User:Donald Trung/Lock charms

Original draft

[[File:Ch'ang Ming Fu Kuei - T'ien Ch'ang Ti Chi - John Ferguson.jpg|thumb|right|A Chinese lock charm with the inscription ''cháng mìng fù guì'' (長命富貴, "longevity, wealth, and honour"), this inscription is commonly found on Chinese numismatic charms.]] Chinese '''Lock charms''' ([[Traditional Chinese]]: 家鎖; [[Simplified Chinese]]: 家锁; [[Pinyin]]: ''jiā suǒ''; Literally translated: "Family lock") are a type of [[Chinese numismatic charm]] characterized by the fact that they're shaped like ancient Chinese [[Lock (security device)|security locks]], this shape can also be described as resembling a [[basket]]<ref>Anything Anywhere - [http://www.anythinganywhere.com/commerce/coins/coinpics/chin-amulets-silver.htm CHINA, gold, silver, jade, bone amulets] by Bob Reis. Retrieved: 09 August 2018.</ref> or in most cases the [[Hanzi|Chinese character]] for "concave" (凹).<ref>Edgar J. Mandel. ''Metal Charms and Amulets of China''.</ref> Unlike actual lock Chinese lock pendants tend to be flat and have no moving parts as they only symbolise locks and have no practical utility. Like other types of Chinese numismatic charms lock charms are meant to protect the wearer from harm, misfortune, and evil spirits while wishing for the person wearing it to be blessed good luck, longevity,<ref>{{cite web|url= https://blog.clars.com/longevity-locks-silver-childrens-accessories/|title= Chinese Longevity Locks & Other Children’s Accessories - Chinese Longevity Locks - 长命锁.|date=27 October 2017|accessdate=10 August 2018|work= Joyce Kwong (Asian Art Specialist at Clars Auction Gallery)}}</ref> and achieve a high rank (through the [[imperial examination system]]). However the main purpose of lock charms was for the boy who wore these talismans to be "locked" to earth which would supposedly protect him from death.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.collectorsweekly.com/articles/unraveling-the-ancient-riddles-of-chinese-jewelry/|title= Unraveling the Ancient Riddles of Chinese Jewelry By Ben Marks — October 19th, 2012|date=19 October 2012|accessdate=10 August 2018|work= Ben Marks for Collectors Weekly}}</ref> Chinese lock charms originated during the [[Ming dynasty]] but didn't become popular until the [[nineteenth century]], the popularity of lock pendants in China was directly related to the supply of silver as silver had historically been a rare metal in China until it was imported from [[Japan]] and [[Spanish colonisation of the Americas|Spanish America]] (through the [[Manilla galleon]]s) during the Ming dynasty.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://susandods.com/blog/2009/10/the-life-of-chinese-silver-symbolic-locks-a-collectors-view.html|title= The life of Chinese Silver Symbolic Locks — a collector’s view.|date=3 October 2009|accessdate=10 August 2018|work= Susan Dods (Private Collection).|language=en}}</ref> Lock charms could be bought at silversmiths and had strong variations in shapes and sizes, parents often would let a [[Buddhism|Buddhist]] or a [[Taoism|Taoist]] priest use their own hands to tie these lock charms to little boys. Lock charms are always decorated with both Chinese characters and [[Chinese numismatic charm#Implied and hidden meanings of Chinese numismatic charms|symbols]]. Wealthy families often gave their sons lock charms made from [[jade]], [[nephrite]],<ref>{{cite web|url= http://susandods.com/blog/2010/02/19th-century-chinese-jade-lock-2-2-2-2-2-2.html|title= Chinese 19th century Carved Jade Lock Revisited.|date=28 February 2010|accessdate=10 August 2018|work= RP for Susan Dods (Private Collection).|language=en}}</ref> [[silver]], or [[gold]] and while poorer families did often buy silver locks for their sons it was not uncommon for them to let their sons wear [[brass]] lock charms, == Symbolism == {{Main|Chinese numismatic charm#Implied and hidden meanings of Chinese numismatic charms}} [[File:2021657 52238 Museon.jpg|thumb|left|A silver Chinese lock amulet decorated with dragons and peonies while at all ends of the amulet are small [[Cash (Chinese coin)|cash coin-shaped]] openings to deposit money in. This silver lock charm is on display at [[Museon]], [[the Hague]].]] The lock shape itself symbolises an actual [[Lock (security device)|security lock]] as it symbolises for the young boy who wears it to be "locked" to the earth or "locked to life" and represented the wish of his parents that their young son wouldn't die.<ref>Case Antiques (Auctions & Appraisals) - [https://caseantiques.com/item/lot-12-chinese-silver-lock-pendant-3/ Lot 12: Chinese Silver Lock Pendant]. Retrieved: 10 August 2018.</ref> Lock charms may feature [[Taoism|Taoist]] symbolism such as the [[Taijitu]] and the [[Bagua]] and often have other symbols including Taoist deities such as the [[Sanxing (deities)|Sanxing]] and [[Kitchen god]]. The God Lu (of prosperity) is usually depicted holding a [[Ruyi (scepter)|Ruyi scepter]] and Shou (the God of longevity) may hold a walking cane and a [[peach]] which in [[Chinese folk religion]] refers to the "[[peaches of immortality]]" that can extend ones life by 3000 years.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://susandods.com/blog/2007/11/qing-dynasty-silver-jade-lock.html|title= Qing Dynasty Silver Jade Lock.