the seal is powerfully carved in high relief with four chilong on each side and one chilong on the top, each horned mythical beast meticulously rendered with a finely incised mane above piercing eyes and a pronounced snout, the seal face carved with a four-character inscription reading du shu ji jian ('Read book and yield sword') , the lustrous stone of a rich caramel colour with grey inclusions skilfully utilised to portray the darker fur and mane of the chilong. This seal should be the seal of motto of the prince or emperor in the Yongzheng and Qianlong periods.Similar seals have been discovered and archived from this period of the Qing dynasty. According to the original documents, many of the seals in the Qing Palace are cut designs by the court office, so it is more evident that this lot is an imperial seal, of high value and possessing great potential significance for future research.