The inscription reads ru tu wei an (入土为安) which means “to be laid to rest” or “burial brings peace”.
The coin was not minted to circulate as money but was privately cast as a funerary object. It was buried with the corpse with the hope that the deceased will rest in peace and that the living relatives will have peace of mind.
The coin has a diameter of 2.45 cm and a thickness of 0.13 cm.
Because these coins are not included in catalogues or other Chinese coin references, it is difficult finding authoritative information.
However, an article published in the Xinmin Evening News (新民晚报) in 2007 provides some insight.
The article states that several of these coins were discovered in a grave dating to the late Qing dynasty (1644-1911).
The article also emphasizes the importance the ancient Chinese placed on proper burial of the dead and that coins with the inscription ru tu wei an were placed in graves as a matter of course.
Reverse side of “laid to rest” funerary charm
The coins discovered in the grave had a diameter of 2.4 cm, a thickness of 0.14 cm and a weight of 3.8 grams.
The coins also had a broad rim of 0.3 cm and a fairly small square hole with a diameter of 0.6 cm.
The reverse sides of the coins were blank with no inscription.
Other specimens of this funerary coin may be seen here and here.
In years past, there was some controversy regarding the age of these coins.
The controversy centered on how the Chinese character wei (为) is written in the inscription.
On the coin, the wei is written in simplified Chinese (为) instead of traditional Chinese (為). The argument was that because simplified Chinese did not exist prior to its adoption in 1956, these coins could not date from the Qing Dynasty or earlier.
Research has shown, however, that variant forms of the character wei, including 为, existed at least from the time of the Ming dynasty (1368-1644) so the controversy has been put to rest.
Forum members describe the coins as “really scary” and “horrifying”. Many members state that they would not buy or own such a coin.
One forum member mentioned that because these coins were “put into the mouth of the deceased” during burial, they should be “thrown away because they are unlucky”.
In China today, the tradition of burying the dead has changed. Cemeteries require a great deal of land and with China’s immense population, burials are no longer allowed. Cremation is the law of the land although enforcement, particularly in rural areas, can be lax.
The Chinese Numismatic Charms Museum is China’s first museum dedicated to ancient Chinese charms
The museum is located in Movie Town which is a movie-themed town built to resemble the city of Chongqing (重庆市) as it existed in the year 1942.
Chongqing was the provisional capital of the Republic of China during World War II (Second Sino-Japanese War 1937-1945 抗日战争).
Digital displays of Chinese charms at the museum
In keeping with the theme, the museum is located in a three-story building on 1942 Street (1942民国街) built to l0ok like the Szechuan Kanting Civilian Commercial Bank (chuan kang ping min shang ye yin hang川康平民商业银行) that existed in Chongqing in 1942.
The Szechuan Kanting Civilian Commercial Bank was established in September 1937 through the merger of the Cultivation Bank of Ch’uan K’ang (chuan kang zhi ye yin hang川康殖业银行), the People’s Bank of Chungking (chong qing ping min yin hang 重庆平民银行) and the Szechuan Commercial Bank (si chuan shang ye yin hang四川商业银行).
The bank, however, served as more than just a bank.
To prevent the possibility of the Japanese looting the nation’s art treasures and cultural heritage at the Forbidden City (Palace Museum故宫博物院), more than 600,000 of the most precious artifacts were packed into many thousands of crates and secretly transported to Nanjing.
Because the Szechuan Kanting Civilian Commercial Bank in Chongqing had a very secure second floor warehouse, a portion of these national treasures were stored there for safekeeping.
The national treasures remained well-protected at the bank and survived the war even during the extensive Japanese bombing of Chongqing which began in 1938.
It is fitting, therefore, that the new Chinese Numismatic Charms Museum is located in a replica of this bank.
The museum has exhibition areas covering more than 530 square meters.
The first floor exhibit is entitled the “Republican Past” (民国往事). The second floor has “Legacy of the Ancient Sea” (古海遗珍) as its theme.
The third floor will be a multimedia exhibition hall.
An exhibition room displaying old Chinese charms
The museum is the first in China to specialize in the display of old Chinese lock and pendant charms. Some of the museum’s collection of these types of charms can be seen in the display cases in the above image.
A display case with part of the museum’s extensive collection of open work charms
The museum also has a large collection of ancient Chinese open work charms.
Several of the open work charms may be seen in the image to the left.
The museum has on display more than 2,000 Chinese charms from the Han Dynasty (206 BC – 220 AD) to the Republican Period (1912-1949).
Also on exhibit are silver coins and paper money from the later years.
An unusual Chinese charm was recently posted to a popular Chinese coin forum in China.
