ChineseSealAsealcanalsobedefinedasastamp.BoththeChineseofficialandprivatesealofvariousdynastieshavedifferenttitles,suchasstamp,zhunote,contract,fu,leaseandothers.ThesealsusedbytheemperorsofancientChinawerecalledxi,yin,bao,etc.Accordingtohistoricalrecords,sealswerewidelyusedduringtheWarringStatesPeriod(475BC-221BC).Themakingofasealistoengravefonts,suchassealcharactersandofficialscriptandsoon;orimagesintheformofintaglioandembossmentintotheseal,basicallyshapedasroundorsquare.Coveredwithavermilionoverlay,theChinesesealisnotonlyusedindailylife,butitisalsousedtorepresentsignaturesonpaintingsandcalligraphies.ItisgraduallybecomingoneofChina’suniqueartworks.
印章就是图章。中国历代官、私所用的印章有印信、朱记、合同、符、契等等不同的称谓，而帝王所用的印章古时称玺、印、宝、章等。据史料记载，印章在战国时代 已普遍使用。印章的制作是将篆隶等字体、图像用阴、阳的形式雕刻而成，形状以圆、方为主。印章用朱色钤盖，除日常应用外，又多用于书画题识，逐渐成为中特有的艺术形式之一。
