竹在中國文化已有數千年歷史，古時人們生活中的”食衣住行”都離不開竹，所以蘇軾曾說:「食者竹筍，庇者竹瓦，載者竹筏，爨者竹薪，衣者竹皮，書者竹紙」。竹古代用於竹簡，後來用於文房用具、樂器、器皿、建築材料和藝術品等。

 

Bamboo has a history of several thousand years in Chinese culture. In ancient

times, people’s daily life – “clothing, food, shelter, and transportation” – was inseparable from bamboo. Thus, Su Shi once said: “ They eat bamboo shoots, live under bamboo tiles, carry things in bamboo bark, and write on bamboo paper”. In ancient times, bamboo was used for bamboo slips (writing materials), and later for scholar’s studio tools, musical instruments, utensils, building materials, and artworks, among other things.

 

 

竹印由於竹材不易保存，竹印最早見於清代乾隆朝，最有力的證據是2007年香港蘇富比拍賣的一枚圓明園竹印。(圖一)

 

以下是蘇富比對此印的部分說明:

「此印章是為了記錄乾隆皇帝對圓明園的欣賞，該園擁有壯麗而遼闊的景色。這枚印章是為了記錄和紀念圓明園的第29景 – 方壺勝境而雕刻的。此印章的胃後三個字”印空曠” ，實際上來自於這個景觀的三個主要特徵和建築的名稱 – 三潭〝印〞月、天宇〝空〞明，以及清〝曠〞樓。」(圖二)

 

Bamboo seals, due to the perishable nature of bamboo, were first seen during the Qianlong reign of the Qing dynasty. The most compelling evidence is a Yuanmingyuan bamboo seal that was auctioned by Sotheby’s Hong Kong in 2007 (figure 1). Below is an excerpt form Sotheby’s description of this seal:

“ This seal was made to record the Qianlong emperor’s appreciation of the Yuanmingyuan (Garden of Absolute Clarity), the Old Summer Palace in the suburbs of Beijing with its magnificent and far-reaching views. The present seal was carved to record and commemorate the 29^th scene of the Yuanmingyuan, Fanghu shengjing (The Superb Scenery of the Fanghu). The last three characters of the present seal, “ Yin Kong Kuang”, in fact, come from the names of the three main features and buildings of this scene- San Tang”Yin” Yue (The Three Lake reflecting the Moon), Tian Yu “King” Ming (The Universe of Luminescence), and Qing “Kuang” Lou (The Mansion of Comforting Purity). (Figure 2)

 

乾隆朝竹印

Bamboo Seal of Qian Long Period

 

圖一

Figure 1

 

 

方壺勝境

The Superb Scenery of the Fang Hu

 

 

圖二

Figure 2

 

            在文獻上記載的清宮竹印寥寥可數，我們收藏竹印數十年，在我們的藏品中有一枚〝上巳日凱宴成功諸將士〞竹印 (圖三) ，由於以上蘇富比所拍賣圓明園乾隆年代的竹印，我們認為這枚竹印應該是乾隆朝的。

 

The records of bamboo seals from the Qing imperial court are scarce. We have been collecting bamboo seals for decades, and among our collection is a bamboo seal inscribed with “Victory Banquet for the Officer and Soldiers Who Distinguished Themselves on the Sahngsi Festival” (Figure 3). Based on the above-mentioned bamboo seal from the Qianlong era of the Yuanmingyuan auctioned by Sotheby’s, we believe that this bamboo seal is likely from the Qianlong reign as well.

 

上巳日凱宴成功諸將士竹印

“Victory Banquet for Officers and Soldiers Who Had Distinguished Themselves” Bamboo Seal

 

圖三

Figure 3

 

            “上巳日凱宴成功諸將士” 是乾隆二十五年上巳日慶功宴而寫的詩，見於詩文、書法、墨拓本和書畫等等。

 

            The phrase “Victory Banquet for the Officers and Soldiers Who Distinguished Themselves on the Shangsi Festival” comes from a poem written to commemorate the celebration banquet on the Shangsi Festival during the 25^th year of the Qianlong reign. It can be found in poetry, calligraphy, ink rubbings, and paintings.

