Chinese Monastery Stamp Depicting Poem, Based

Columns of tiny carved characters march down a reddish slab on its own stand.

This monastery stamp depicting a poem is from China, and dates to the early 20th century. It is soapstone. Soapstone is a soft stone that carves easily with simple tools, which is why it has been a favored material for seals and small sculpted objects. Square stone tablet engraved with vertical rows of small seal-style characters. The surface is deep red-brown with lighter flecks in the cuts. It is held by thin black wire clips on a rod above a flat black base. It is 3.13 inches wide, 1.63 deep and 5.25 high.

Dense with writing, and polite enough not to shout.