The City of Shanghai

Tour Day 13: Thursday, May 3, 2001

The Children's Palace

Miss Tong, Our Guide In Shanghai.

Miss Tong seemed very familiar with the palace, more than just a guide would be. This made some of us wonder if, perhaps, she had a child enrolled there.

A Pair Of Pipas.

A Childs Painting

The red block on the right and the Chinese character compose the child's artistic signature.

Chop, Chop

The red block mark is called a chop. Chops were started with the an emperor. He would use his chop, or seal, to sign a law, or an order. That made it official. This also, is where the term "chop, chop" came from. As in, "Go, get it done right now, chop, chop."

The word chop refers to the mark, and to the carved stone implement that creates the mark, just as the word seal refers to the mark impressed in the sealing wax (or paper) and to the tool that creates the impression.

You'll see the chop on most chinese art work.

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