Why do some Dehua porcelain figures carry seals?

Some Dehua porcelain figures carry seals identifying workshops, makers, or kiln groups. The best-known seal belongs to He Chaozong, whose impressed mark appears on many late Ming Buddhist sculptures. Potters pressed such marks into damp clay before firing and collectors study these seals carefully during authentication. A genuine seal alone does not prove age, since modern workshops often copy famous signatures, but experts inspect glaze wear, clay texture, firing marks, and carving style beside the seal itself. Seals may appear under the base, inside robes, or along rockwork sections, where older marks often show slight softness after glaze application. Sharp laser-like impressions can signal modern reproduction work. Some seals contain four Chinese characters inside square frames, though longer inscriptions exist on temple commissions. Chinese ceramic traditions used marks for centuries, Jingdezhen imperial wares carried reign marks naming emperors. Dehua kiln workers adopted similar methods for studio identity and prestige, where signed figures often fetched higher prices during export trade years.