Chop

A 'chop' - the traditional Chinese signature-seal - makes a beautiful memento of China. I have several myself. The ones I had made for my two young nieces were a great success (at least, initially; I don't know if they've survived), and were used to stamp their names all over the house. They've all been made for me by a Chinese artist friend, Wu Yuren, who loves to do it as a hobby. He might not be the best chop-carver in the world, but he invests an awful lot of love into it, and that personal connection imbues an unquantifiable extra value. (Plus, of course, he might get really famous one day, and then they might be worth a lot of money! Although I'd be loath to part with mine, even if that did happen.)

During his 'starving artist' years, I tried to direct a little extra income his way by soliciting chop commissions from several of my friends for their children and so on. It was in fact very difficult to get him to accept much money at all, and the postage to the US and the UK ended up costing a lot more than the labour and materials. He really does do it just because he loves to do it. It's rather inspiring to find such simple and direct passion for something.

(Do take a look at his website [Warning: Some of it is not for the squeamish!]. I particularly like his 'Imperial Criminals' photo series.)