Taichung Artist Xu Peiming's Works

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Xu Peiming () is a local Taichung artist and 'chop' maker. Chops are stamps used to sign official documents, carved in often very stylized Chinese characters on stone, bamboo, and, in the past, ivory. Individual's chops are carved with their name. Businesses even have their own chops, often large (we saw some over one and a half inches across) and ornate. The inked stamp on a document legitimatizes it. Additionally, chops can simply serve as good luck pieces, carrying carvings such as "May everything be as you wish", "Good fortune", and other luck-wishing character combinations.

We spent quite a while in Mr. Xu's studio looking at some of his work as well as his antique collection that he had scatterred about. He had a lot more stuff - I wish I would've taken more pictures. Here are just a few.

At the top are three of his bamboo chops. The little things that look like deformed acorns are a rare seed that he makes necklaces from. (He does make other things than just chops.)

MeiHui bought this chop while we were there. The image on it appears in the next picture. The artist also carved the inscription on the side.

The image from the chop Meihui bought (left). The two simple Chinese Chinese characters read "May everything be as you wish".

An exquisite antique ivory carving.