No Greater Joy Than Having No Worries

CHINA; Qing dynasty

The six straight and even characters of this seal are laid out evenly in two columns. Utilizing a square format for the inside content and round for the outside border, the seal is rather unique for the fact that the characters are carved very near to the edge, allowing for easy execution of a frayed border style. Despite the uncommon and often considered uncouth practice of extending the characters to the edge of the seal boundaries, here it enhances and serves to open the layout and create a more spacious overall design.
Foji’s original name was Ye Qutan, and he was also known as Sanhua Daoren. A monk and artist of the Qing dynasty (1644–1911) from Shexian, Anhui, he resided in Lingyin Temple in Hangzhou, Zhejiang. Foji was adept in poetry and seal carving, the latter being compiled into a publication entitled, Seal Collections of Feihongtang.