Signing calligraphy works 落款

At the end of a piece of calligraphy, the calligrapher would usually write a short phrase and affix a seal, which is called 落款.

This phrase can be just the calligrapher's name, but it can also include more details, such as the time when the piece was written, details about the words written (if it came from a poem), and who it was written for (if it is being given to someone else). There are two parts of this "signature" phrase, with the top part and bottom part containing different details about the piece.

Top part 上款

The top part is about who the piece is for (if it is being given to someone) and the "source" of the words, if taken from a poem or such.

Who the piece is for

When the piece is being written for someone (usually as a gift), the character 為 (which means "for") is written, followed by the person's name and then an honorific.

 

As for honorifics:

For a person who is of a higher social status:

长辈：吾师、学长、道长、先生、女士。

For a person who is of the same or lower social status:

平辈或小一辈：兄、弟、仁兄、尊兄、大兄、贤兄（弟）、仁兄（弟）、道兄、道友、学友、方家、先生、小姐、法家（对书画或某一方面专长之称）

For someone with a closer relationship:

关系较亲密：学（仁弟）、吾兄（弟）

From a teacher writing something for a student:

老师对学生：学（仁弟）、学（仁）棣、贤契、贤弟。

For a fellow student:

同学：学长、学兄、同窗、同砚、同席。

Once the recipient's name and honorific has been written, a courtesy word 上款客套词或敬词 is also usually added to end of this part of the "signature".
雅属、雅赏、雅评、雅鉴、雅教、雅正、雅存、珍存、惠存、清鉴、清览、清品、清属、清赏、清正、清及、清教、清玩、鉴可、鉴正、敲正、惠正、赐正、斧正、法正、博鉴、尊鉴、法鉴、法教、博教、大教、大雅、补壁、糊壁、是正、教正、教之、正腕、正举、存念、一粲、粲正、一笑、笑存、笑鉴、属、鉴、玩。

Where the text came from

If the words of the piece came from a poem or classical work, it is also common to write that down. This usually takes the form of the poet's name and the poem's name. Instead of stating the poem's name, it is also possible to abbreviate by just stating 詩 (poem). If only a part of the poem was written, this can be elaborated by stating 詩句 (sentence from poem). For example, a poem by Cao Cao can be stated as

曹操短歌行 (短歌行 by Cao Cao)

曹操短歌行詩句 (sentences from 短歌行 by Cao Cao)

曹操詩 (a poem by Cao Cao)

曹操詩句 (sentences from a poem by Cao Cao)

Other words used instead of 詩 (poem) are 文 if it came from a text, for example.

 

Bottom part 下款

The bottom part is about the time, place, and the calligrapher.

 

Time

For time, the year is usually written using the Chinese sexagenary cycle 干支, which is a combination of the 十天干 Ten Heavenly Stems and 十二地支 Twelve Earthly Branches. The month uses the more artistic names for each of the twelve months. Note that these months used to refer to the lunar calendar months, but today, can be used for the Gregorian calendar months (January for the first month 一月, February for the second month 二月, and so on) too. You can also add further details, like the time of the month. See the end of this post for more details.

 

Place

Next is the place where this piece was written. The character 於 (at) is written, followed by the name of the place (which can be a town, or a town's name followed by the actually location like name of a restaurant).

 

Person

This is then followed by the calligrapher's own name, and a word 下款客套词或敬词 to close off the "signature".

敬书、拜书、谨书、顿首、属书、醉书、嘴笔、漫笔、戏书、节临、书、录、题、笔、写、临、篆。

About different combinations

Note that some people may choose to just affix a seal without this "signature" phrase. Depending on the piece, this may or may not be appropriate. At the very least, you should write the name part. Recipient, source, time, and location are usually optional and can be left out.

Script to use

There is also the script in which this "signature" is written in; it is to be written in the same or a more "cursive" script than the piece itself (the order being seal 篆 -> clerical 隷 -> regular 楷 -> semi-cursive 行 -> cursive 草). Note that for pieces using the cursive script, it is the practice to sign them with just the calligrapher's name and seal, because an elaborate "signature" phrase may end up being confused with the actual piece itself.

 

More about writing the time

The artistic names of the months:

一月：孟春、寅月、陬月、太簇、初春、新春、端月、岁始、肇春、初阳。

二月：仲春、卯月、如月、夹钟、花月、杏月、春半、花朝、殷春、春中。

三月：季春、辰月、病月、姑洗、桃月、暮春、桐月、晚春、春杪、余春。

四月：孟夏、巳月、余月、中吕、初夏、麦月、槐月、夏首、新夏、梅月。

五月：仲夏、午月、皋月、蕤宾、蒲月、榴月、星月、盛夏、夏半、芒种。

六月：季夏、未月、且月、林钟、荷月、晚夏、暮夏、荔月、晚夏、杪夏。

七月：孟秋、申月、相月、夷则、瓜月、初秋、桐秋、桐月、兰月、肇秋。

八月：仲秋、酉月、壮月、南吕、桂秋、桂月、清秋、拓月、秋半、中律。

九月：季秋、戍月、玄月、无射、菊月、暮秋、凉秋、杪商、秋末、残秋。

十月：孟冬、亥月、阳月、应钟、初冬、早冬、首冬、始冬、开冬、新冬。

十一月：仲冬、子月、辜月、黄钟、霜月、寒月、葭月、正冬、畅月。

十二月：季冬、丑月、涂月、大吕、腊月、暮冬、梅月、暮岁、岁杪。

For the first ten days of the month:

每月一日至十日：上旬、上浣、上瀚、上澣
For the middle ten days of the month:
每月十一日至二十日：中旬、中浣、中瀚、中澣
For the last ten days of the month:
每月二十一日至三十日：下旬、下浣、下瀚、下澣

For the first day of the month:

每月初一：朔、旦、额

For the 15th day of the month:

每月十五日：望

For the last day of the month:

每月最末一日：晦

There are also specific names for certain days of the lunar calendar, which can be used instead of stating the month.

其他：元旦（元月一日）、元宵（元月十五日）、端午（五月五日）、中元（七月十五日）、中秋（八月十五日）清明、冬至、七夕、重阳、除夕等等。