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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

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  • 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
    Mar 12, 2021 at 1:15
  • 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 Mar 12, 2021 at 17:00

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Right-hand-side seal

取諸懷抱

「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

What?

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.

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  • 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. Mar 12, 2021 at 17:10
  • Thank you so much dROOze!!! Mar 24, 2021 at 15:10
  • 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. Mar 24, 2021 at 17:11
  • @BrianCheung if that was a hand, it would be left hand 「𠂇」 rather than right hand 「又」. A hand was originally my first guess too - but 「𠂇」 and 「又」 usually have the fingers pointing sideways, not upwards.
    – dROOOze
    Mar 24, 2021 at 21:51

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