Hanko
Miyachi-sensei has just returned from China, where he supervised a group of students visiting a university for a week or two.
Emptying my mailbox today, I found a little green cloth-covered box which held a signature seal carved from a piece of stone. The accompanying note from Miyachi-sensei said that it shows my name.
sugoi!
If anyone can read the characters, please tell me what they say! Here’s what the seal looks like. And just because I couldn’t resist: I had to try it out on a drawing.
Comments
I asked some teachers and got ideas. The kanjis on the left side “蔵書” means that you own the book. So, you have to use the seal for your books, then those books will say “I’m Ruedie’s :)” And the Kanjis on the right side is, I think, your name. Maybe “Ruedi.” the top kanji is 魯: you can read it “RO” or “RU.” I don’t know the one below it. Sorry.
kevin :: March 26, 2004
Great drawing. I see you are becoming a bird lover.
Thanks, Wakako-san! Higashi-sensei, a teacher of Chinese, told me the same thing last night. He said the characters on the right spell rü and di.
Since this hanko is intended for books, I probably shouldn’t use it to sign drawings. John Lennon used a hanko on his drawings…
In the West, we have a similar thing called “ex libris” or bookplate. This isn’t a stamp, though; it’s an artistically designed label that some readers paste into the books they own.
Don’t know about “bird lover”. I can’t see myself sharing a shower with a fowl.
True.
Still, sometimes I think Kevin’s love of birds has something mildly eccentric about it: “Honey, I’m taking the birds for a walk — I’ll be back in an hour or so!”
Kevin :: March 29, 2004
Wakako, I’m not going to tell Awii you said that. He’s been getting a big head lately, and is getting far too popular for his own good.
It probably is eccentric, but they seem to grow on you. I’ve had cats and fish, and a couple iguannas in my life, and none of them seem to be as smart as these birds. (I used to walk my iguanas too, but never the fish)
Renato :: April 5, 2004
Hi Ruedi,
I have one too: had it made years ago in Taiwan. They call it a “chop.” It should show my name. I’m not sure anymore if it’s my familiy name “Regli” or my first name “Renato” or both; nobody was able to confirm this yet here in Switzerland. They had a hard time translating my name :-) so I wonder… But anyway, they are simply beautiful to look at.
Ah — y’know, I’m convinced it reads, “Renato has an awfully big nose,” but then I’m reasonable: I’m willing to listen to the experts.
Is there a Chinese scholar in the house?
Commenting on this entry is closed.
Welcome back, master. Hayyyyyyy!