Seals are a means of proving identity and credentials. Nations, officials, and individuals have used seals in various activities in society. As a result, official and personal seals came into use. Chinese seals probably originated in the Eastern Zhou dynasty (770-256 BCE). Seal engraving arts were passed on throughout the dynasties, and by the end of the Qing dynasty (1644-1911), Chinese seal arts had greatly influenced the development of seal engraving throughout East Asia.