[Context Series] Crane-shaped Signatures 〔文脉系列〕鹤形签押

Birds have often been thought of as

embodying beauty from ancient

times to the present. In the West, 

graceful, serene and gentle swans 

are synonymous with "nobility". 

Meanwhile cranes have a lofty 

status in Chinese culture. They 

symbolize holiness, elegance and 

auspiciousness and are generally 

recognized as a first-class "literary" 

bird species.

从古至今，人们常把鸟视为美的化身。在西方，天鹅雍容、沉静、温和，是“高贵”的代名词。而在中国文化中，鹤有着崇高的地位，它象征圣洁、清雅、吉祥，是被公认的一等文禽。

Cranes, for their slender beaks, necks 

and legs and snow-white feathers, 

display the "poise of sages".

In black and white, their feathers 

highlight their agility and elegance; 

in both motion and stillness, their 

manners resemble those of sages.
鹤之韵，在于仙。

黑白之间轻灵仙雅，动静之间仙风道骨。

▲ Auspicious Cranes by Song-dynasty Emperor 

Huizong (partial)

▲宋徽宗瑞鹤图（局部）

In the Ming and Qing dynasties, crane 

insignia was embroidered on the 

mandarin square sewn onto the surcoat 

of the highest-ranking government 

officials to indicate the rank of the 

official wearing it. Officials shaped 

their signatures on official documents 

into cranes to imply high aspiration 

and broad-mindedness. The artistry as 

displayed in the crane-shaped 

signatures of the magistrates of 

Wenjiang County Government at the 

beginning of the Republic of China 

is stunning.
明、清两代文官的一品官服补子即为鹤。官员们将公文签押写作鹤形，意为志存高远旷达如鹤也。而民国初期，温江县政府知事鹤形签押的艺术性，也可谓一绝。

In past dynasties, "signing" was an 

important step in the handling of 

official documents. At the beginning 

of the Republic of China, the head of 

the government at all levels would 

sign "Approved" in a specified position 

in an official document to indicate that 

they agreed to the release of it.

“签发”，是历代公文处理程序中的一个重要环节。在民国初期，如果单位长官审核同意，即在公文规定处签一“行”字，表示同意。

Throughout that period, all the 37 

magistrates who served in the Wenjiang 

County Government signed the 

crane-shaped "Approved" on the official 

documents to be issued. The lifelike, 

crane-shaped Chinese character for 

"Approved", with a leisurely and 

unrestrained poise, consists of just a 

few strokes. On official documents, 

these "cranes" have long and pointed 

beaks, slender legs, long necks and 

withered tails; they stand there 

alone—wings folded and necks 

stretched, gazing into the distance 

in various manners.
民国初期温江县知事公署历任知事37位，均在签发公文时，将“行”字签为鹤形。这些“行”字，寥寥几笔即勾画成鹤，其形态从容潇洒，栩栩如生，尖形的嘴，修长的腿，长颈凋尾，敛翅独立，引颈伫望，各具神情。

Some are lithesome, cute, elegant and 

comely—like a Triton of the minnows;

它们有的轻盈乖巧，淡雅清秀，似有鹤立鸡群之孤傲；

Some hold their heads high and stride 

forward confidently—exuding an air of 

nobility;

有的昂首正身，高视阔步，若有不可侵犯之宏威；  

Some look sleek and exquisite—as 

graceful as fairies;
有的纾平圆滑，玲珑俊俏，恍若飘逸洒脱之仙姿；

Some look back—as if to survey their 

own feathers or gesture for companions 

to catch up ... All show a wide variety of 

poises and manners.

有的引颈后顾，似在审视自己的羽饰，有似在召唤同伴尽快赶上……可谓情态各异，千鹤多姿。 

These crane-shaped signatures housed 

in Wenjiang District Archives are 

historical records under state key 

protection. They are of great 

significance for the study of the 

formatting and calligraphy of official 

documents issued in the Republic of  

China.

这些鹤形签押，馆藏于温江区档案馆，属于国家重点保护档案，对于研究民国时期的公文写作和书法，具有珍贵的意义。