Imperial Seal of Ancient China

Imperial Seal of Ancient China

The jade seal, specifically referring to the emperor's seal, is a symbol of supreme power. Made of gold or jade. The seal originated in the Zhou Dynasty and was commonly referred to as the seal or imperial seal during the pre Qin period. It was not until the Qin Dynasty that there was a distinction between the seal and imperial seal. The seal used by the emperor was called the imperial seal, while the seal used by the subjects could only be called the seal.