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Pictorial Seals 图形印

Seal art is a large subject in itself and beyond the scope of this article. However, I want to include a few seals that a based on purely graphical designs. A xi 玺 is a special seal used by a ruler or immediate family of either the Shang or Zhou dynasty. Other people's seals were called yin 印. The seals below are from the best seal collect that I have seen is at the Shanghai Museum. The xi below, from the Western Zhou, is a curly grain design, which looks very similar to the fire design or could represent running water.

涡纹玺 西周（公元前1045〜前771年） 上海博物馆 Ruler's seal with a curly grain design Western Zhou (1045—771), Shanghai Museum

After Emperor Qin Shihuang 秦始皇 unified China in 221 BCE he ordered the Imperial Seal of China 传国玺 created. It was handed down to subsequent sovereigns as the seal of state 印玺. The seal was carved from the He Shi Bi 和氏璧, a famous piece of jade belonging to the Zhao State during the Warring States Period. The seal was lost, probably in the Five Dynasties period.

祝辞图形印 汉（公元前221〜公元220年） 上海博物馆 Pictorial seal for good wishes Han (221 BCE —220 CE), Shanghai Museum

The seal below is a kind of script called bird and insect script 鸟虫书体. It is often used for inscriptions on ancient weapons.

鸟虫书体印 西周（公元前1045〜前771年） 上海博物馆 Seal with bird and insect script Western Zhou (1045—771), Shanghai Museum

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