Chinese charm with inscription “Not being greedy is a treasure”
The charm is shown at the left.
The inscription bu tan wei bao (不貪為寶) is written in seal script and translates as “not being greedy is a treasure”.
The phrase is a reference to a story in the Zuo Zuan (左传), also known as the “Commentary of Zuo”, which is a very ancient text describing historical events during the period 722 BC – 478 BC of the Spring and Autumn Period.
The story appears in the book’s “Fifteenth Year of Duke Xiang” 《左传·襄公十五年》as follows:
The story is about Zi Han (子罕), a high government official of the state of Song, who was known to be virtuous and wise.
One day, a peasant came to see him. The peasant had found a stone which an expert had confirmed was a valuable piece of jade. The peasant wanted to present this treasure to Zi Han.
Zi Han, however, refused to accept the jade.
Zi Han said to the peasant, “You consider the jade to be a treasure while I consider ‘not being greedy’ to be a treasure. If I receive the jade, you will have lost your treasure and I, too, will have lost my treasure. It would be better if both of us keep our own personal treasures.”
Reverse side of charm displaying sycee and land as traditional symbols of wealth
At the left is the reverse side of the charm.
The objects with the curled ends are meant to represent sycee or silver ingots (yuan bao 元宝) which were a form of money in ancient China.
The square objects that resemble windows are actually the Chinese character tian (田) which means “field” as in farm land. Land was also a symbol of wealth in ancient China.
Liu Xiang (刘向), a government official and scholar during the Han Dynasty, wrote a commentary on the story.
Liu Xiang explained that it was not that Zi Han did not have treasures but that “treasure” meant something different to him.
Liu Xiang illustrated his point as follows.
If one were to offer a small child a cake or gold, the child would pick the cake. If one were to offer a “lower-class” man the legendary “Jade of He” (和氏璧) or gold, the man would definitely take the gold.
However, if one were to offer a wise man the valuable “Jade of He” or a moral principle, the wise man would choose the moral principle.
According to Liu Xiang, the better one understands the true nature of things, the better choice one will make.
It is noteworthy that the members of the Chinese coin forum had not seen a charm like this before and its appearance resulted in a flurry of more than 200 comments.
The forum members universally praised the meaning behind the charm and felt that its posting had been very timely. This is because a well-publicized campaign is currently underway to rid the party and government of corrupt officials.
The vast majority of old Chinese charms are made of bronze or brass. Towards the end of the imperial period, charms made of silver also became popular.
Cloisonne is an ancient method of creating colorful designs on metal objects. Small silver or gold wires are soldered onto a metal object and the areas within the wire design are filled with enamel after which the object is fired in a kiln.
The technique began to appear in China during the fourteenth or fifteenth century and the earliest reliably dated Chinese cloisonne objects date to the early Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).
Chinese cloisonne charm displaying the Eight Buddhist Treasure Symbols and inscribed “nan wu a mi tuo fo”.
The Chinese inscription is written in large red enamel characters with gold wire outline. The inscription is read in a counter-clockwise manner, starting at the 8 o’clock position, as nan wu a mi tuo fo (南無阿彌陀佛) which translates as “I put my trust in Amida Buddha“.
Between the Chinese characters are various colored lotus blossoms. The colors have different associations.
A white lotus represents the womb of the world from which all things emerged. It also symbolizes the state of total mental purity and spiritual perfection.
The white lotus is also associated with the Ming Dynasty. Zhu Yuanzhang (朱元璋), a military leader of the White Lotus Society (白蓮教), led a rebellion that resulted in the establishment of the Ming Dynasty in 1368 with himself enthroned as the Hongwu Emperor (洪武帝).
A pink lotus represents the Gautama Buddha, the historical Buddha.
A red lotus represents the original nature of the heart and symbolizes love, compassion and passion.
A blue lotus symbolizes wisdom, knowledge and victory of the spirit over the senses.
Chinese cloisonne charm displaying the Eight Buddhist Treasure Symbols and inscribed “Made during the reign of Wanli”.
The Chinese inscription in large red enamel characters with gold wire outline on the reverse side of the charm is also read in a counter-clockwise manner.
The inscription, beginning at the 1 o’clock position, reads wan li nian zhi (萬歷年制) which translates as “Made during the (reign) of Wan Li”.
The Wanli Emperor (万历) was the thirteenth emperor of the Ming Dynasty and reigned during the period 1572-1620.
The Wanli Emperor was a strong patron of Buddhism.
Interspersed between the Chinese characters are the Eight Buddhist Treasure Symbols (八吉祥, 佛教八宝) also known as the Eight Auspicious Symbols.
