Tags: Arts and Crafts

This is an imperial seal of Emperor Qianlong (Reign: 18 October, 1735 – 8 February, 1796) of Qing Dynasty. It is a square, jade seal with side lengths of 22.5 centimeters, 15 centimeters in height and topped with a handle in the shape of dragon. The inscription reads “Taishang-huangdi Zhi Bao” in Zhuan Typeface of Chinese, meaning “The Seal of Grand Emperor (or Emperor Emeritus)”. It was made a year before Emperor Qianlong abdicated voluntarily (in name) to his son. Despite his retirement, however, he retained ultimate power until his death in 1799. This imperial seal is the largest among all imperial seals of Qing Dynasty, representing the supreme power of Emperor Qianlong. Now, it is one of the collections of the Palace Museum in Beijing.