Period:Qing dynasty
Materials:bronze
Technique:cast
Subjects:dragon phoenix
Dimensions:Diameter: 103 millimetres Weight: 222.70 grammes
Description:
Bronze coin-shaped charm. The front has the inscription ‘Zhengde tongbao’; the back features a phoenix and dragon. The dragon and phoenix symbolise man and woman and the combination represents a harmonious union. The inscription is designed to look like a coin inscription ‘Zhengde tongbao’ (circulating treasure of the Zhengde reign), but although there was a Zhengde reign (1505-21) no coins with this inscription were issued. ‘Zhengde’ means ‘irreproachable virtue’, and was one of the nine meritorious attributes (Jiu gong) of a good ruler. The images and inscription indicate this charm was probably associated with a marriage.
IMG
![图片[1]-coin; charm BM-1999-0802.377-China Archive](https://chinaarchive.net/Qin dynasty/Miscellaneous objects/mid_00836184_001.jpg)
![图片[2]-coin; charm BM-1999-0802.377-China Archive](https://chinaarchive.net/Qin dynasty/Miscellaneous objects/mid_00836185_001.jpg)
![图片[3]-coin; charm BM-1999-0802.377-China Archive](https://chinaarchive.net/Qin dynasty/Miscellaneous objects/mid_00972112_001.jpg)
![图片[4]-coin; charm BM-1999-0802.377-China Archive](https://chinaarchive.net/Qin dynasty/Miscellaneous objects/mid_00972113_001.jpg)
Comments:The side featuring the dragon and phoenix was used on a British Museum postcard. For further information, see Francois Thierry, Amulettes de Chine (Paris 2008), p. 19.
Materials:bronze
Technique:cast
Subjects:dragon phoenix
Dimensions:Diameter: 103 millimetres Weight: 222.70 grammes
Description:
Bronze coin-shaped charm. The front has the inscription ‘Zhengde tongbao’; the back features a phoenix and dragon. The dragon and phoenix symbolise man and woman and the combination represents a harmonious union. The inscription is designed to look like a coin inscription ‘Zhengde tongbao’ (circulating treasure of the Zhengde reign), but although there was a Zhengde reign (1505-21) no coins with this inscription were issued. ‘Zhengde’ means ‘irreproachable virtue’, and was one of the nine meritorious attributes (Jiu gong) of a good ruler. The images and inscription indicate this charm was probably associated with a marriage.
IMG
Comments:The side featuring the dragon and phoenix was used on a British Museum postcard. For further information, see Francois Thierry, Amulettes de Chine (Paris 2008), p. 19.
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![[Qing Dynasty] British female painter—Elizabeth Keith, using woodblock prints to record China from the late Qing Dynasty to the early Republic of China—1915-China Archive](https://chinaarchive.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/image-191x300.png)