Item number: X58

Year: AD 1911-1990

Material: Silver

Size: 51.8 x 40.4 x 40 mm

Weight: 31.92 g

Provenance: Private Collector, Taiwan, 2008

This is a silver longevity lock (changmingsuo).

The shackle of this silver lock is linear, while the body exhibits a slight arc. The obverse center features the characters baosuo (protective lock), likely an abbreviation of the common inscription baijia baosuo (hundred-family protective lock). Flanking the text are two goldfish, which may symbolize the idiom jinyu mantang (abundance of gold and jade/wealth and knowledge). The periphery is adorned with trailing vine patterns, potentially representing the proliferation of progeny. The reverse bears no inscription but features patterns similar to those on the obverse.

Metal locks utilizing metallic leaf springs emerged no later than the Eastern Han Dynasty (25 AD–220 AD). At that time, locks remained primarily utilitarian objects akin to door bolts. Concurrently, during the Eastern Han, Ying Shao’s Fengsu Tongyi (Comprehensive Meaning of Customs) recorded that “on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, binding the arms with five-colored silk threads wards off military conflict and specters, preventing pestilence… also known as the longevity thread (changminglü).” Following the proliferation of Buddhism in China, this practice likely integrated with the ancient Indian custom of wearing keyura (necklaces) and kusumamala (flower garlands), evolving into a type of ornament where heavy objects were suspended by silk ribbons. By the Song Dynasty (960 AD–1279 AD), the Luyichuan (Records of Strange Marvels) contained an account: “During the Jian’an period, the wife of Liu Zhao, Governor of Hejian, passed away. The Governor later dreamt of a woman… who bequeathed him a pair of locks. The Governor could not name them, and the woman said: ‘These are weirui (pendulous and lush) locks. Linked by gold threads, their flexion depends on the wearer; they are truly precious objects.'” This perhaps constitutes the earliest record of lock-shaped pendants. By the Ming Dynasty (1368 AD–1644 AD), the novel Jin Ping Mei (The Plum in the Golden Vase) described Ximen Qing receiving “a set of silver neckbands and bracelets inscribed with ‘Abundance of gold and jade, longevity and wealth'” for his son’s birthday. By the Qing Dynasty (1644 AD–1911 AD), the novel Honglou Meng (Dream of the Red Chamber) already contained descriptions of “wearing a longevity lock around the neck.”

Longevity locks were primarily worn by newlywed women and children, both symbolizing longevity, peace, and the multiplication of descendants, deriving from the concept of “locking” life and auspicious fortune. Locks for new brides were typically part of the dowry and were larger in scale. Among those worn by children, one category is known as the “hundred-family protective lock.” In the traditional customs of certain regions, the celebration of a newborn’s hundredth day is termed “reaching a hundred years,” during which the child partakes in “hundred-family food,” wears “hundred-family clothes,” and dons a “hundred-family lock.” Gold and silver were solicited or exchanged from neighbors, relatives, or mendicants to cast a longevity lock, with the expectation of securing protection from a hundred households. In some regions, the lock was donned at age three during the “Flower Tree Pass” ritual and only removed after the “Great Pass” ritual at age twelve.

物件編號: X58

年代: 公元 1911-1990 年

材料: 銀

尺寸: 51.8 x 40.4 x 40 mm

重量: 31.92 g

來源: 台灣私人收藏 2008

這是一把銀質的長命鎖。

該銀鎖的鎖桿呈一字，鎖體略呈圓弧形。正面中央為「保鎖」二字，應為常見長命鎖文字「百家保鎖」的簡省。兩側各有一條金魚，可能寓意「金玉滿堂」。文字邊緣有一些蔓草紋，可能一同寓意著子孫繁衍。背面無文字，但圖樣類似正面。

最遲至東漢，已經出現以金屬簧片為結構的「鎖」，此時的鎖，大概還是如門閂一般，是日用器物。同樣在東漢，應劭《風俗通義》記下：「五月五日，以五彩絲系臂者，辟兵及鬼，令人不病瘟……一名長命縷」。至佛教漢傳普及後，可能逐漸與古印度佩「瓔珞」、「華鬘」的風俗相結合，成為以絲帶垂墜重物的一種飾物。至宋代，《錄異傳》有載：「建安中，河間太守劉照婦亡，後太守夢見一婦人，往就之，又遺一雙鎖，太守不能名，婦日：『此萎蕤（草木茂盛、枝葉下垂狀）鎖也。以金縷相連，屈伸在人，實珍物』」可能是鎖型佩飾的最早記錄。至明代，《金瓶梅》中描寫，西門慶為其子慶生時，收禮「一付銀項圈條脫，刻著『金玉滿堂，長命富貴』」。至清代，《紅樓夢》已有「項上掛著長命鎖」的描寫了。

配戴長命鎖者，主要以新婚婦人和兒童為主，皆寓意長壽平安與子孫繁衍，取「鎖」著生命與吉運之意。給新婦的長命鎖通常作為陪嫁的財物，形制較大。兒童配戴者有一類又名「百家保鎖」，在一些地區的傳統風俗中，新生兒過百日稱「過百歲」，要吃百家飯、穿百家衣、戴百家鎖。向周鄰、親戚或乞丐募集或換購金銀，所得則購鑄一把長命鎖，期望以此獲得百家護佑。有些地區則於三歲度「花樹關」時配上，至十二歲度「大關」時才取下。