Beginning at the 12 o’clock position and moving clockwise, is the ceremonial umbrella or parasol (阳伞). The parasol symbolizes high rank. People of high rank or royalty were protected from rain and sunshine by servants holding a parasol. In Buddhism, this symbol of wealth and power takes on the meaning of spiritual power.
The conch shell (螺, 白海螺), at the 1 o’clock position, is used to call Buddhists together for an assembly. The conch shell therefore symbolizes the true teachings and also the voice of the Buddha.
The wheel or flaming wheel (法輪), at the 3 o’clock position, represents the Wheel of Law or dharma which is the teachings of the Buddha. The eight spokes symbolize the Eightfold path. The perfect circular form represents the completeness and perfection of the Buddha’s teachings. The wheel also represents the unbroken chain of births and rebirths.
The endless knot (吉祥结, 无尽结), at the 5 o’clock position, represents long life, eternal love and the interconnection of all things. The endless knot has no beginning or end and therefore symbolizes the infinite knowledge of the Buddha.
The pair of fish (双鱼; golden fish 两只金鱼), at the 6 o’clock position, symbolize fertility and salvation from suffering.
The treasure vase (Urn of Wisdom 宝瓶), at the 8 o’clock position, symbolizes spiritual abundance and the fulfilment of spiritual wishes.
The lotus (莲花), at the 9 o’clock position, represents mental purity. Just like the lotus flower that rises up from the depths of a muddy pond to blossom above the water’s surface, all sentient beings have the potential to attain buddhahood.
The victory banner (state canopy 胜利幢), at the 11 o’clock position, represents spiritual authority, victory over ignorance and evil, and the protection of the Buddha.
Cloisonne only began to appear in China during the Ming Dynasty. Cloisonne charms dating from that period are very rare.
For more information and examples of Chinese Buddhist charms, please see Buddhist Charms.
Beginning with the Song Dynasty (960-1279) and extending to the last years of imperial China, government seals were engraved in a very stylized Chinese script known as “nine-fold” seal script.
This rounded and convoluted script is both ornate and authoritarian but can be difficult to read by the uninitiated.
A few very rare coins cast during the Song Dynasty had their inscriptions written in nine-fold seal script ( jiu die wen 九叠文).
Ming Dynasty charm with inscription “happiness, longevity, health and composure” written in nine-fold seal script
Shown at the left is a rare Chinese charm dating from the end of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) which has its inscription written in nine-fold seal script.
According to scholars who can read this script, the inscription on the obverse side is fu shou kang ning (福寿康宁) which translates as “happiness, longevity, health and composure”.
This is a reference to the “Five Blessings” (wufu 五福), which was first mentioned in the ancient Chinese classic known as the “Book of History” (shujing 书经).
Reverse side of charm has inscription “one hundred happinesses and one hundred longevities” written in nine-fold seal script
The inscription on the reverse side is also written in nine-fold seal script and, according to scholars, reads as bai fu bai shou (百福百寿). This is an auspicious wish meaning “one hundred happinesses and one hundred longevities”.
While the charm shows some wear after having been handled and handed down for some 500 years, the bronze has adopted a beautiful tone and the nine-fold seal script has a wonderful appearance.
In addition to its wish for happiness, long life and good health, this charm is a work of art.
A bat on a Chinese cash coin means “happiness is before your eyes”
The old Chinese charm displayed at the left is a good example.
The charm shows a bat on top of two coins.
Coins with the inscription wu zhu (五铢) were first used during the Han Dynasty (206 BC – 220 AD) and then produced during a number of dynasties until the beginning of the Tang Dynasty (618 – 907 AD).
Wu Zhu coins were thus cast for more than 700 years which made them the longest used coin in Chinese history.
For this reason, the two coins symbolize both “wealth” and “longevity”.
But to understand the deeper meaning of the charm, one must be familiar with a few simple numismatic terms.
First, the word for “coin” in Chinese is qian (钱) which happens to have the same pronunciation as the word “before” (qian 前).
Second, the square hole in the center of a cash coin is called a “yan” (眼) which means “eye”.
You will notice that the bat is on the coin’s square hole.
We can therefore say that “the bat is on the coin’s eye”. In Chinese this would be “the bat (fu 蝠) lies (zai 在) on the eye (yan 眼) of the coin (qian 钱)” or fu zai yan qian.
However, a bat symbolizes “happiness” to the Chinese because the Chinese word for “bat” (fu 蝠) sounds exactly the same as the Chinese word for “happiness” or “good fortune” (fu 福).
Therefore, saying “the bat is on the coin’s eye” (fu zai yan qian) sounds exactly the same as saying “happiness is before your eyes” (happiness (fu 福) is (zai 在) eyes (yan 眼) before (qian 眼).
