Seal engraving seen as sign of confidence

There are few art forms that can give Chinese people such strong cultural confidence as seal engraving, according to Luo Pengpeng, a master of the art.

A small seal can involve literature, history, philosophy and aesthetics, as well as calligraphy and engraving techniques, requiring practitioners to have solid knowledge of various fields.

"If the engraving art can enter the classrooms in primary and secondary schools, it will plant a seed of cultural confidence in the young minds of children, which will grow stronger and stronger in the future," Luo said.

Luo, head of the Institute of Chinese Seal Engraving, said people's childhood hobbies have a profound influence, even if they drop them when they grow up.

A member of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, she proposed this year that seal engraving - an art form that played an important role in ancient times - be returned to daily life.

"It is not necessary to set a class specifically on seal engraving, but teachers can mention the art in the calligraphy classes that many schools already have," she said.

Luo, who hopes such moves will give more students a connection with the art form, has been promoting seal engraving for many years.

One of the most impressive promotional activities was an exhibition held in 2016 at Prince Kung's Mansion in Beijing that displayed renowned engraving works as well as products such as T-shirts decorated with seal engraving patterns.

The exhibition attracted more than 500,000 visitors in 30 days, many of whom said it had refreshed their knowledge of seal engraving, Luo said.

"Our country is now advocating and promoting the return and inheritance of traditional culture," she said.

"If we can enhance the practical functions of seals, more people will fall in love with the art."

She established the Institute of Chinese Seal Engraving in 2006, and the country's first master's degree in seal engraving was launched by the China Academy of Art in 2007.

Two years later, with Luo in charge of the application process, Chinese seal engraving was included in UNESCO's intangible cultural heritage list.

In the Government Work Report delivered to the second session of the 13th National People's Congress, Premier Li Keqiang said the government will strengthen the protection and use of cultural relics and the preservation of intangible cultural heritage.

Luo said her proposal on seal engraving was not only about preservation, but also a reminder of the need to use the traditional art form to record contemporary life.