Japanese seal history

Japanese first seal “King of Na gold seal”

The King of Na gold seal was found from under a big rock by farmer who was reparing trench of rice paddy at Shikanoshima that located the entrance of Hakata Bay.

The material of the King of Na gold seal was high purity Gold and it was found with quite fine condition although it was left out in the open for a long period of time.　It was engraved by hollow relief and writings are divided into 3 paragraphs with tensho script like “漢 委奴國王 ” on the seal face. The decorative grip on top of the seal is a statue of snake.

Seal characters are engraved as “Kan no wano nakoku ou” 「漢委奴国王」 in Japanese. 「委」”Wa” is old name of Japanese, 「奴」”Na” is the name of small state which is said to have been located around Fukuoka in this period.

Gold seal dispute

Gold seal was excavated in Shikanoshima in Edo edo period in 1784 (Tenmei 4 天明4年) and the place where it was found is now public park. According to the established theory, when Nakoku was ruined, this Gold seal was hidden under ground.

In contrast to this, there is some of critical theories which advocate opposition with various reasons. We have disputed theory that says this Gold seal resembled Han seal and Nakoku King ordered to create this as private seal.

However, in China, this dispute finally came to an end because the same gold seal as the one having been found in Shikashima was newly found in China as well.

Japan was a tributary state of China

When a region of which “Zhou dynasty (周)” had taken control was politically unified by Qin, clear geographical notion of “unification of the whole country” to apply for modern political issues. Unification of Qin was equal to the unification of the whole country in China, This unification triggered Qin to expand its territory. In the period of “Han (漢)”, the notion of “China rules the whole country” came to be seen.

When the personified notion of Ten was created in the Zhou dynasty era, germination of the notion of “Tenka” came to be seen.

China formed Tributary System which was the network of trade and foreign relations between China and its tributaries, which helped to shape much of East Asian affairs.

Japan used to be a state which was a pre-modern state in a particular type of subordinate relationship to a more powerful state which involved the sending of a regular token of submission.

In short, an excavated golden seal was given with the acceptance to serve as a tributary by the Emperor. “King of Na gold seal” means “King of Japan serving Wei 魏 dynasty as tributary”. So this golden seal was the evidence that Japan was accepted tributary of China.
“Wana-kokuou” means “King of Na in Japan”, so this indicated that there were also other states communicating with Wei dynasty in Japan.

Under the institution of Han dynasty, foreign retainers who had a given title of King in the Han’s territorial neighboring countries that established the relationship between lord and vassal with Han were granted Gold seal proving its position which was lower ranked than official nobilities in the dynasty.

Seal of the Kingdom of Dian

4000 burial accessories mainly involved with bronze ware and 50 graves were excavated Seal of the Kingdom of Dian from mountain remains in Jinnin District in Yunnan province. A golden seal engraved with “滇王之印” (Seal of the Kingdom of Dian) was found in second excavation from the 6th grave in 1956 and this seal is regarded as having been possessed by Kingdom of Dian. Moreover, by excavation of this golden seal, this tomb groups turned out to be for the King of Dian and its family. The outward form of this seal is square, 2.4 cm each side. Upper side decorative grip is Snake. Its seal script is ” 滇王之印” which means the King of Dian.

Its length format is clearly same as Han seal. The chronicle　of barbarians in the southwest “西南夷列伝” in an official historical records “史記 Shih-chi”, says Emperor Wu gifted the king seal to Dian in 109 B.C.

The evidence of where King of Na gold seal was created -廣陵王璽 Guangling KIng seal-

In 1981, Guangling KIng seal was excavated from second tomb located in Gan Quan (甘泉)on the outskirt of Yangzhou city in Jiangsu province (中華人民共和国江蘇省揚州), which was gifted to Liu Jing who had been the king of Guangling and Ninth son of Kuang-wu Emperor. Its format and font of seal script was pretty same as King of Na gold seal, therefore, it is said that there is high possibility that these two seals had created in the same workshop.

Japan was not a unified Island but so many independent states existed all over the places of Japan

　The king of Nakoku sent a messenger to not Lelang Commandery which was branch office of Han but directly to Luoyang, capital of the later Han and paid tribute. Gifted Golden seal by Han was excavated from Hakata Bay and Shikashima in Edo period and exists now.
　

　According to former Han’s official history, “Book of Han” , treatise on geography ,Japan was struggling with over 100 independent states. There were several sates which paid tribute to Lelang Commandery on a regular basis from Japan from Japan

“Yamataikoku　邪馬台国” which was granted the most noble title “the ruler of wa” among other tributaries by “Wei dynasty (魏)”

200 years later after the period of time when King of Na gold seal had existed, one more golden seal was gifted to queen of “Yamataikoku (邪馬台国)” , “Himiko(卑弥呼)” by the emperor of “Wei(魏)”. This fact is written in “Annals of the Three Kingdoms (三国志)”, “gishiwajinden(魏志倭人伝)”.
　

