「Look at the Picture and Talk about the Painting」The red seal serves as evidence, the cultural imprint of Wujin Rubbing

In the lower right corner of the inkstone rubbing in the Palace Museum’s collection, there is an inscription seal reading “Record of the inscriptions from stone has been making rubbings by Antiquities Hall and collected by Palace Museum”. This seal is essentially a “cultural identification card”. It witnessed the period of the Republic of China when theAntiquities Hall of Palace Museum used the “Wujin rubbing” technique to reproduce the royal inkstones. The Wujin rubbing could precisely replicate the texture and undulations of the inkstones as well as the brushstrokes of the inscriptions, thus preserving the information of the cultural relics.

The inkstone, as a significant item in the study room, embodies profound meanings in its shape, inscriptions and patterns. The “Observing the Celestial Phenomena” inkstone inscribed by Emperor Qianlong integrates the emperor’s concept of “observing the celestial phenomena” into the study tools, becoming a symbol of power and culture. The inkstone with the inscription “Jian’an Year 15” is the trace of the circulation of cultural relics. From a practical item on the desk of ancient scholars to a royal collection, and then being fixed by the rubbing process, each step is a witness to the historical inheritance.

These rubbings reveal the ancient people’s aesthetic views, beliefs, pursuits and expressions of power. Rather than saying that the process of transfer is merely a replication of the physical form of the relics, it is more accurate to say that it is an understanding and transmission of the cultural connotations. The combination of “antiquities” and “rubbing techniques” has transformed the inkstones originally kept in the imperial palaces into exquisite artworks that can be both appreciated and cherished. This has achieved a precious enhancement where 1 + 1 is greater than 2, and it has also provided a more vivid carrier for cultural inheritance.

The tea for today is all gone. Next time, I’ll brew a fresh pot and enjoy art with you again.