Chinese Seals

Historical guide to Chinese seals, or "chops," and their various uses in business, art, and government.

In ancient China, Emperors used seals to proclaim their decrees to their people, officials used seals to exercise their power, merchants used seals to demonstrate their credibility, land-lords used seals to protect their small properties. Gradually, seals became the representative and evidence of personal identity, and even today Chinese are still using seals.

这是一部全面系统、视角独特、观点新颖的中国印章发展与艺术风格史通论。全书图文并茂，以历代印章的发展为主线，置于正直制度、文字演变、社会生活的大背景中进行多侧面、多角度、多层次的论述。文中贯穿了作者数十年来形成的有关中国印章史研究的一些重要学术结论，兼具通俗性和可读性。全书文字22万，共收1450件彩图，大部分为首次公开发表，所选印例皆为作者精心遴选自国内外博物馆的珍贵藏品（印花采用原蜕制版并均为原大，另标尺寸者除外），具有断代标准品和艺术风格代表作的价值。

Han Jiantang provides an accessible, illustrated introduction to the fascinating history and development of the written Chinese language, from pictograms painted on rocks and pottery and ancient inscriptions to the refined art of calligraphy and the characters in use today. Chinese Characters will appeal to readers looking for an introduction to the rich but complex Chinese language and to all those interested in the relationship between language and culture.