Long-life lock - blessings for kids
Lucky Number in China
Long-life lock - blessings for kids
Unsophisticated love of the Axi people of the Yi ethnic group |
Long-life lock used to be a decoration worn by children as a symbol of luck and auspiciousness. It was made of silver and hanged around the neck. In the past, it was a custom that when children were one month old, relatives and family members gave a lock to him or her as a gift and the lock wouldn't be taken off until the children got married. In the past, many children died because of poor medical and economic conditions. Parents worshipped the god wishing the children not to die. The long-life lock was used as a symbol to keep off the evils. It usually bore some patterns. In the picture, the long-life lock bears the character of being rich. Below the character was a picture of a story in the Three Kingdom period (220-280 A.D.). There are patterns signifying longevity and richness. The patterns are well organized and the figures are taken from stage stories. |
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