|date=12 November 2007|accessdate=10 August 2018|work= Susan Dods (Private Collection).|language=en}}</ref> Taoist symbols such as [[sword]]s wrapped in [[Fillet (clothing)|fillets and ribbons]] may be displayed to scare away evil ghosts and demons. Other plants depicted on Chinese lock charms include [[Plum|plum blossoms]] which in Chinese symbolism are associated with the [[five blessings]], the [[peony]] which is associated with wealth and honour, or [[lotus flower]]s which has two different names in [[Mandarin Chinese]], namely "蓮花" (''lián huā'') and "荷花" (''hé huā''), the first character of the former can be used as a homophonic pun with the word "continuous" (連, ''lián'') while the latter could be used to represent the word "harmony" (和, ''hé'') creating a visual pun for "continuous harmony" (連和, ''lián hé'').<ref>The Language and Iconography of Chinese Charms: Deciphering a Past Belief System (English and Chinese Edition) by Alex Changyu Fang and François Thierry. 1st ed. 2016 Edition. Published by Springer. {{ISBN|978-9811017919}}, {{ISBN|9811017913}}</ref> Another commonly found theme on Chinese lock charms are the [[Sanguang]] (三光) which are a symbol of good luck and could be translated as the "three lights", these include the [[sun]] (日), the [[moon]] (月), and the [[star]]s (星), the sun and moon may be represented with either Chinese characters while stars are often displayed with symbols such as dots. The inclusion of the sun and the moon symbolises that the lock charm "works" day and night.<ref>C.A.S. Williams - ''Outlines of Chinese Symbolism and Art Motives''.</ref> Inscriptions on lock charms are usually written from [[right to left]] and the most commonly found inscription found on Chinese lock charms (and one of the most commonly found inscriptions of Chinese numismatic charms in general) is ''cháng mìng fù guì'' (長命富貴, "longevity, wealth, and honour") while other inscriptions could be used to express a desire for achieving a high rank through the [[imperial examination system]] such as ''zhuàng yuán jí dì'' (狀元及第, "the first rank at the examination for the [[Hanlin Academy]]"), longevity with the inscription ''cháng mìng bǎi suì'' (長命百歲, "long life of 100 years"), or a wish for stability with ''tiān cháng dì jiǔ'' (天长地久, "as eternal and unchanging as the universe"). Some lock charms feature inscriptions that refer to famous mountains in China such as ''jiǔ huá míng shān'' (九華名山, "the famous [[Mount Jiuhua]]") and ''dà máo shān'' (大茅山, "the great [[Maoshan]]") while the names of the [[Geography of China|geographical regions]] where these mountains are located may also be displayed on the charm.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://primaltrek.com/locks.html|title= Chinese Lock Charms - 鎖片 - Introduction to Lock Charms.|date=16 November 2016|accessdate=10 August 2018|work= Gary Ashkenazy / גארי אשכנזי (Primaltrek – a journey through Chinese culture)}}</ref><ref>''Hidden Meanings in Chinese Art'' by Terese Tse Bartholomew (author) and Kaz Tsuruta (photographer).</ref> == Hundred Family lock charms == The '''Hundred Family lock''' ([[Traditional Chinese]]: 百家鎖; [[Simplified Chinese]]: 百家锁; [[Pinyin]]: ''bǎi jiā suǒ'') is a special type of silver lock charm these charms are pentagonal prism-shaped silver boxes with two peaked ends and have a bar between. One side of the box is often moulded with four Chinese characters and on the peaked ends of this charm may be images of single flowers. After a child was born in a poor or less wealthy family, the family would either go around and beg a hundred families for a few [[Cash (Chinese coin)|cash coins]] (and in some traditions only one) to have an inexpensive lock charm made for their newborn or in order to have one manufactured give other families [[areca nut]]s as a means to invite them to donate a small number of cash coins for one. Families that had donated cash coins for this lock charm to be made would then have a vested interest in the child being secure. Hundred family locks were either hung on the child itself as a pendant or in the house of the family as a symbolic means to "lock" the child to life. In this utility Chinese lock charms were very similar to Chinese [[fish charms]] which were also gifted by parents to their children for protection.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://resources.made-in-china.com/article/culture-life/jQnxpWAGoEIk/Ancient-Chinese-Lock-Charms/|title= One of The More Interesting Forms of Chinese Charms Is The Lock.|date=28 November 2012|accessdate=10 August 2018|work= Made-in-China.com (Copyright © 1998-2018 Focus Technology Co., Ltd. All Rights Reserved.)}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url= https://longjourneyce.wordpress.com/2010/05/22/ancient-chinese-charms-and-coins-2/|title= Ancient Chinese Charms and Coins (2).|date=22 May 2010|accessdate=1 May 2018|work= Longjourney Online Chinese and English (Vogue and Carefree Learning) }}</ref> == References == {{Reflist}} {{Commonscat|Lock charms}} {{Chinese exonumia}} {{Asian numismatic charms}} [[:Category:Amulets]] [[:Category:Chinese numismatic charms]] [[:Category:Chinese numismatics]] .

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August 2018.

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