The design of the charm cleverly includes a visual pun which conveys the auspicious wish fu zai yan qian meaning “happiness is before your eyes”.
One final note of interest concerning this charm. If you hang it vertically, which is the way it would normally be carried, the shape resembles a gourd which to the Chinese has a multitude of hidden meanings which I discuss in detail at Ancient Chinese Gourd Charms.
The Shui (Sui) are descendants of the ancient Baiyue (百越) who lived in the area of southern China and northern Vietnam beginning in the first millennium BC.
“Shui” (水) actually means “water”. The Shui people tend to live near rivers and streams and much of their customs and folklore revolves around water.
They are primarily engaged in rice farming but fish also play an important role in their diet and lives.
The ancient ‘Shui Shu” pictographic script resembles the symbols used on oracle bones
While they now use Chinese as their written language, they have a rich cultural heritage that includes an ancient written language known as “Shui Shu” (水书) or “Shui Scripts”.
Shui Shu uses pictographs which are similar to the characters (jiaguwen 甲骨文) found on the ancient oracle bones from the Shang Dynasty and the characters (jinwen 金文) on ancient ritual bronzes from the Shang and Zhou dynasties.
The obverse and reverse sides of the coin, which are almost identical, are shown at the bottom with rubbings at the top.
According to Mr. Pan Chaolin (潘朝霖), who is a researcher at the Guizhou University for Nationalities (贵州民族学院), the inscription written in Chinese characters at the left and right of the square hole reads da zhong (大中).
“Da zhong” refers to one of the reign titles of Emperor Zhen Zong (998-1022 AD) of the Northern Song Dynasty. The dazhong xiangfu (大中祥符) era was the period 1008-1016 AD.
What is particularly interesting, however, are the other symbols on the coin.
Above the square hole in the rubbing on the left, a man can be seen with his arm extended backwards leading an ox.
In the rubbing on the right, a man can be seen above the square hole pulling a “rake” (ba 耙) which is an ancient type of plough.
In Shui Shu, according to Mr. Pan, a symbol resembling the head of the water ox represents wealth.
Similarly, the symbol of the “rake” (耙) also represents wealth because it was an important agricultural tool.
Therefore, using the ox and plough on the coin clearly symbolize wealth according to Mr. Pan.
The coins of the Shui are clearly distinctive from those of the Han Chinese and this is the case for their charms as well.
This rare charm displays the 12 animals of the Chinese Zodiac with the 12 Earthly Branches written in Shui Script
However, this particular Shui version of the charm is the only specimen known to exist.
As seen here, the 12 animals of the Chinese zodiac are shown near the outer rim.
While Chinese versions of the charm have the names of the Twelve Earthly Branches (十二地支) written in Chinese characters around the center hole, you will notice that the names on this charm are written in Shui Shu.
The obverse side of the Shui charm shows a male dragon and a female dragon
The obverse side of the charm displays two dragons.
The story being told is of a fish transforming into a dragon.
As already mentioned, the fish is an important part of the lives and cultural heritage of the Shui.
Like the ox and rake, fish represent prosperity and also symbolize the ancestors of the Shui people.
(In Chinese myth, a carp leaping over the Dragon Gate becomes a dragon.)
If you look carefully, you will see a fish near the outer rim at about the 10 o’clock position.
At the 5 o’clock position near the rim can be seen a pearl.
The two dragon design is frequently seen on old Chinese charms. However, there is a major difference in the way the dragons on this charm are illustrated in comparison with those found on Chinese charms.
Unlike Chinese charms, there is clearly one male and one female dragon on this Shui charm.
The dragon at the upper right is the female.
The dragon which is upside down at the lower left is the male. The tail of the male dragon makes a curve towards the outside rim at about the 9 o’clock position. Just before the tail hooks towards the outside rim, you will observe that there is an appendage that extends towards the inner hole.
This “appendage” is the male genitals (生殖器).
The female dragon, of course, lacks this feature.
Incidentally, this type of dragon is colloquially known as a “cock dragon” (鸡巴龙) because the shape of the head is similar to that of a chicken.
Curiously enough, this depiction of the male dragon is not unique to the Shui but is also found on charms from other ethnic minority groups from the same geographic area.
An old ‘double dragon’ charm from the Qiannan area of Guizhou Province
In this view, the male dragon is on the right and the female is upside down on the left. The pearl is at the top of the charm and the fish is at the bottom.
As is the case with the Shui charm, the genitals of the male dragon can be seen just below the round hole.
Depicting both male and female dragons is an important difference between the Shui and Chinese charms.
