Seeing the Buddha When the Flower Opens

CHINA

A segment from the Amitabha Triple Contemplation Service reads, “The Buddha, as well as the Bodhisattvas, carry a platform of gold. In a moment’s thought, I am reborn in the Pure Land. The flower opens and I see the Buddha; the path and wisdom are revealed . . .”
This seal exudes fluidity within its four-character square layout, which stems from the rounded and curved strokes of each character, and their thick, solid, and sturdy lines. Though the engraving style is not modeled after any school or seal art master in particular, the cutting skill displays a sense of tranquility and solemnity.
Qiao Dazhuang was an artist from Chengdu, Sichuan who studied poetry and literature at a young age. An expert in calligraphy and seal engraving, his methods of the latter art form were based on the early works of the Qin (221–207 BCE) and Han (206 BCE–220 CE) dynasties. Additionally, Qiao followed the Deng and Zhejiang schools of seal engraving in his early years. After the age of 30, he studied and executed the techniques of Zhao Zhiqian and Huang Shiling, evolving his own style and integrating the inscription styles of the ancient Shang (1600–1046 BCE) and Zhou (1046–256 BCE) dynasty vessels.