The Chinese Chop

As in western society we use a pen to write our signature, the chop is the Chinese signature stamp, a personal and unique mark, used whenever a signature is needed.

The Chinese chop appeared during the Shang dynasty (1766-1122 B.C.) and has remained a very strong part of Chinese culture ever since.

Traditionally used with red ink, the Chinese chop is usually made of stone or wood, and to a lesser extent metal or ivory.

A Chinese person will typically have three chops, one for bank transactions, one for documents and legal matters, and one for invitations and cards.

The chop is so highly regarded that a business deal can be concluded as long as the persons chop is present, on the the other hand if the person is there and the chop is not, business cannot be done!

Typically the Chinese chop is either square or circular in shape.
The square chop symbolises stability and would be commonly used on a contract or something legally binding.
The circular chop is used by many Chinese businesses as the circular shape symbolises money rolling in.

Notice that the characters on a Chinese seal can be either red or white, red writing is yin and white writing is yang.

The Chinese chop is used by many Chinese artists as a signature, an indelible stamp to mark their work.

Chinese calligraphers also use this method to sign their work which serves to enhance the artistry still further.

Many Chinese artists and calligraphers prefer to use a stone chop to "chop" their work as they say a stone chop creates a much better mark on the fibrous paper that is used for artwork.

Above is a beautiful example of a Chinese chop made of Tian Yellowstone. Highly sought after and notoriously hard to come by, this particular stone goes by the nickname "Stone King". The Chinese have a saying: "Gold is easier to get than Tian Yellowstone.

The Chinese chop usually contains between three and five characters, making the job of engraving the chop a highly specialized skill.
A calligrapher will often write the characters in the style required before the engraver begins the intricate work of carving the chop.
Good engravers are held in high regard and in constant demand.

Photo credit: Ashwin Nanjappa

The Chinese chop is steeped in thousands of years of history and mystique, and as a result antique chops exchange hands for many thousands of dollars.
But no price can be put on the tradition and everyday part it plays in an already rich and colorful Chinese culture.

Why not join this great heritage with your own personal seal and get chopping!

A seal carving master will put your name in Chinese on your choice of Chinese seal.
Any name or phrase can be translated into Chinese before it is placed on the seal. All work is done by hand.

The chop will come with a Chinese ink pad and a gift box for free!

Find your Chinese zodiac sign below, a great way to get a personal Chinese chop.

• Year of the Rat -1912, 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, 2020, 2032, 2044
  


• Year of the Ox - 1913, 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009, 2021, 2033, 2045
  


• Year of the Tiger - 1914, 1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010, 2022, 2034, 2046
  


• Year of the Rabbit - 1915, 1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011, 2023, 2036, 2047
  


• Year of the Dragon - 1916, 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012, 2024, 2036, 2048
  


• Year of the Snake - 1917, 1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013, 2025, 2037, 2049
  


• Year of Horse - 1918, 1930, 1942, 1954,1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014, 2026, 2038, 2050
  


• Year of the Sheep - 1919, 1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015, 2027, 2039, 2051
  


• Year of the Monkey - 1920, 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016, 2028, 2040, 2052
  


• Year of the Rooster - 1921, 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017, 2029, 2041, 2053
  


• Year of the Dog - 1922, 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018, 2030, 2042, 2054
  


• Year of the Pig - 1923, 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019, 2020, 2031, 2043
  

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