Seal engraving, also known as seal carving, seal cutting, or zhuanke, is a traditional technique that originated in China. It involves carving a design into the bottom face of a seal (which would be used for stamping, rather than the sides or top). It is the Chinese fine art of the cornerstone.
As early as the Shang dynasty, seals were used in government offices, where they symbolized authority and power. During the Shang and Zhou dynasties, seals were primarily made of animal bone, copper (bronze), and ceramics. Specially trained, sophisticated artisans or craftsmen, such as potters, specialized in creating seals. A majority of seals in this period were used in government and mostly by nobles and officials, meaning that the design was very formal and elegant. The Shang Dynasty used the oracle bone script for seals. During the Zhou Dynasty, various scripts were used (because Chinese characters were not yet unified), but mostly the dazhuan or jinwen were used.
The formal seal script known as xiaozhuan was formalized in the Qin dynasty by Chancellor Li Si and prescribed by Emperor Qinshihuang, which led to the first attempted unification of Chinese characters. The development of Chinese architecture at this time led to seals of this period being used in various building materials. This can be seen in antiques from this period. The seals are usually stamped with the manufacturer's name, time, and/or place, and have various styles, reflecting the makers' personal characteristics.
Although the seal was used as a sign of authority, it eventually became widely used by all classes and throughout Asia. As part of the Seal Engravers' Society of Xiling in Zhejiang Province, central China, which was founded over a century ago, around a hundred other specialized institutions preserve the art of seal engraving. After sketching the design on paper, the design is engraved in reverse on stone with a knife. Aside from mastery of traditional calligraphy, engraving is an art that requires a high level of skill, since the artist works on a tiny surface area where every curve, every slant of a line counts. Among the diverse motifs, there is the fruit of the artist's imagination and culture. As a calligraphic and visual art instrument, it is a work of art in itself.
The art of carving seals expresses an entire culture’s ideas about humankind and nature. Even though fewer people are able to comprehend the intricate characters, the craft of engraving seals continues to be practiced both professionally and by amateurs today.
References
(https://ich.unesco.org/en/RL/art-of-chinese-seal-engraving-00217) (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seal_carving)