抄録
Impressions of seals possessed by the Jin emperor Zhangzong 章宗 (1168-1208), known as the “seven imperial seals of the Mingchang 明昌 era,” are found on many renowned works, and they provide important evidence for determining the routes of transmission of these works. There are discrepancies between references in the Yunyan guoyan lu 雲烟過眼録 (Record of Clouds and Mist Passing Before One’s Eyes) by Zhou Mi 周密 (1232-98) of the early Yuan and the texts of extant seal impressions, but since the mid-Ming the extant seal impressions have been looked upon as the seven imperial seals of the Mingchang era. By classifying the extant seal impressions of the seven imperial seals, I was able to discover a group of reliable seals centred on those used on the scroll Court Ladies Preparing Newly Woven Silk (Museum of Fine Arts, Boston). In addition, the seal impression on Wang Xizhi’s 王羲之 letter “Sending Regards to a Friend”(National Palace Museum, Taipei) may also be considered reliable, even though it does not belong to the above group. Consequently, the seal impression on “Twelve Months’ Correspondence with Friends” (National Palace Museum, Taipei) may also be regarded as reliable and can be considered to have been one of the seals in the possession of the emperor Zhangzong.
On the basis of the classification of seal impressions, I also examine Zhangzong’s calligraphy in the “slender gold” (shoujin 痩金) style, and I have determined that the inscriptions on Exotic Gift from a Tributary State (National Palace Museum, Taipei), Court Ladies Preparing Newly Woven Silk, and Lady Guo Sightseeing in Spring (Liaoning Provincial Museum) ought to be regarded as benchmark works of Zhangzong’s calligraphy in the “slender gold” style. In addition, the calligraphy attached to the Admonitions Scroll (British Museum) did not originally belong to the painting, and it is questionable whether it is genuinely in Zhangzong’s hand. The method of differentiating calligraphy in the “slender gold” style by the emperors Huizong 徽宗 and Zhangzong as described by Lu You 陸友 may be considered reasonable.