　

　　Title of “The ruler of Wa (親魏倭王) ” was supreme one which Wei had ever given to tributary. Likewise, Gold Yuezhi king seal was gifted to Vasudeva who took control of Yuezhi (Kushan Empire) by Emperor Ming of Han in 229 but Kushan Empire was a country which owned extensive territory from India to Middle Asia. Himiko who ruled the country of Yamataikoku in Japan island got the same treatment as Vasudeva ruling Yuezhi.
　　

The period of time from the first century to third century that King Na Gold Seal had existed, Japan has reformed its existence. Concretely, in third century, Yamataikoku made a monopoly of the position of communicating with China. In short, unification of separated states in Japan was promoted from the first century to third century.

Golden seal was not practically used but worshiped as a symbol of authority accepted by Wei dynasty

There is no description about what kind of purpose seals of ” King Na Gold Seal ” and “the ruler of Wa” had been used in any books. In Japan, no lute (stamped clay) have been excavated so far, thus it is difficult to think that bamboo and wood slip had ever been used in Japan. In addition, Kanji was still not introduced from China at the time and there was no custom to use seal so that there was a skeptical opinion on whether or not King na Gold Seal was used for the purpose of stamping on something.

Perhaps, the king of Nakoku and Himiko treasured the seal as the symbol of authority and title of King officially accepted by Han and Wei without using it practically.

　

Origin of Japanese practical seal

　

In Japan, Seal started to be used genuinely after Taika Reform and official seal was introduced along with enacting of Taiho legal codes in 701.
Japan referred to usage of seal practiced in Sui and Tang Dynasty but historical usage of seal before Sui and Tang Dynasty was not propagated in Japan so unique seal culture was developed in Japan.
　

　The seal system in Nara period in Japan inherited the seal system of a dynasty at the time in China. Making official seal was the privilege granted by the state. Common people needed permission from the state government to make their own seal. Under the political system based on the “ritsuryō codes (律令体制)”, when we say “seal”, it refers to “official seal”
　

In 701, according to the regulation of “Taihorei (大宝令)”, there were 4 types of seal , Emperor seal (内印), Dajokan seal (gai-in 外印) Shoshi seal (shoshi-in 諸司印), shokoku seal (shokoku-in 諸国印). Size of emperor seal was regulated in 10cm and used for official document which conveyed an order to the states which had more than 5th grade of court rank.

Gai-in is a seal of “Dajokan (太政官)”. Dajokan is known as the Great Council of State, the highest organ of Japan’s pre-modern Imperial government under Ritsuryō legal system during and after the Nara period. Seal face was engraved with “太政官印” and used for sealing documents of bureaucrats who had less than 6th grade. Initially, Dajokan seal was stamped on the first whole page of the document but in later period of Nara, Dajokan seal was stamped on 3 places where was the middle and end of the document and header part in which day and date was written.

When sealing documents, Shonagon reports to the emperor to make a request of sealing and after getting permission from the emperor, Secretary of Shonagon stamped the seal on documents under the supervision of Shonagon. This is called “Shoin”.
In addition, “Shonagon(少納言)” supervised sealing as one of duty. However, after Kuroudo-dokoro (which is often translated as the Chamberlain’s office, was an organ of the imperial Japanese government established in 810 by Emperor Saga) was established, kuroudo was in charge of this task. Officer’s seal (諸司印) was used by “shou, dai, ryou, shi” (各省・台・寮・司) and every single authorized bureaucrats had a seal and used it for documents to be sent to Dajokan and other government office.

“Shokoku seal” was used in each states around Japan for public documents to be sent to the capital “kyo (京)”. Above all is the variety of Ancient Japanese seal.

There were commandary seal, shrine seal and Go( one of administrative division in Ritsuryo System) seal based on examples above. This is because seal type had already changed from passing seal into government official seal.

At the period of Tang and Sui, the culture of “lute” faded out with the custom and official seal was mainly used for a document with an affixed red seal after invention of paper.
Seals existed in Nara period had no Hakubun but all Shu-bun in a varaety of official seals.

　　　　

　
　　”Shu-bun (朱文)” is a relief sculpture seal which is a method to curve blank space and leave characters on the impression. When stamping document, writing part was printed in red on paper. “Hakubun (白文)” was one of the method of engraving that only character part is curved, which is opposite style of Shu-bun. When stamping it on document, the part characters become blank and its background becomes red.
　　

