fortune and longevity, coming from the characters Fu and Shou, the locations where it is mined. It also appears in Chinese mythology, Songs of Chu (c.340 278 BC) Goddess Nuwa upon repairing the pillars of heaven melts the stone to restore the restore order. Or in another tale Tianhuang is the transformed egg of the phoenix.

It is among the three precious seal stones of China, the other two are Jixue (bloodstone) and Furong (rose quartz).

 

The House of Internal Affairs, or the Imperial Household Department was an institution in Qing Dynasty China whose primary purpose was to manage the proceedings of the Qing Imperial family and the activities of the inner palace. They also played an important role in the ceremonial and spiritualpursuits of the ruling family. This seal is dedicated to the Emperor from the Department, presumably presented as a gift on behalf of the institution.

 

View more View less