<p>Right-hand-side seal</p>
<blockquote>
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/yN8zC.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/yN8zC.png" alt="取諸懷抱" /></a></p>
</blockquote>
<p>「取諸懷抱」</p>
<p><em>Indulge in one's deepest thoughts</em>, a line from the preface of the poem anthology <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lantingji_Xu" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Lántíng Xù</a>.</p>
<hr />
<p>Left-hand-side seal: I believe this is</p>
<blockquote>
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/pNfRz.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/pNfRz.png" alt="What?" /></a></p>
</blockquote>
<pre><code>屮　亾（亡）
　艸
二　中
</code></pre>
<p>I cannot make sense of this. Maybe 「二屮」 refers to 「艸」 in the middle. This might be a puzzle, or might be nonsense.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-03-12T17:10:01.700Z
Thank you for your input. I will have to review this poem. This might have some validity I was told;  this seal belonged to a Chinese general who passed away during some war in early 20h century in Manchuria. He gave this seal to a nun that was taking care of him before he passed away. It has been in her European family ever since.
NewtoChinese21
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-03-24T15:10:32.100Z
Thank you so much dROOze!!!
NewtoChinese21
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-03-24T17:11:05.920Z
Just adding some more possibilities: the top-left character of the left-hand-side seal could also be 又, which means 'right hand', judging from the bending at the bottom.
Brian Cheung
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-03-24T17:11:11.863Z
https://humanum.arts.cuhk.edu.hk/Lexis/lexi-mf/search.php?word=%E5%8F%88
Brian Cheung
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-03-24T21:51:12.837Z
@BrianCheung if that was a hand, it would be [*left hand* 「」](https://xiaoxue.iis.sinica.edu.tw/yanbian?kaiOrder=19787) rather than *right hand* 「又」. A *hand* was originally my first guess too - but 「」 and 「又」 usually have the fingers pointing sideways, not upwards.
dROOOze
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-03-25T13:40:39.840Z
@dROOOze ah you have your point! Well, then I guess you are right. It should be a 屮.
Brian Cheung
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-03-12T08:18:54.323Z
2021-03-12T17:46:34.863Z
2021-03-12T17:46:34.863Z
dROOOze
<p>I am new to Chinese and this seal fascinates me and makes me want to learn more about this complex language.  I have looked all over the internet with not much luck! I would be very grateful for some direction. Would buying a Seal Dictionary be of help? Thank you in advance for any help, suggestions and comments</p>
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/UZjbR.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/UZjbR.jpg" alt="enter image description here" /></a></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-03-12T01:15:28.580Z
I  flipped the right side image, But I couldn't tell if the left side image was mirrored so I didn't flip it.
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-03-12T17:00:05.010Z
The blue image  is a stamped version (on the paper) of  whats on the side of the seal. And, yes red image  is a mirror image of the seal itself as it would appear on the paper if stamped. Big thanks to you Tang Ho
NewtoChinese21
<translation><character-identification><seal>
May I ask for help deciphering this seal?
# May I ask for help deciphering this seal?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2021-03-11)

I am new to Chinese and this seal fascinates me and makes me want to learn more about this complex language. I have looked all over the internet with not much luck! I would be very grateful for some direction. Would buying a Seal Dictionary be of help? Thank you in advance for any help, suggestions and comments

[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/UZjbR.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/UZjbR.jpg)

**Tags:** translation, character-identification, seal

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: I  flipped the right side image, But I couldn't tell if the left side image was mirrored so I didn't flip it.  
> **username_0**: The blue image  is a stamped version (on the paper) of  whats on the side of the seal. And, yes red image  is a mirror image of the seal itself as it would appear on the paper if stamped. Big thanks to you username_1  

---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2021-03-12. Score: 2

Right-hand-side seal



「取諸懷抱」
Indulge in one's deepest thoughts, a line from the preface of the poem anthology Lántíng Xù.

Left-hand-side seal: I believe this is



屮　亾（亡）
　艸
二　中

I cannot make sense of this. Maybe 「二屮」 refers to 「艸」 in the middle. This might be a puzzle, or might be nonsense.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Thank you for your input. I will have to review this poem. This might have some validity I was told;  this seal belonged to a Chinese general who passed away during some war in early 20h century in Manchuria. He gave this seal to a nun that was taking care of him before he passed away. It has been in her European family ever since.  
> **username_0**: Thank you so much dROOze!!!  
> **username_3**: Just adding some more possibilities: the top-left character of the left-hand-side seal could also be 又, which means 'right hand', judging from the bending at the bottom.  
> **username_3**: https://humanum.arts.cuhk.edu.hk/Lexis/lexi-mf/search.php?word=%E5%8F%88  
> **username_2**: @BrianCheung if that was a hand, it would be [*left hand* 「」](https://xiaoxue.iis.sinica.edu.tw/yanbian?kaiOrder=19787) rather than *right hand* 「又」. A *hand* was originally my first guess too - but 「」 and 「又」 usually have the fingers pointing sideways, not upwards.  
> **username_3**: @username_2 ah you have your point! Well, then I guess you are right. It should be a 屮.  

---

