Traditional Chinese names chop

The traditional Chinese names chop or seal has been used for thousands of years. It is quite likely that people bagan using name chops because Chinese characters are so complex and few people in ancient china can read and write. A chop served both as a form of identification and as a calid signature. All official documents in china needed a chop to be valid. Naturally , this made a chop quite valuable, for with another person’s chop it was possible to sign contracts and other legal document in their name.
Today , most Chinese are literate, but the tradition is still kept alive in china. In fact, without a chop it is difficult or impossible to enter into legally binding contracts in china.
If you spend any length of time in china, you will almost certainly need to have a chop made. If you’re staying a short time, a chop makes a great souvenir. A chop can be made quickly, but first you will need to have your name translated into Chinese characters.
There are many different sizes and styles of chops. Inexpensive small chops can be carved from wood or plastic---upmarket chops are made from ivory, jade, marble or steel. Only a special type of slow-drying red ink is used for a name chop, so if you buy a chop in china then get an inkpad too.