However, another major difference has to do with the area surrounding the dragons.
On the Shui charm this background area is filled with small protruding “dots”.
This characteristic is similar to the design found on ancient Chinese bronzes. Archaeologists refer to these “dots” as “nipples” (乳丁) because of the similarity to the nipple of the female breast.
The “stars” in the heavens are in high relief
When the charm is viewed at an angle, as shown at the left, it can be clearly seen that the “nipples” are in high relief.
(The difference between the male and female dragons is also more obvious in this view.)
Even the charm from the neighboring Qiannan area does not have this star background.
Such an immense star-studded field is appropriate for the theme of this charm.
Once a fish transforms itself into a dragon, it has the ability to “mount the clouds and ride the mists” (腾云驾雾) and “call for the wind and rain” (呼风唤雨).
The dragon reigns supreme among all the spirits. But because the transformation begins with the fish, the fish is also considered to be a spirit.
Even today there are areas of China where the local people are afraid of provoking fish, and would never fry one in a wok, because they consider fish to be spirits.
This coin and charm are rare treasures that provide insight into the very ancient cultural heritage of the Shui people.
Old Chinese charm with inscription “May your happiness be according to your wishes”
The Chinese love visual puns.
The old charm displayed at the left recently appeared in a Chinese coin forum.
Although the quality of the images may not be the best, the symbols on the reverse side of the charm are a good example of a visual pun also known as a rebus.
The inscription on the obverse side is ji qing ru yi (吉慶如意) which translates as “may your happiness be according to your wishes” or, alternatively, “may you achieve a rank according to your wishes”.
Reverse side of charm displaying a halberd, stone chime and sceptre
The reverse side of the charm presents a visual puzzle consisting of three objects.
The stone pieces were of different sizes and produced different pitched sounds when struck with a mallet.
These chime stones were frequently made of jade and therefore also symbolize wealth and riches.
Below the square hole is a sceptre which in ancient times represented power and authority. In Chinese, this sceptre is known as a ruyi (如意).
The visual pun is thus complete because the three objects displayed on the reverse side of the charm read ji qing ruyi (戟磬如意). This sounds exactly the same as the ji qing ruyi (吉慶如意) inscription on the obverse side even though the Chinese characters are different.
This charm dates from the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) and cleverly illustrates the Chinese fondness for auspicious visual puns.
Additional information on charms with this theme may be found here.
Chinese charms very often resemble Chinese coins. A number of old Chinese charms are modeled after a coin issued during the reign of Emperor Taizong (太宗 939-997 AD) of the Northern Song Dynasty. The inscription on the coin was taiping tongbao (太平通宝) which translates as “Currency of the Great Peace”.
Tai Ping Tong Bao charm from Qing Dynasty
At the left is a very interesting example of a Chinese charm cast during the Qing Dynasty (清朝 1644-1911 AD) which has the same inscription taiping tongbao.
There is also a second inscription on this charm. The two Chinese characters at the left and right rim are jixiang (吉祥) which means “good fortune”. On the reverse side of the charm are the two Chinese characters ruyi (如意), located at the top and bottom rim, which translate as “as you wish”.
These four characters thus comprise the popular expression jixiang ruyi meaning “good fortune according to your wishes”.
If you look closely, you will notice that this charm has a “double rim” (重轮) because in addition to the broad outer rim there is also a thin circular rim surrounding the four character inscription. This is very unusual for a charm.
It is even more unusual for a charm to have an inscription in a recessed area of the rim, as this one does.
It is even rare for a Chinese coin to display an inscription in a recessed area of the rim.
Very rare Qing Dynasty coin with inscription on rim
An example is the large coin displayed at the left.
This is a very raredenomination “One Hundred Cash” (一百) coin cast at the mint in Fuzhou (福州), Fujian Province (福建省) during the reign of the Xianfeng Emperor (1851-1861) of the Qing Dynasty. In recessed areas of the rim on the reverse side of this xianfeng zhongbao (咸豐重寶) coin are the Chinese characters wu liang ji zhong (五兩計重) which translates as “5 liang calculated weight”.
The taiping tongbao charm displays several auspicious symbols on its obverse side.
If you look at the top rim you will see symbols which resemble the number “8” and represent gourds. The gourd is believed to ward off evil spirits and disease.
At the bottom rim are two Chinese cash coins (circles with a square hole in the middle) which symbolize wealth and prosperity.
Reverse side of Tai Ping Tong Bao Charm
The reverse side of the charm, shown here at the left, includes additional inscriptions and a number of auspicious symbols.