 

            這樣的詩文見於書籍如《日下舊聞考》卷021，乾隆墨寶見於拓本《敬勝齋法帖》(十二)冊，清高宗御製上巳西苑凱宴詩 (圖四) ，而圖冊有清乾隆郎世寧等平定西域圖冊之凱宴成功諸將士。 (圖五)

 

            The text of this poem can be found in collections such as “ Rixia Jiuwen Kao” (Volum 021). The Qianlong Emperor’s calligraphy can be seen in rubbings like the Jingshengzhai Fatie (Volume 12), which includes the imperial poem” Shangsi Victory Banquet in the Western Garden” (Figure 4). Additionally, the album includes illustrations such as “Victory Banquet for the Officers and Soldiers Who Distinguished Themselves” from the Album of the Pacification of the Western Regions by Qing Dynasty artists like Lang Shining. (Figure 5)

 

乾隆墨寶

Calligraphy of Emperor Qianlong

圖四

Figure 4

 

凱宴成功諸將士圖

A Victory Banquet Given by the Emperor for the Distinguished Officers and Soldiers

 

圖五

Figure 5

 

            以下是圖五畫的說明:

            「郎世寧等平定西域戰圖之凱宴成功諸將士」

      《平定西域戰圖》冊之《凱宴成功諸將士》，清乾隆，朗世寧等繪，紙本，銅版畫，每開縱55.4釐米，橫90.8釐米。

           

            畫幅上部乾隆皇帝御題 “凱宴成功諸將士得詩八首” 。款識: “庚辰上巳日作，御筆。”鈐”古稀天子”圓形朱文印。此為《平定西域得勝圖》冊中的一開，圖繪時年51歲的乾隆皇帝於乾隆二十六年(1761年)正月，在修葺一新的西苑紫光閣，為西征的將士們舉行慶功宴的場景。西征將士與被邀請的滿、蒙、回王公貴族在紫光閣前分列兩旁，跪迎乘坐肩輿而來的乾隆皇帝，場面隆重而熱烈。由於《平定西域得勝圖》冊是在西洋畫家創作的基礎上，又經法國人刻制而成的。因此，它帶有濃郁的西洋繪畫風格，途中所繪樓閣、寶帳、樹木、橋、塔等寫實逼真，富有立體感。乾隆皇帝及眾官兵的形象已失去了他們本身的肖像畫特徵，具有西洋人深木高鼻的神采。

 

            The following are the descriptions of drawing or painting in figure 5:

            Victory banquet for the officers and soldiers who had distinguished themselves kaiyan Chenggong zhu jiangshi 凱宴成功諸將士 drawing by Giuseppe Castinglione (Lang Shining) (1761).

 

            Victory banquet for the officers and soldiers who had distinguished themselves; Emperor Qianlong about to preside over a victory banquet for officers and soldiers who had distinguished themselves during the campaigns in old east part of China; in the foreground to right the Emperor is borne in a litter in a procession moving towards the Ziguangge, a building in the gardens of the preparing food; to left, a large group of defeated rebels, shown kneeling to the left, who attended the event, while to right, court officials, some kneeling; in the distance to right, Marble Bridge and the Baita (White Pagoda).

 

            Inscription note: Handwritten in brush and ink; poem in the handwriting of the Qianlong Emperor. (1761)

           

            從以上竹印的討論，我們不能忽略平平凡凡的竹印，它不但有歷史和收藏價值，更帶來驚人的經濟效果，望讀這勉勵。

 

            From the above discussion on bamboo seals, we cannot overlook that even seemingly ordinary bamboo seals may hold not only historical and collectible value but could also bring astonishing economic benefits. We hope readers are encouraged by this insight.