Seal script is an ancient
style of
Chinese calligraphy. It evolved organically out of the
Zhou dynasty script, arising in the
Warring State of
Qin. The Qin variant of seal script became the standard and was adopted as the formal script for all of China in the
Qin dynasty, and was still widely used for decorative engraving and
seals (name chops, or signets) in the
Han dynasty. The literal translation of its Chinese name 篆書 (zhuànshū) is
decorative engraving script, because by the time this name was coined in the Han dynasty, its role had been reduced to ceremonial inscriptions rather than as a standardized script.