Written vertically at the right of the square hole are the Chinese characters quxie (驱邪). At the left of the square hole are the characters qiansha (遣煞). The inscription quxie qiansha (驱邪遣煞) translates as “expel and strike dead evil influences”.
Just above the hole are two crossed swords with tassels which symbolizes “victory over evil”.
At the lower right and lower left corners of the square hole are two “bats”. The bat (fu 蝠)is a visual pun or rebus for “good fortune” or “happiness”.
Below the hole are two Chinese characters. At the right is the character dang (當) and to its left is a swastika (卍).
The Chinese “swastika” (卍) is an ancient religious and charm symbol that over the course of two millinnea has variously been interpreted to represent the sun, fire, the light emanating from the Buddha, etc.
The 卍 symbol also represents the number “ten thousand” (wan 萬). The two character inscription (dang wan 當卍) thus translates as “Value Ten Thousand” which means the denomination of this charm “coin” is equivalent to ten thousand cash coins. Quite a fortune, indeed!
Finally, along the right and left rims are very stylized dragons.
This is an extraordinary charm from the late imperial period that displays a variety of good luck symbols and inscriptions while incorporating features rarely found even on officially cast coins.
Many old Chinese charms were modeled after a well-known ancient Chinese coin. This coin’s calligraphy was simple yet elegant and the inscription expressed the primal foundation of the universe according to ancient Chinese philosophy.
The coin was the wu xing da bu (“Large Coin of the Five Elements” 五行大布) which was cast during the reign of Emperor Wu of the Northern Zhou Dynasty (557-581 AD).
The “five elements” (wu xing 五行) refer to the five fundamental elements of metal (金), wood (木), water (水), fire (火), and earth (土).
The charm at the left, which recently appeared on a Chinese coin forum, is a fairly rare and beautiful example of a charm modeled after this coin.
The obverse side has the same inscription and looks like the coin.
The only difference is that the coin has a square hole in the center while the charm has a round hole.
The reverse side of the coin is plain with no symbols.
The reverse side of the charm, however, has both a Chinese inscription as well as other symbols.
At the bottom of the charm is a tiger and at the top is an “auspicious cloud“.
The inscription is read right to left as yin shi (寅时) which can translate as the “tiger hour”.
While we are accustomed to dividing the day into 24 one-hour segments, the ancient Chinese divided the day into 12 two-hour segments know as shichen (时辰). Each shichen was named after one of the “Twelve Earthly Branches” (地支).
The third “Chinese hour” or shichen, which would be 3:00 AM to 4:59 AM, was named yin shi (寅时) after the third of the Twelve Earthly Branches. Each Earthly Branch is associated with one of the 12 animals of the Chinese zodiac and the third animal in the series is the tiger.
The Chinese believed that the period 3:00 AM – 4:59 AM was the time the tiger liked to hunt.
But the tiger was perceived to be a symbol of protection as opposed to a source of danger.
As to why the tiger is the third in the traditional ordinal system known as the Earthly Branches, there appears to be two explanations.
The first explanation is that the order of the 12 animals was determined by an usual system based on the number of toes/hooves/claws each animal had and then alternating between even and odd numbers. For example, the first animal is the rat because of its unique feature of having an even number of toes on its front legs (4) and an odd number on its rear legs (5).
The second animal in the sequence is the ox because it has an even number of toes (4).
The third animal is the tiger because it has an odd number of claws (5). (Truth be told, the tiger actually has five claws on the front foot and four on the rear.)
The remaining 4th through 12th even-odd alternating sequence continued with the rabbit (4), dragon (5), snake (0 which was considered “even”), horse (1), sheep (4), monkey (5), rooster (4), dog (5), and boar (4).
An alternative explanation is based on an ancient folk story in which the Jade Emperor determined the order of the animals of the zodiac according to how they finished a “race”.
These “tiger hour” charms offering protection and good luck are very old and can be dated back to about the same time period (557-581 AD) as the “Large Coin of the Five Elements”.
A nomadic people known as the Khitan (Qidan 契丹) ruled China as the Liao Dynasty (辽朝) during the period 916-1125 AD.
Charms from the Liao Dynasty are fairly rare and those with inscriptions can be difficult to decipher because the Qidan script is not well understood.
Liao Dynasty charms lacking inscriptions are also a challenge to understand because the Qidan and the Chinese may have interpreted symbols differently.
One of the best known of the Liao Dynasty charms is generally referred to by the Chinese as a “Mother of Nine Sons” (yi mu jiu zi 一母九子) charm. This charm has no inscription and relies solely on symbols to convey its meaning. Both bronze and iron versions of the charm exist.
A very well-cast specimen of the charm is displayed at the left.
