Longevity Lock, an Inspiration for Jewelry Design

With a long history, longevity lock is traditional Chinese decoration to represent good wishes since the ancient time. In the war years, the lock worn in front of the bosom of a child had the connotation of protect life of the child from diseases and harm from evils. Lots of people then in the country believed that the wearing of a longevity lock would help the growth of the child by avoiding unpredicted incidences, which is why people name it this way. Today’s longevity lock represents connotation of good wishes from the elders to juniors. Its good implication has become the source of jewelry design in some sense. The France vintage jewelry brand Qeelin launched its Yu Yi series designed by Chinese in 2004, which was inspired by the lock. Since the launch of the first Wulu series, Qeelin has kept drawing its inspiration from the traditional Chinese culture. The Yu Yu series is then the evidence.In the Ming and Qing dynasty in China, the necklace that minors wear most it then the lock, which was for decorative purpose as well as for expectation for health and good luck. Prevalence of the lock can date its source back to the longevity silk rope (which made with colorful silk cord) in Han dynasty.From several historical records, every family would hang colorful silk rope on the door on the Dragon Boat Festival to protect the family members from evils in Han dynasty. Until the periods of Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern dynasties, the silk rope was removed to the wrist of women and became a kind of decorative armlet gradually. Both the Dragon Boat Festival and the Summer solstice would be suitable for wearing the item. Due to the frequent wars, plagues famine and diseases, people braid five-color silks into ropes and twisted it around the arms of children and women to pray for elimination of diseases and evil spirits and prolonged life. The colorful rope had many other names at that time.To Song Dynasty, the custom existed continuously. It enjoyed great popularity in both the folk and the Palace; it could even be worn by male as well. When it came to the Dragon Boat Festivals, the emperor would personally reward the silk cord to his courtiers and officials for their convenience of daily wearing. With a relatively complex shape, the braided silk cord in Song dynasty was called “pearl knot” and “colored silk cord”, materials such as silk, colorful cord and pearls had became the main chooses. There were many shops in the street of the major city and commercially available distribution that prosperously specialized in making and selling the decorations. However, the usage of wearing a colored rope changed, which was less used by adults but only to children as a neck ornaments, which was then the later longevity lock.According to old traditions, the silver lock am infant wear cannot be removed until his-her marriage. With convenience to be opened up, a longevity lock can be opened up and a mustered space can be put with some amulets. Some of them would attached with keys to unlock the it while other not; there are still thin silver lock, with several clouds which symbolize good luck carved on it; there are regularly words such as “Chang Ming Bai Sui” (long life for being a one hundred years-old people), “Chang Ming Fu Gui” (which symbolize longevity and honor), “Yu Tang Fu Gui” (Fortune and reputation) in one side, while geely patterns such as “Wu Zi Deng Ke” (being an honored member) would be engraved in the other side. With the requirements of the wear, gold and jade would be inlaid in the silver items as well, which has never been settled down by any exclusive and special principles.