What are the 24 solar-term seals and leisure seals?
A leisure seal (xianzhang, 闲章) is a seal carved for feeling rather than as proof of identity: a phrase, a mood or a wish instead of a name. The 24 solar terms (二十四节气) are the 24 points of the traditional Chinese year, and Signet makes each one a seal; with 12 leisure seals they are part of its 75 built-in seals.
Two things you will see in Signet's seal box have long histories. Here is what they are, and which of Signet's seals are old phrases and which are new.
Sources: Signet's own seal list (version 1.4.2) and Signet's cultural research note dated 2026-07-10, which draws on public reference works. We did not re-check each historical statement for this page, and where history is uncertain we say so.
Leisure seals: carved for feeling
Chinese seals began as proof of identity: an official's rank, a person's name. Leisure seals (闲章) are the family that is not. They are commonly traced to the Song dynasty, when lines of poetry and personal sayings began to be carved into seals, and their themes include aspiration, self-mockery, events and self-encouragement. They grew out of an older family of auspicious-phrase seals (吉语印), which began in the Warring States period and were most popular in the Han dynasty.
The 12 leisure seals in Signet
| Seal | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| 长乐 · 未央 | Lasting joy; without end | Han auspicious-phrase seals. Changle and Weiyang were two Western Han palaces, later joined as a blessing |
| 曾经沧海 | Having crossed the great sea | A line from Yuan Zhen's poem; a seal of these words is reported to have been planned by the scholar Kang Yin for the writer Wang Zengqi |
| 惜寸阴 | Cherish every moment | A phrase associated with Kang Yin's seals |
| 清欢 | Quiet joy | From Su Shi's line about the true taste of life being quiet joy |
| 守拙 | Keep to simplicity | From Tao Yuanming's line about keeping to simplicity and returning to the fields |
| 人生一乐 | One joy in a life | Listed in Signet's notes as having a traditional source; we have not traced the exact origin |
| 偶得 · 无事 · 且慢 · 自在 · 知足 | Found by chance; nothing to do; slow down; at ease; content | Written in the manner of old leisure seals, not copies of historical ones |
Signet's rule is simple: where a seal text has a source we say so, and the rest are labelled as new work in an old tradition rather than passed off as antiques.
The 24 solar terms
The solar terms (二十四节气) divide the year into 24 points, roughly two weeks apart, that follow the sun and the seasons. Signet gives each one its own seal. The date it suggests is an approximate calendar date that can differ by a day from year to year.
| Season and seal color | Terms with approximate dates |
|---|---|
| Spring, pine green | Start of Spring (Feb 4), Rain Water (Feb 18), Awakening of Insects (Mar 5), Spring Equinox (Mar 20), Clear and Bright (Apr 4), Grain Rain (Apr 19) |
| Summer, vermilion | Start of Summer (May 5), Grain Buds (May 20), Grain in Ear (Jun 5), Summer Solstice (Jun 21), Minor Heat (Jul 6), Major Heat (Jul 22) |
| Autumn, ginger gold | Start of Autumn (Aug 7), End of Heat (Aug 22), White Dew (Sep 7), Autumn Equinox (Sep 22), Cold Dew (Oct 8), Frost's Descent (Oct 23) |
| Winter, indigo | Start of Winter (Nov 7), Minor Snow (Nov 22), Major Snow (Dec 6), Winter Solstice (Dec 21), Minor Cold (Jan 5), Major Cold (Jan 20) |
When you stamp a moment, Signet can suggest the seal for the current solar term. For memories you add later, choosing a solar-term seal can bring up photos from around that date.
Where they sit among the 75
| Group | Seals |
|---|---|
| Milestones | 6 |
| Moods | 10 |
| Places | 4 |
| Leisure seals | 12 |
| Connoisseur seals (过眼) | 6 |
| Ganzhi year seal and 12 zodiac animals | 13 |
| Solar terms | 24 |
Seals are drawn in red-text (朱文) or white-text (白文) form, the two classic ways of cutting characters. You can also carve your own.
Frequently asked questions
What is a leisure seal?
A seal carved to express feeling or intent rather than to prove identity, such as a phrase, a mood or a wish. It is commonly traced to the Song dynasty.
How many seals does Signet have?
75 built-in seals in seven groups, plus seals you carve yourself.
Does Signet have a seal for every solar term?
Yes. All 24 solar terms each have a seal, colored by season.
Are the historical sources checked?
Signet's notes come from its own research dated 2026-07-10 and were not re-checked line by line for this page. Where the history is uncertain, we say so.
Signet is for the moments worth keeping: a photo, a sentence, and a seal.
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