Chinese charm collectors have traditionally interpreted the figure above the square hole as being a mother riding a dragon.
The charm also displays three groups of three people. They are believed to represent her nine children.
The reverse side of the charm has the twelve animals of the Chinese Zodiac (十二生肖).
For example, an article published in the 2002.1 issue of the journal of the Inner Mongolia Numismatic Society (内蒙古金融研究) proposes that the charm’s theme is “nine sons become officials” (jiu zi sheng guan 九子升官).
Another interpretation is found in a Chinese reference book on Liao, Xixia, Jin and Yuan Dynasty charms (辽西夏金元四朝货币图录精选) which argues that the person riding the dragon is not a mother but rather a son-in-law of a high rank.
This interpretation is based on a Chinese idiom which translates as the “dragon-riding son-in-law” (乘龙快婿). According to a legend dating to the Spring and Autumn Period (771-476 BC), Princess Nongyu (弄玉), who was the daughter of Duke Mu of Qin (秦穆公), was so fond of playing the flute that she was only willing to marry a man with an equal love for the instrument. She eventually found such a man and their flute-playing prowess resulted in the two of them flying to the heavens with him riding a dragon and her riding a phoenix.
Based on this legend, every traditional Chinese family with a daughter wished for a son-in-law who would be talented enough to pass the imperial exams which would guarantee a life of honor and wealth as a high government official. This is the meaning of a “dragon-riding son-in-law”.
Those that accept this as the theme of the charm then interpret the three groups of three people as representing success at the three levels of the imperial examination system.
A completely different interpretation of the charm is proposed by Mr. Pei Yuan Bo (裴元博) in an article published in the 2004.3 issue of “Inner Mongolia Financial Research” (内蒙古金融研究).
Mr. Pei argues that to understand the true meaning of the charm one must first be familiar with a mythical story concerning Huangdi (黄帝), the “Yellow Emperor“, who returned to the Heavens by riding a dragon.
Mr. Pei explains that Huangdi (2696-2598 BC) was the son of the “Celestial Ruler Supreme God” (Tiandi 天帝). The father decided to send his son to Earth to be a tribal leader “to temper him through hardships and tribulations”.
While on the Earth, Huangdi battled the Yan Emperor (Yandi 炎帝). He invented clothing, carts and boats. Chinese characters were invented during his reign. He did much to improve the lives of the common people. He gained the support of the various tribes and became the chief of the tribal union.
Tiandi was so satisfied with his son’s achievements that he sent a dragon to bring Huangdi back to the Heavenly Palace to succeed him on the throne as the central deity.
Mr. Pei interprets the three groups of three persons as representing the “Nine Provinces” (jiuzhou 九州), a poetic name for China, celebrating Huangdi’s ascension as the king of the heavens.
With this as a background, Mr. Pei proposes why this Liao Dynasty charm was created.
When the Liao Dynasty was established in 907 AD, Emperor Taizu (yelu a bao ji 耶律啊保機; Great Khan Abaoji 907-926 AD) was regarded by the Khitan people as the son of Tiandi, the “Celestial Ruler Supreme God”. Emperor Taizu’s ascension to the throne was thus seen to be the same as when Huangdi ascended to the heavens to become the central deity several millenia earlier.
The three groups of three persons each represent the “Nine Provinces” celebrating Emperor Taizu’s ascension.
In the group to the left of the square hole, one person is playing the flute while another is beating a drum. The group to the right of the hole appears to be dancing and gazing at the sky. One member of the group below the hole seems to be pointing upwards while speaking to the others.
The overall scene evokes a feeling of joy and celebration.
Twelve Animals of the Chinese Zodiac
As mentioned earlier, the reverse side of the charm displays the 12 animals of the Chinese Zodiac (十二生肖) which, according to Mr. Pei, is a metaphor for “all the people” since everyone has to be born under the sign of one of the animals.
Moreover, the animals are all revolving around the “center” (the square hole) which represents the “central authority” whom they all must serve.
Mr. Pei summarizes that the charm was created to show Emperor Taizu ascending to the throne by riding a dragon in a manner similar to that of the “Yellow Emperor”. The people, represented by the nine individuals (“Nine Provinces”), are expressing their joy and acknowledging his authority (Zodiac animals revolving around the center).
Mr. Pei thus concludes that the theme of the charm should be the “prince rides the dragon” (tianzi cheng long 天子乘龙) instead of the “mother of nine sons”.
As a final note, it is not surprising that a Qidan charm might claim some connection to ancient Chinese culture.
