Seal (East Asia) in the context of "Seal script"

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⭐ Core Definition: Seal (East Asia)

In the Sinosphere, seals (stamps) can be applied on objects to establish personal identification. They are commonly applied on items such as personal documents, office paperwork, contracts, and art. They are used similarly to signatures in the West. Unlike in the West, where wax seals are common, Sinosphere seals are used with ink.

Of Chinese origin, the process soon spread beyond China and across East and Southeast Asia. Various countries in these regions currently use a mixture of seals and hand signatures, and, increasingly, electronic signatures.

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👉 Seal (East Asia) in the context of Seal script

Seal script or sigillary script (traditional Chinese: 篆書; simplified Chinese: 篆书; pinyin: Zhuànshū; lit. 'decorative engraving script') is a style of writing Chinese characters that was common throughout the latter half of the 1st millennium BC. It evolved organically out of bronze script during the Zhou dynasty (1046–256 BC). The variant of seal script used in the state of Qin eventually became comparatively standardized, and was adopted as the formal script across all of China during the Qin dynasty (221–206 BC). It was still widely used for decorative engraving and seals during the Han dynasty (202 BC – 220 AD).

The literal translation given above was coined during the Han dynasty, and reflects the role of the script being reduced to ceremonial inscriptions.

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Seal (East Asia) in the context of Chinese calligraphy

Chinese calligraphy is the writing of Chinese characters as an art form, combining purely visual art and interpretation of their literary meaning. This type of expression has been widely practiced in China and has been generally held in high esteem across East Asia. Calligraphy is considered one of the four most-sought skills and hobbies of ancient Chinese literati, along with playing stringed musical instruments, the board game "Go", and painting. There are some general standardizations of the various styles of calligraphy in this tradition. Chinese calligraphy and ink and wash painting are closely related: they are accomplished using similar tools and techniques, and have a long history of shared artistry. Distinguishing features of Chinese painting and calligraphy include an emphasis on motion charged with dynamic life. According to Stanley-Baker, "Calligraphy is sheer life experienced through energy in motion that is registered as traces on silk or paper, with time and rhythm in shifting space its main ingredients." Calligraphy has also led to the development of many forms of art in China, including seal carving, ornate paperweights, and inkstones.

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Seal (East Asia) in the context of Kaō

Huaya ("flower seal"; Chinese: 花押; pinyin: Huā Yā; Korean: 화압, romanizedHwaap; Japanese: 花押, romanizedKaō, Vietnamese: hoa áp, chữ Hán: 花押) are stylized signatures or marks used in East Asian cultures in place of a fully written signature. Originating from China, the huaya was historically used by prominent figures such as government officials, monks, artists, and craftsmen. The use of stamp seals gradually replaced the huaya, though they are still used occasionally in modern times by important people.

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Seal (East Asia) in the context of Banknote seal (China)

A cash seal (simplified Chinese: 宝钞印; traditional Chinese: 寳鈔印; pinyin: Baochao Yin; "Baochao" means "valuable money", "Yin" means "seal") is a type of seal used as an anti-counterfeiting measure on paper money. The cash seal first appeared during the Song dynasty in China.

The short name is Chao Yin (simplified Chinese: 钞印; traditional Chinese: 鈔印), and the full name is Seal of Baochao (simplified Chinese: 宝钞之印; traditional Chinese: 寳鈔之印; pinyin: Baochao Zhiyin), or Baochao Yinjian (simplified Chinese: 宝钞印鉴; traditional Chinese: 寳鈔印鑑). The name can also be simply translated as "money seal" or "note seal".

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Seal (East Asia) in the context of Imperial Seal of the Mongols

The Imperial Seal of the Mongols is a seal (tamgha) that was used by the Mongols. The imperial seals, bearing inscriptions in Mongolian script or other scripts, were used in the Mongol Empire, the Yuan dynasty, and the Northern Yuan dynasty, among others.

According to Plano Carpini, the Russian handicraftsman, Kozma, made a seal for Güyük Khan. This seal might have been a seal used to stamp the letter to Pope Innocent IV.

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