Jade seal provides insight into Western Han Dynasty seal system

A small and delicate seal, made of Hetian white (“mutton-fat”) jade, is believed to be used by Empress Lyu Zhi (吕雉) (202-195 BC) in the Western Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 24).

The square jade seal has a carved decoration in the shape of a chihu mythical beast on top of it. Cloud patterns are carved on its four sides. The legend of the seal contains four Chinese characters, reading huanghou zhixi meaning “The empress’ seal”. They are engraved in intaglio in seal script (zhuan shu).

Unearthed in Xianyang city, Shaanxi province in 1968, it is the only Han Dynasty empress seal ever discovered. It plays a significant role in researching the seal system more than 2,000 years ago. The jade seal is in the permanent collection of the Shaanxi History Museum.