Emperor Taizu adopted certain reforms from the Chinese which tended to move Qidan society towards cultural assimilation with the Chinese. Also, the Liao Dynasty was founded just as the great Tang Dynasty was collapsing and it was quite common for non-Chinese rulers to claim ancestry to the Yellow Emperor to enhance their prestige and status.
Since ancient times, there have been stories of a magical “treasure bowl” (ju bao pen 聚宝盆) that can create unlimited riches, and sometimes great sorrow, for its owner.
While the actual treasure bowl remains to be found, its image has became a popular symbol of good fortune.
At the left is an old Chinese “hanging” charm with the inscription ping an ji qing (平安吉慶) which is a simple wish for “peace and happiness”.
The Chinese characters are beautifully written and stand out prominently against the dark patina of an unadorned field.
Adding to the “charm” of this piece is the loop at the top. The loop is actually a dragon. The dragon’s head, at the bottom of the loop, is looking back at its two hind legs and tail.
A “treasure bowl” filled with riches is displayed on the reverse side of the charm. These valuables are members of the “Eight Treasures” (八宝).
In the very middle of the bowl is a round “flaming pearl” (火珠) with its flames extending upwards to the top of the rim. The pearl is an ancient symbol of riches but also has the power to grant wishes and is a metaphor for perfection and enlightenment. Chinese dragons are often depicted as “playing” with a flaming pearl.
To the right and left of the pearl are two smaller round objects, with a square hole in the center, which represent traditional Chinese gold coins (金钱).
Directly under each gold coin is a comma-shaped object representing a silver ingot (银锭). Silver ingots were used as money particularly during the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368).
On the side of each gold coin is a branch-like object which is coral (珊瑚). Coral symbolizes longevity, and red coral is considered especially auspicious.
The two objects sticking out of the treasure bowl at the 3 o’clock and 9 o’clock positions are rhinoceros horns. The rhinoceros horn (犀角) is a visual pun or rebus for “happiness” (喜) because both words share the same pronunciation xi. A pair of rhino horns represents “double happiness” which is a traditional Chinese symbol for a happy marriage.
At the very bottom of the pile of treasures, and supporting the pearl and silver ingots, is the lotus. The Chinese word for lotus (lian hua 莲花) has the same pronunciation as the word “continuous” (lian 连). The hidden or implied meaning is that the treasures will continue to be produced endlessly.
The treasure bowl itself is decorated with a string of seven “dots” which symbolize the seven-star “Big Dipper” constellation (北斗星).
There are a number of stories associated with the Chinese treasure bowl (“wealth pot”, “basin of treasures”) which is usually portrayed as having the magical power to multiply whatever is placed inside of it. Put a grain of rice in and the bowl will be filled with rice. Place a gold coin in and the bowl will suddenly be filled with gold coins.
One of the best known stories is of a fisherman named Shen Wan San (沈万三) who lived during the late Yuan and early Ming dynasties. One day he saw a person who had caught a large number of frogs to eat. Shen Wan San felt sorry for the frogs. So he bought them and released them into a nearby pond.
That night he was awakened by the loud croaking of the frogs. He went to investigate and discovered a clay pot in the midst of the frogs.
Shen Wan San took the pot home. By chance, his wife accidentally dropped a silver object into the pot and immediately the pot was filled with silver.
As it turned out, the pot was really a “treasure basin” which allowed Shen Wan San to become one of the richest men in Chinese history.
But great wealth can also be a curse.
When the first emperor of the Ming Dynasty, the Hongwu Emperor (洪武帝; Emperor Taizu 明太祖), began to build his capital at Nanjing in 1366, he “requested” Shen Wan San to donate a third of the cost.
The newly constructed South Gate was named the “Gate of Gathering Treasure” (Ju bao Men 聚宝门). The gate was so named because the emperor ordered that Shen Wan San’s treasure bowl be seized and buried underneath the gate to rectify a flooding problem that was causing it to collapse.
It is believed that the emperor also wanted to demonstrate that no person would be permitted to challenge the empire in regard to wealth.
The “Gate of Gathering Treasure” was subsequently renamed the “Zhonghua Gate” (中华门) in 1931 to commemorate the Revolution of 1911 (辛亥革命) and the founding of the Republic of China (Zhonghua Minguo 中华民国).
This story is unusual in that it involves real historical figures and an actual historical site, thus giving some credence to the existence of a “treasure bowl”.
Many of the other “treasure bowl” stories have a stronger moral content. Honest and modest people are able to enjoy the bounties of the treasure bowl. Dishonest and greedy people end up suffering.
The stories of the Chinese “treasure bowl” have much in common with the Chinese legend of a “money tree” from which coins fall down when shaken. For a further discussion, please visit “Chinese Money Trees” (摇钱树).
