As part of the coverage of China and the Olympics, the Today Show did a piece on chops this morning. Chops are individually designed stamps used in China for personal and corporate identification. According to the Today Show reporter, even the US Embassy in Beijing has its own unique chop (or two) to affix to legal documents.
Chops were originally used as imperial seals in the Qin Dynasty (221-210 BC). By the Tang Dynasty (610-907 BC), seals were used by private individuals. Today chops are used in conjunction with a hand signature.
During our visit 2006 visit to China, we had the opportunity to order a personalized chop through our hotel in Beijing. Mine is below! The handles of the stamps can be quite elegant and expensive, using jade, pearl or other such materials. The handle of mine is not so elaborate, just a memorable replica of a Terra Cotta Soldier. An example of the stamp is on the on the white paper attached to the box lid.
