Seals & Stamps [Archive] - Wizards Community

Seals & Stamps [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Pyrate_Jib
11-20-07, 07:02 PM In China it appears to be common to use a stone seal to sign ones name. This might be a nice cultural idea that you could include in your OZ campaigns. I saw a large number of them in Shanghai and saw how they evolved from something the size of a button to the very ornate block stamps they have today (this style dates back to the Ming Dynasty).

I am not sure if the proper term for this is a 'chop' or if that is the symbol itself. I also know that there are 2 styles of seals. One Ying and the other Yang. I don't recall the difference however.
Ranger REG
11-20-07, 08:59 PM In Japan (and I believe Korea), one would notarize or authenticate a document or letter by placing a thumbprint in blood next to their "signature."
Rogue Elendae
11-20-07, 09:40 PM I believe the term "chop" is more an Anglicized/English concept for both the seal and the stamp used to make it, though I could be wrong.

However, I know that in Japan, they are referred to as one's "hanko" (pronounced "hahn-ko," not "hank-o")...I figured this out for certain from watching "Spirited Away" subtitled, though I'd heard the term before and was pretty sure that was what it meant. It's the same concept; the characters that form one's name are carved into a small stone stamp, dipped in vermilion ink (typically reserved for nothing but placing one's personal seal on a document), and pressed to the paper. Black ink was used for writing, only.

These were also, I believe, an identifying factor; different meanings of names are written with different kanji. As an example, my BF has one, but it was very difficult to find the kanji for his family name, as they use an older meaning of the name "Takeda" than currently popular. Therefore, you would likely be able to recognize that a missive with X hanko came from one family, while one with Y hanko was a different family, even if the name was said exactly the same. :rolleyes: Of course, I have no clue how well this actually holds true; it might've worked back in the Sengoku Jidai or prior eras, when only a small number of people in service to the Emperor would've had a surname, but even then, I have no clue. I've just heard vague mention of it.
Zavia
11-21-07, 05:55 AM @ranger

the "chop" is still valid there, with ink as far as i heard.
If you were to have a caligrapher caligraph some sayings, he/she will add their name at the side, and chop their seal.
narukagami
11-21-07, 01:34 PM I believe the term "chop" is more an Anglicized/English concept for both the seal and the stamp used to make it, though I could be wrong.

However, I know that in Japan, they are referred to as one's "hanko" (pronounced "hahn-ko," not "hank-o")...I figured this out for certain from watching "Spirited Away" subtitled, though I'd heard the term before and was pretty sure that was what it meant. It's the same concept; the characters that form one's name are carved into a small stone stamp, dipped in vermilion ink (typically reserved for nothing but placing one's personal seal on a document), and pressed to the paper. Black ink was used for writing, only.

These were also, I believe, an identifying factor; different meanings of names are written with different kanji. As an example, my BF has one, but it was very difficult to find the kanji for his family name, as they use an older meaning of the name "Takeda" than currently popular. Therefore, you would likely be able to recognize that a missive with X hanko came from one family, while one with Y hanko was a different family, even if the name was said exactly the same. Duplication of these blocks also made forgery a rather common practice.

:rolleyes: Of course, I have no clue how well this actually holds true; it might've worked back in the Sengoku Jidai or prior eras, when only a small number of people in service to the Emperor would've had a surname You might want to research that one alittle more.
Pyrate_Jib
11-21-07, 06:45 PM Any idea which one is yin and which yang?
Crovaxan
12-01-07, 02:26 PM after a quick wiki i found this

# Zhuwen (S:朱文, lit. "red characters") seals imprint the Chinese characters in red ink, sometimes referred to as yang seals.
# Baiwen (S:白文, lit. "white characters") seals imprint the background in red, leaving white characters, sometimes referred to as yin seals.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seal_(Chinese)
Pyrate_Jib
12-05-07, 09:52 PM after a quick wiki i found this

# Zhuwen (S:朱文, lit. "red characters") seals imprint the Chinese characters in red ink, sometimes referred to as yang seals.
# Baiwen (S:白文, lit. "white characters") seals imprint the background in red, leaving white characters, sometimes referred to as yin seals.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seal_(Chinese)

Thanks Crovaxan!

