China News Service, Lhasa, September 12 (Reporter Zhao Yan) On the morning of September 12, the founding meeting of the Tibetan Seal Society and the first member representative meeting were held in the academic lecture hall of the Tibet Art Museum. With the approval of the Tibet Autonomous Region Civil Affairs Department and the Tibet Autonomous Region Federation of Literary and Art Circles, the Tibet Seal Society was officially established. On that day, the "Snow Land of Seal Engraving - Seal Engraving Exhibition to Celebrate the 105th Anniversary of the Founding of the Communist Party of China, the 75th Anniversary of the Peaceful Liberation of Tibet, and the Establishment of the Tibetan Seal Society" (hereinafter referred to as "The Land of Seal Engraving") was launched simultaneously.
It is reported that Chinese seal cutting has a history of three thousand years and was selected as the United Nations Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2009. The Tibetan inscriptions, official seals of past dynasties, Tibetan red seals, and Thangka imprints on the plateau are the plateau branches of Chinese seal studies and bear witness to the exchanges and integration of various ethnic groups. The establishment of the Tibetan Seal Society is a measure to implement the strategy of strengthening the cultural region, promote research on Tibetan seal cutting, and promote mutual learning of national arts. The Seal Society adheres to the principle of "carrying Tao through seals and conveying emotions through stones", and will systematically explore the plateau seal culture and cultivate the plateau seal style.
After thorough preparations, the preparatory team sorted out the epigraphic remains, surveyed local seal carving enthusiasts, and "learned" from Xiling Seal Society. It was approved by the Tibet Autonomous Region's Two New Working Committees in March 2026 and approved by the Tibet Autonomous Region Civil Affairs Department in May. The Tibet Autonomous Region Federation of Literary and Art Circles is the business supervisory unit. There are currently 76 individual members and 3 corporate members, covering seven cities in Tibet.
In strict accordance with the relevant regulations on the registration and management of social groups, the conference reviewed and voted to adopt the "Articles of Association (Draft) of the Tibetan Seal Society" and the election methods for directors and supervisors, and elected the first board of directors. Nine directors were elected: Rong Tie, Liu Yang, Li Zhangping, Chang Jian, Sun Gongfei, Shen Ningqiang, Zuniu Laba Tsering, Yang Qiang and Cheng Zhonghong. At the first meeting of the first council held on the same day, Rong Tie was unanimously elected as the first president, Liu Yang, Li Zhangping and Chang Jian were elected as vice presidents, and Sun Gongfei was elected as secretary-general. Council members cover universities, cultural museums, education, enterprises and other sectors, with a diverse structure and broad representation.
Relevant persons in charge of the Tibet Autonomous Region Federation of Literary and Art Circles and the Social Work Department of the Tibet Autonomous Region Party Committee (Two New Working Committees of the Autonomous Region) attended the meeting and delivered speeches. Mulan, deputy director of the Party Building Office of the Social Work Department of the Tibet Autonomous Region Party Committee, attended the meeting on behalf of the Two New Working Committees of the Autonomous Region to congratulate the press and put forward four requirements for the Indian Press to adhere to the leadership of party building, serve the overall interests of the center, standardize operations, and be talent-oriented. The Federation of Literary and Art Circles of the Tibet Autonomous Region requires the printing press to follow the "two combinations" as a guide, base on the snow-covered plateau, and deeply cultivate the art of epigraphy.
The establishment of the Tibet Seal Society has received widespread attention and strong support from the calligraphy and seal cutting circles across the country. Chen Zhenlian, Vice Chairman of the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles, Vice President and Secretary-General of Xiling Seal Society, Sun Xiaoyun, Chairman of the China Calligraphers Association, and Li Gangtian, Vice President of Xiling Seal Society respectively wrote inscriptions for the Seal Engraving Society. The Seal Engraving Institute of the China Academy of Arts, the Popular Seal Engraving Branch of the Chinese Employees Culture and Sports Association, Hainan Seal Engagement Press, Jinghua Seal Engagement Press, Macau Seal Engraving Agency, Fujian Seal Engraving Agency, Zhongnan Seal Engraving Agency and other seal engraving agencies sent special letters of congratulations.
As an academic guidance unit, Xiling Seal Society provided full guidance for the preparation of the Tibetan Seal Society. It appointed Qiao Zhongshi, director of the China Seal Museum, to make a special trip to Lhasa to attend the conference and read out a congratulatory letter. He also brought 25 works from the precious collection borrowed by Xiling Seal Society to participate in the first exhibition of "Snowland of Seal Engraving" that opened at the same time. The exhibits cover five categories: thought leadership, red theme, snowy chapter, cultural inheritance, and auspicious blessings, with a total of more than 100 items. Xiling Seal Society’s loaned exhibitions and specially invited works are displayed side by side with local creations, echoing the past and present, and blending Chinese and Tibetan, becoming a vivid footnote to the exchanges and integration of various ethnic groups in the field of Seal Studies.
Rong Tie, the newly elected president of the Tibet Seal Society, introduced the future work plan of the Seal Society. He said that the work will be focused on three aspects: first, to systematically carry out the investigation and description of plateau seal remains and compile "Tibetan Seals of the Past Dynasties"; second, to set up seal cutting training classes to cultivate key young and middle-aged talents in Tibet; third, to hold a theme exhibition of "Plateau Seal Style" every two years to promote dialogue and mutual learning between plateau seal style and mainland seal studies.
Representatives attending the meeting unanimously stated that the establishment of the Tibet Seal Society is a practical event in the construction of a culturally strong area in the autonomous region. The Seal Society will be based on the plateau and face the whole country. It will adhere to the pragmatic style of "organizing things honestly and cultivating talents in a down-to-earth manner". Using square inches of gold as its incision, it will contribute to the high-quality development of Tibetan literature and art in the new era by solidifying the consciousness of the Chinese nation's community.