　　

Appearance of private seal

As I explained, Japanese seal was only accepted to use in official situation and private seal was not accepted but in the later period of Nara, private seals appeared gradually in the society. The first private seal which was accepted by Emperor was “Emi-ie (恵美家)” seal used by Fujiwara no Nakamaro.

Nakamaro was granted the name of “Emioshikatu” by Emperor but
Later, he plotted a rebellion and abuse Dajokan seal in order to collect bills from citizenry unjustly. On the top of it all, he stole the seal and covered his trace. After all, the emperor ended up putting out edict that no dajokan seal was acceptable in Hokurikudo area where was presumed to be Hakamaro’s hiding place. After all, Emioshikatsu’s rebellion ended in failure and Dajokan seal was collected safely later.

　

The Japanese oldest autograph

As Fujiwara seized real power, political structure was transformed and the format of official document was simplified and number of sealing remarkably reduced. With this background, the regulation against private seal was loosened in the period of Nara but this fact didn’t trigger private seal to become fashion.

In the later period of Heian, people preferred to use Autograph called “Kaou” rather than a seal. Kaou is also known as Shohan which is symbol and mark in place of a sign. “Kaou” literally means signs drawn beautifully like a flower. Initially, Kaou was used in private document but guradually started to be used in an official document. At the time, speaking of “Han (判)”, it refers only to “kaou(花押

)”

Samurai’s Inbanjo

In the period of Kamakura, private seal started to be used again by the influence of Song dynasty of China.
At the time, a seal that Chinese writers used was installed in Japanese society by Japanese priest who learned Buddhism from zen temple and Zen priest who had come all the way from China.

When Hanko was at its zenith was after the age of civil wars. A seal engraved with last name and poetry was used among priests and also samurai who entered into the priesthood. A seal was used more widely in official documents and document that seal was stamped in place of “kaou” was called “Inbanjo”. Its usage was citation, poster, “seisatu” (roadside prohibition-edict boards) Hojo’s inbanjo which has impression with tiger portrait is very famous.

Sengoku daimyo (warring lord) who used inbanjo for the first time was Imagawa. Imagawa defined the standard of document format and circulated it in Japan.
One of the reason inbanjo became mainstream of official document.

1. It was very easy for Samurais who were dragged in and out of battlefield to use Seal and save their trouble to sign “Kaou” on documents.
2. Samurai who sent letters to inside and outside of territory increased remarkably, especially document about public welfare was in need of supplying the same contents about regulations, “seisatu”, a bill of exchange simultaneously

However, By using “inbanjo”, it was not that the custom of “Kaou” was completely abolished. Document stamping “kaou” called “Hanbutsu” was treated much more valuable than “inbanjo”. A dishonest deed of making somebody write “Kaou” on document was strictly prohibited and an authentic signature was strictly required. “Kaou” placed importance on the mark that symbolized character of person. In the ritual point of view, Inban was informal enough to be seen as lack of politeness rather than “shohan”.

By the way, seal was much easier to identify documents and was much more suitable for mass production in a short time than “Kaou” which needed to be signed politely and carefully with brush and Indian ink. It is natural that seals were valued by Samurai because of its easiness and not only public welfare application letter but also application letters, the annual stipend of a samurai and private letters were infiltrated into the society.

Decorative design that samurai preferred to engrave with their name.

In contrast to using seal heavily, new custom of authorizing the document by stamping seal on it turned up in the society. A seal which was used for public welfare was a symbol of political authority of lord who issued the documents. To display his power and authorization, its size became bigger and decorative designs like tiger and dragon came to be appeared in seal impression. One representative example was Hojo’s Tiger seal. This seal was used by Ujitsuna for the first time and inherited by over 4 generations until they were ruined by Toyotomi’s Siege of Odawara.

This tiger seal was precedent

Using seal engraved with animal portrait except for their name came into fashion among samurai lords. A seal which Kenshin Uesugi used was engraved with Lion portrait with character “地帝妙”. “地” is Ksitigarbha ,”帝”　indicates ” Sakra devanam Indra “, “妙” indicates “Myoken Bodhisattva”. Kenshin was quite worshipful and was strong in faith. Some of seals he had ever used was associated with the divine protection of God.

One more characteristic of seals of Samurai lords is that lucky words, proverb and incantation was curved other than their name. Houjo’s “禄寿応穏” and Uesugi’s “地帝妙” is that representative example. Apart from that, there were 「福寿」(long life and happiness
)、「武栄」(great power of military)、「軍勝」(strive for mastery)、「真実」(truth)、「静意」(action before words). Some of the most famous samurai loads seal is Oda Nobunakga’s “天下布武”　(ruling over the whole country with ).