EXPLORING THE TRADITION OF ORACLE BONE AND BRONZE INSCRIPTIONS IN LINGNAN SEAL CARVING THROUGH ZHANG DAJING'S WORKS

[Objective] To study Mr. Zhang Dajing's ancient seal works incorporating oracle bone and bronze inscriptions, explore their relevance to contemporary seal carving creation, and examine the tradition of using oracle bone and bronze inscriptions in Lingnan seal school. [Methods] Based on Fu Ding Tang Seal Collection, analyze Zhang Dajing's social connections and explore the ideological origins of his seal carving art; analyze the artistic characteristics of Zhang's oracle bone and bronze inscription seals to seek inspiration for seal creation. [Conclusions] (1) Zhang Dajing was skilled at absorbing artistic characteristics from Qin-Han seals and school seals, while extensively drawing from oracle bones, bronze inscriptions, and even tiles and clay seals. His oracle bone and bronze inscription seals present multiple styles. In his later years, he developed a personal knife technique characterized by abandoning sophistication for simplicity and wielding the knife like a brush, which can inspire contemporary seal carving. (2) Zhang Dajing frequently associated with paleographers, scholars, poets, and calligraphy-painting artists. His preference for ancient-style seals and artistic philosophy of learning from pre-Qin era was likely influenced by his teachers and social circle. (3) Zhang's preference for ancient-style seals reflects both his personal artistic philosophy and the Lingnan seal tradition's emphasis on scholarship and using learning to enhance seal carving. This tradition was formed under the influence of Chen Li, Huang Shiling and others, combined with Lingnan's geographical, economic, and historical-cultural factors, and was reinforced through later interactions among Guangdong school seal artists. KEYWORDS: Zhang Dajing, Social Connections, Guangdong School Seal Carving, Oracle Bone and Bronze Inscription Incorporation