An important Khotan green jade 'De sui chu xin' imperial seal | 清乾隆 御製和闐青玉龍紐璽 印文：得遂初心

The present seal was originally part of a set of three seals. Its impression is recorded in the catalogue of imperial seals of the Qianlong emperor, Qianlong baosu, where it is also mentioned that it was carved from a green jade and part of a set of three seals in a box. Its companion seals are: Taishang Huangdi (Treasure of Emperor Emeritus) and Guizheng nai xunzheng (Retired but still giving advice). The seal is a Yinshou zhang; it was used to make impressions at the right top corner of a painting or piece of calligraphy.

"As Guo Fuxian explains in his research essay on another ' De sui chu xin ' seal, sold in our Hong Kong rooms, 8th October 2008, lot 2004, from the Estate of Emile Guimet, The Desui chuxin ('Able to Follow My Original Intention') seal was a very important seal during the time of Emperor Qianlong's retirement, since it means that "that he now has fulfilled his heart's desire, which he had had from the very beginning of his life." It revealed his enormous satisfaction that family and national matters were progressing just as he had planned from the very beginning. To him, chuxin "original intention" means that as early as he succeeded as Emperor, this was his intention—and all this had been fulfilled. Emperor Qianlong had mentioned many times in his later years that "When I first became emperor, I burned incense and reported to the azure Heaven that if I were allowed to reign for a full sixty-year cycle, I would then abdicate to my heir, for I dare not reign more years than my ancestor [the Kangxi emperor], this I recorded among important events that I made clear in edicts promulgated all over the empire and abroad. Now I respectfully welcome the great change, fortunately fulfilling my original heart's desires." "It has been sixty years of my reign and my initial wish is fulfilled. The beginning of this year, I was bestowed the seal and name of Taishang Huang (Emperor Emeritus). I am blessed to be an all-rounded man through out the ages." "I was bestowed the seal on the first day of Jiaqing reign [9 February 1796] and my initial wish was fulfilled. It has been three years". The tremendous feeling of having his original wish fulfilled remained with Emperor Qianlong when he was Taishang Huang. The Desui chuxin seal has accurately and aptly expressed such a sentiment."

While the De sui chu xin seal from the Qianlong reign sold in our Hong Kong rooms, 8th October 2008, its companion Taishang Huangdi seal, sold in these rooms, 18th December 2008, lot 6. Both where coming from the Estate of Emile Guimet. Compare as well the carving of this seal with two other seals from the Qianlong reign, similarly worked from a Khotan green jade with a crouching dragon about to pounce, sold in our Hong Kong rooms, 8th October 2008, lot 2005, also from the Estate of Emile Guimet. 

Another Taishang Huangdi seal, from the collection of the Major General Gercey (1872-1939), sold in our Hong Kong rooms, 9th October 2007.

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本璽印面刻文「得遂初心」，《乾隆寳藪》載，本璽由碧玉雕成，出自三方一組套印，同組另外兩方分別為「太上皇帝」及「歸政仍訓政」。本璽為印綬章，用於書畫右上方。

「得遂初心」是乾隆帝太上皇時期十分重要的寶璽，意思是「得以了卻自己最初的心願」。它表明乾隆帝在自己人生的最後時刻，對家事國事都按照他最初設計的軌道順利推進的滿意心情。在乾隆帝心目中，這個「初心」實際上就是指乾隆帝在繼位之初便已規劃的禦極六十年便禪位歸政的想法，乾隆晚年曾多次提到：「朕自禦宇初年，即焚香敬告上蒼，若紀年周甲，當傳位嗣子，不敢仰希皇祖，以次增載之數。節經明降諭旨，宣於中外，今敬迓洪厘，幸符初願。」「紀元周甲，心願符初，今歲元政大庭授璽，稱太上皇帝，幸為千古全人。」 「自丙晨元日授璽，心願符初，迄今已聞三年。」可以說，心願符初的良好感覺一直伴隨著乾隆帝太上皇帝的生活，「得遂初心」寶正是這種心態準確而恰當的表達。

另一「得遂初心」璽售於香港蘇富比2008年10月8日，同組「太上皇帝」璽則售於巴黎蘇富比2008年12月18日，編號6，兩璽均出自吉美收藏。另比一「太上皇帝」璽，出自Major General Gercey （1872-1939年）收藏，售於香港蘇富比2007年10月9日。再比兩乾隆例，亦屬青玉龍紐璽，售賣於香港蘇富比2008年10月8日，編號2005，出自吉美收藏。