Seal

Seals were firstly used in China to endorse the documents of high ranking officials. These official seals were called Xi. As early as the period between the Shang and Zhou Dynasty (c. 1600-771 B.C.) and especially during the Eastern Zhou Dynasty (770-256 B.C.), Xi inscribed with "script writing" were widely used. Due to changes in the social structure, a large number of private seals called Yin also emerged at this time. Xi and Yin seals became the artistic side of the fusion of "script writing" with engraving techniques which had flourished in China for over 2,000 years.

By the Ming Dynasty in the 16th century, the art of seal engraving entered a new phase assimilating literal calligraphy and painting techniques. This new "literal seal engraving" prevailed through the Ming and Qing dynasties.