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Chinese Seals: Business and Art
By J.F. Keating
A chop is a chop, is a chop, is a chop." Or is it? This parody on the words of Gertrude Stein points out the unusual character and position of one of the oldest, most used, and yet smallest of Chinese artifacts, the name chop or seal. Both artistic and pragmatic, the Chinese chop has been around since the Shang dynasty (1766~1122BC). It gained prominence during the Warring States period (475~221BC) and has occupied a unique role in Chinese culture ever since.
For business purposes, the chop serves as a person's signature and when stamped in red ink is legally binding in all business matters. This practice surprises Westerners who are used to a personal signature. A person may also have different chops for different business transactions. "Every Chinese has a minimum of at least three chops," explains Peter Wang, president of Jano Enterprises Inc. "I have one for my bank, one for legal matters, and another for anything else such as greeting cards or book collections. A person need not be present to sign a business deal as long as his or her chop is there."
On the other hand, if the person is but has forgotten the chop, business cannot be conducted. This practice is due to the fact that Chinese characters are often written by set strokes in block style (unlike Western cursive writing) and easier to copy in written form. But names carved in wood or stone reflect the unique method and tools of the carver, and are more difficult to imitate.
Each chop also has its norms and suggested guidelines for usuage. For instance one never keeps his or her chop and bank book in the same place. If you lose one or the other you are protected. But if a thief were to get hold of both, you'd be out of money. And, in a business where two chops are used to issue a check, the company president allows the checkbook to be held by the controller who uses the chop first. The president reserves the right for the final chop at his own time and discretion.
A Work of Art
The chop is at once an object of art, used in artwork, and the making of a chop is an art itself. Chops may be used to express a poetic thought or statement. Like haiku poetry, which is limited to 17 syllables, the maker of a seal is ofter limited in expressing his ideas by some three to five characters that can be squeezed into the space of the chop. Painters also use the chop as their artistic signature. After the Sung dynasty it became customary for artists to sign their works with both a calligraphic statement and their chop. A good painting could be enhanced by the right chop stamped in the right place.
Chops-artistry extends to the calligraphic style used in the characters; to the shape and color of the stone; to the scultped figures carved on the side. The characters carved on the stone can be done by machine (especially if the stone is extremely hard), but the more artistic method is to skillfully sculpt each stroke by hand.
Currently, one of the most prominent artistic chop makers in Taiwan is
Hsueh Ping-nan, a man who had started out as a mechanical engineer and later went into gymnastics and the decathlon before he was introduced to calligraphy and the artistic world. From calligraphy he progressed into the chop making, and since then his life has been dedicated to that pursuit. He studied under the master Li Pu-tung, then later quit his job to study and research art when he made his final breakthrough. Interestingly enough, his own seal bears the characters of Jonathan Livingston Seagull, a fictional character in a short novel by the same name about a seagull with a particularly transcendent outlook on life.
Getting a Feel for Chop Making
For Hsueh Ping-nan, a good artist must first know his materials, his medium. Like a sculptor, Hsueh has a feeling for each stone and its color. With a diverse collection of stones, his studio resembles a miniature rock garden. "When you cut the stone, you have one kind of feeling; another feeling involves the choice of the stone and the words put on it; a third feeling is for the personality of the person who will use the chop. Blending these completes the artistic entity. "When he carves, Hsueh prefers to hold the stone in his hand rather than use a vise like sme artists. By turning it in his hand he can gauge the pressure on the stone and its response to each stroke. This requires a strong grip, something he developed during his athletic days.
Although he is a full-time artist, Hsueh also teaches part-time. He stresses to his students the importance of mastering artistic fundamentals: "First master the simple levels before progressing on to the upper ones. Some styles of calligraphy demand a fast push and a long smooth line; others are slow, moving point by point and create a more textured look. Wood and ivory are good for a bank's use, but the fiber in wood is not good for artistry. Artists prefer stone for their personal chops."
A master of many styles of calligraphy, Hsueh Ping-nan sees himself as part of a long tradition. In ancient China the literati were supposed to be skilled in painting, poetry, calligraph, and seal making. Seal making was one of the 10 competitions for artists in the Shang dynasty period. Hsueh copies some characters from ancient tombs in northern China. He also works on creating new styles, which he exhibits from time to time.
Buying a Chop
Where can the visitor to Taiwan prchase a chop? There are many small shops where one can buy a simple chop for less than NT$250 (US$8). You can also purchase one in most hotel arcades. Many Westerners seek chops as personal mementos and gifts for friends who like the unusual. If one does not have a Chinese name, the store will often provide a set of characters that sound like your name. Some people combine their Western name or initials with Chinese characters, making the chop reflect both East and West. Chinese may view this as artistically gauche, but it is understandable as a memento for Westerners.
Normal choops purchased in a hotel arcade cost around NT$1,000 (US$30). These may have the animal of the Chinese zodiac for the year the buyer was born. If you are purchasing a chop as a gift for someone and you are not sure of their year of birth or you don't like the animal (not everyone likes a rat, pig, or snake, even if he or she was born in that year), you can choose a more propitious creature. You can also choose figures to make a personal statement. The dragon is one of the most popular, followed by the tiger for business transactions. Of course, if you choose to have a choop done more artistically by someone like Hsueh Ping-nan, you can expect to pay NT$2,000 to 3,000 per character in addition to the cost of the material.
C. K. Yen of C. K. Arts in the Grand Hyatt Hotel notes that Chinese or Japanese tourists, who regularly use chops, often choose stones of higher quality. For example, a piece of the best Burmese Jade might cost as much as NT$60,000 (US$1,800). "Chinese often prefer crystal--natural crystal, not glass," Yen adds, "because it is believed to bring good luck."
"Shapes have meaning," he continues," A square shape which conveys the idea of stability will be used for a contract on a house. Businesses prefer a round chop because it symbolizes money rolling in." Even the number of strokes in name is counted and the artisan might add or reduce the total for good fortune. Also, one must not forget to consult the Chinese calendar to calculate what day is propitious for the first use of the chop. As you can see, using a chop can be a very involved and complicated matter.
Depending on your budget, you may even want to consider size. The use of the chop and the importance of the transaction can determine whether a large or small size is more appropriate. In ancient times, the rank and importance of an official was sometimes reflected by the size of his chop; some who had an inflated notion of their office chose chops that required two hands to use. In the end, it is best to choose a chop that feels comfortable and balanced in you hand. So what are you waiting for? Make your choice and get chopping!