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Pyrate_Jib 11-20-07, 07:02 PM	In China it appears to be common to use a stone seal to sign ones name. This might be a nice cultural idea that you could include in your OZ campaigns. I saw a large number of them in Shanghai and saw how they evolved from something the size of a button to the very ornate block stamps they have today (this style dates back to the Ming Dynasty). I am not sure if the proper term for this is a 'chop' or if that is the symbol itself. I also know that there are 2 styles of seals. One Ying and the other Yang. I don't recall the difference however.
Ranger REG 11-20-07, 08:59 PM	In Japan (and I believe Korea), one would notarize or authenticate a document or letter by placing a thumbprint in blood next to their "signature."
Rogue Elendae 11-20-07, 09:40 PM	I believe the term "chop" is more an Anglicized/English concept for both the seal and the stamp used to make it, though I could be wrong. However, I know that in Japan, they are referred to as one's "hanko" (pronounced "hahn-ko," not "hank-o")...I figured this out for certain from watching "Spirited Away" subtitled, though I'd heard the term before and was pretty sure that was what it meant. It's the same concept; the characters that form one's name are carved into a small stone stamp, dipped in vermilion ink (typically reserved for nothing but placing one's personal seal on a document), and pressed to the paper. Black ink was used for writing, only. These were also, I believe, an identifying factor; different meanings of names are written with different kanji. As an example, my BF has one, but it was very difficult to find the kanji for his family name, as they use an older meaning of the name "Takeda" than currently popular. Therefore, you would likely be able to recognize that a missive with X hanko came from one family, while one with Y hanko was a different family, even if the name was said exactly the same. :rolleyes: Of course, I have no clue how well this actually holds true; it might've worked back in the Sengoku Jidai or prior eras, when only a small number of people in service to the Emperor would've had a surname, but even then, I have no clue. I've just heard vague mention of it.
Zavia 11-21-07, 05:55 AM	@ranger the "chop" is still valid there, with ink as far as i heard. If you were to have a caligrapher caligraph some sayings, he/she will add their name at the side, and chop their seal.
narukagami 11-21-07, 01:34 PM	I believe the term "chop" is more an Anglicized/English concept for both the seal and the stamp used to make it, though I could be wrong. However, I know that in Japan, they are referred to as one's "hanko" (pronounced "hahn-ko," not "hank-o")...I figured this out for certain from watching "Spirited Away" subtitled, though I'd heard the term before and was pretty sure that was what it meant. It's the same concept; the characters that form one's name are carved into a small stone stamp, dipped in vermilion ink (typically reserved for nothing but placing one's personal seal on a document), and pressed to the paper. Black ink was used for writing, only. These were also, I believe, an identifying factor; different meanings of names are written with different kanji. As an example, my BF has one, but it was very difficult to find the kanji for his family name, as they use an older meaning of the name "Takeda" than currently popular. Therefore, you would likely be able to recognize that a missive with X hanko came from one family, while one with Y hanko was a different family, even if the name was said exactly the same. Duplication of these blocks also made forgery a rather common practice. :rolleyes: Of course, I have no clue how well this actually holds true; it might've worked back in the Sengoku Jidai or prior eras, when only a small number of people in service to the Emperor would've had a surname You might want to research that one alittle more.
Pyrate_Jib 11-21-07, 06:45 PM	Any idea which one is yin and which yang?
Crovaxan 12-01-07, 02:26 PM	after a quick wiki i found this # Zhuwen (S:朱文, lit. "red characters") seals imprint the Chinese characters in red ink, sometimes referred to as yang seals. # Baiwen (S:白文, lit. "white characters") seals imprint the background in red, leaving white characters, sometimes referred to as yin seals. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seal_(Chinese)
Pyrate_Jib 12-05-07, 09:52 PM	after a quick wiki i found this # Zhuwen (S:朱文, lit. "red characters") seals imprint the Chinese characters in red ink, sometimes referred to as yang seals. # Baiwen (S:白文, lit. "white characters") seals imprint the background in red, leaving white characters, sometimes referred to as yin seals. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seal_(Chinese) Thanks Crovaxan!