User:Donald Trung/Chinese numismatic charms - Further developments

This page serves as the "editing history" of Chinese numismatic charm, and is preserved for historical value.

Later developments
Most Chinese numismatic charms produced from the start of the Han dynasty until the end of the Northern and Southern dynasties were very similar in appearance to the Chinese cash coins that were in circulation, in fact the only differentiating factor that Chinese charms and amulets had at the time were the symbols on the reverse of these coins. These symbols included tortoises, snakes, double-edges swords, the sun, the moon, stars, depictions of famous people as well as the twelve Chinese zodiacs. The major development and evolution of Chinese numismatic charms and amulets happened during the period that started from the Six Dynasties and lasted until the Mongol Yuan dynasty. It was during this era that Chinese numismatic charms began using inscriptions that wished for "longevity" as well as "happiness", these charms and amulet became extremely common and widespread into Chinese society. Religious charms such as Taoist and Buddhist amulets also began to appear during this period as did marriage coin charms with "Kama Sutra-like" imagery. Chinese numismatic charms were not only made from copper-alloys anymore but also from iron, lead, tin, silver, and gold as well as porcelain, jade, and paper. New scripts and fonts also appeared on Chinese numismatic charms such as regular script, grass script, Seal script, and Taoist "magic writing" script.

Charms with inscriptions such as fú dé cháng shòu (福德長壽) and qiān qiū wàn suì (千秋萬歲) were first cast around the end of the Northern dynasties period and then continued right through the Khitan Liao, Jurchen Jin and Mongol Yuan dynasties. During the Tang and Song dynasties open-work charms began to include images of Chinese dragons, Qilin, flowers as well as other plants, fish, deer, insects, Chinese phoenixes, fish, and human beings. The open-work charms from this era in Chinese history were usually used as accessories to clothes, adornment or to decorate horses. The very common Chinese numismatic charm inscription cháng mìng fù guì (長命富貴) was also introduced during the Tang and Song dynasties while the reverse side of these charms and amulets started showing Taoist imagery such as yin-yang symbols, the eight trigrams, and the Chinese zodiacs. It was also under the Song dynasty that a large number of Chinese charms and amulets were being cast, especially the number of Horse coins cast was large as horse coins were being used as gambling tokens and board game pieces. Under the reign of the Khitan Liao dynasty fish charms meant to be worn around the waist were introduced. Under the Jurchen Jin dynasty new types of Chinese numismatic charms and amulets emerged due to the influence of the steppe culture and arts of the Jurchen people. The Jin dynasty merged the Jurchen culture with the Chinese way of administration and the charms of the Jin dynasty innovated on the charms and amulets of the Song dynasty which used hidden symbolism, allusions, implied suggestions, and phonetic homonyms to describe a meaning. Under the Jurchens new symbolisms such as a dragon representing the Emperor and a phoenix the Empress emerged, tigers were used to represent the ministers, lions the government as a whole, and cranes and pine trees were used to describe longevity. Homonyms as hidden symbolism such as jujube fruits for "morning or early" and chickens symbolising "being lucky" also emerged under the Jurchens.

Under the Ming and Manchu Qing dynasties the manufacture of amulets with inscriptions that wish for good luck and those that celebrate events increased. These numismatic charms and amulets depict what is called the "three many", this name is used to describe happiness, longevity, and having many children and grandchildren. Other common wishes included those for wealth and receiving a high rank from the imperial examination system. During this period more Chinese numismatic charms and amulets started using implied and hidden meanings with visual puns, this practice was especially expanded upon under the Manchu Qing dynasty.