中國璽印的使用起源相當早，但相對於實用性質起家的印章，藝術性質的篆刻藝術發展則是慢了很長的一段時間，隨著書畫藝術賞鑑收藏活動的盛行，才慢慢蓬勃起來。除了鑒藏印之外，後來在書信、公文上出現的私印，更進一步觸發文人在完成的書畫作品上，也鈐蓋表明作者身分的印章。因此，我們可以說：鑑藏印與書畫的結合，是印章向藝術過渡邁出重要的第一步，書畫款印的出現更有著與書畫藝術相結合的重要意義。自此，開啟了印章藝術的大門。 從五代到宋代開始在書畫上鈐蓋落款印章，這是篆刻藝術化的起點，但真正落實篆刻藝術則必須從文人親自治印開始，自宋到元，石質印材的逐漸普遍使用則為文人親自刻製印章創造了一個很重要的條件，對於文人篆刻活動推廣有很大的助益。 元代趙孟頫與吾兆衍對於印章篆刻則建立了藝術理論，這是篆刻藝術發展重要里程碑。趙孟頫提出「質樸」「古雅」的概念，從而確立了影響印壇深遠的漢印審美觀。吾丘衍的《學古篇》歷來則被認為是印學之中最早也具經典意義的著作。為篆刻藝術的發展建立了影響深遠的理論基礎。 明代更由於集古印譜的普及，因而掀起了一股摹古一仿漢印的熱潮，並進而將篆刻藝術推向發展的高潮。篆刻藝術的蓬勃發展，又進一步促使印學理論的開展，不論是印石、篆法、章法、刀法，都逐漸出現有關的論說。理論的豐富也足以表示明代篆刻的蓬勃景象。 清代以降，流派印章的發展更加蓬勃，而隨著篆刻活動的蓬勃發展，印論的闡述也更加深刻，得到高度的發展。其中，最重要的有鄧石如「印從書出論」、趙之謙「印外求印論」等論點之提出，對於篆刻創作主張取益多師，並結合自己的書法風格，博取兼收，多方擷取碑碣古器、出土文物文字的養分，以充實印風的豐富性，並建立起具有自我個性的印風。總之，「印從書出論」和「印外求印論」都對後人具有很大的啟迪作用，清末，「印從書出論」、「印外求印論」成為印壇普遍的藝術思想。在這樣的藝術思想推動下，篆刻藝術得到了空前的發展高峰。 面對篆刻歷史的發展，今日我們所處的時代，所擁有的條件更勝古人，可供參考的出土文物資料又更多了。如何在前人的發展基礎上更進一步，有所突破，更加充實、發展，並開創出新的局面，應該是們我努力的方向。我們相信唯有不斷思索、前進，才能不斷蹦出藝術的火光，照亮篆刻的前景。

In China, seals were used quite earlily as practical matters. But artistic real-carving didn’t develop quite a long time later until the collection and appraisement of calligraphy and painting prevail. Masterpieces of calligraphy and painting were put mark on to tell if they were genuine or counterfeited. At first people signed on the masterpieces or the accessories. They also testify with seals sealed on the articles, and in this way artistic beauty is especially required to secure coordination. Besides appraising seals, private and official seals were also used to identify the authors of the masterpieces. The combination of appraising seals, calligraphy and paintings was the first step that led they way for seals to be arts with great significance. The application of seals on calligraphy, painting and appraising urged the literary men to respect the artistic beauty of seals. But due to the hard materials, the literary men designed scripts on seals and then ordered the workers to carve for them. Seal-carving arts did not flourish until the literary men carved by themselves. From Soong to Yuan dynasties, rock materials made it possible for the literary men to carve and thus promoted them to be devoted on seal carving. The discovery of seal materials helped to develop the theories issued in Yuan dynasty by Chao Meng-Fu and Wu Chiu-Eng. Those were great milestones for the development of seal arts. Chao Meng-Fu suggested the idea of estheticism on seals. He criticized and opposed the fanciful and vulgar methods at that time, and moreover introduced the concept of plainness and elegance. The estheticism of Han-seal was thus set up and continued to make great influence on seal carving. Wu Chiu-Eng’s theory of learning the ancients was esteemed as the first classic writing of seallogy. It established significant foundation in the theory of seal-carving arts. In Ming dynasty, it became popular to collect ancient seal genealogy. The fashion of imitating Han-seals pushed the seal-carving arts to a top development. The publication of Seal-Collection and seal genealogy made the cavers learn the beauty of Han seals through ancient ones. Seal carvers appeared in great quantities. Seal carving arts became popular and promoted the development of seallogy theories on seal material, writing, figuring and carving. From Ching dynasty on, factions of seals developed prosperously and theories were discussed more widely and deeply. Seals Originated In Calligraphy and Seals Beyond Seals were the most important. People thought that the creation of seal carving required learning from multiple masters and respective calligraphy. In order to make the seal styles more affluent, they must gain the nutrition of tablets and antiques. Deng Shi-ru’s “Seals originated in calligraphy” was derived from the inscription calligraphy. Only the seals with characteristic style could make the creator surpass the range of ancients and create new image of arts. Chao Tse-Chien’s “Seals beyond seals” appeared due to the prevalence of verification, the affluence of antiques and the gathering of literary men. It was the spring of seal varieties. By reacting with seal feature, it broadened the contents of seal arts. “Seals beyond seals” was considered to be the supplement of “Seals originated in calligraphy.” The latter emphasized characteristic style of calligraphy on the feature of seal carving, while the former adopted ancient literary letters as nutrition to broaden the style and display of respective seals. Though originated in different ways, the both were connected with calligraphy and the seals all displayed with ego characters. These two theories became popular art thoughts on seals. Seal-carving hence developed atop. Facing the historic development of seal-carving, we are in an era with better codnitions than the ancients. We should learn more about ancient seal theories, but not be limited within the range of them. Every theory has its backgrounds and conditions of time and space. We ought to keep the quintessence and discard the unfit. Only in this way can we make a breakthrough to get more affluent developments, explore and advance to light up the vision of seal arts.