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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;manymore, post: 1721124, member: 17118&quot;]Both are Chinese charms.</p><p><br /></p><p>The first is a <a href="http://primaltrek.com/boycharm.html" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://primaltrek.com/boycharm.html" rel="nofollow">&quot;Chinese boy&quot; charm</a>.</p><p><br /></p><p>The lower portion of your charm is different from mine, however.</p><p><br /></p><p>The obverse side of your charm displays the <a href="http://primaltrek.com/bagua.html#trigrams" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://primaltrek.com/bagua.html#trigrams" rel="nofollow">eight trigrams</a>.&nbsp; A charm displaying the eight trigrams may be seen <a href="http://primaltrek.com/bagua.html#trigrams_named" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://primaltrek.com/bagua.html#trigrams_named" rel="nofollow">here</a>.</p><p><br /></p><p>As best I can tell from the image, the reverse side of your charm has a <a href="http://primaltrek.com/daoist.html" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://primaltrek.com/daoist.html" rel="nofollow">Daoist</a> theme.&nbsp; The inscription is written in <a href="http://primaltrek.com/daoist.html#daoist_magic_writing" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://primaltrek.com/daoist.html#daoist_magic_writing" rel="nofollow">Daoist magic writing</a> and is probably the same as <a href="http://primaltrek.com/daoist.html#examples_of_Daoist_charms" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://primaltrek.com/daoist.html#examples_of_Daoist_charms" rel="nofollow">this example</a> although it is difficult for me to be certain. Please compare your charm with the example to see if this is correct.</p><p><br /></p><p>The second charm is a <a href="http://primaltrek.com/gourd.html" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://primaltrek.com/gourd.html" rel="nofollow">gourd charm</a> which is similar in shape to <a href="http://primaltrek.com/gourd.html#small_gourd_charm" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://primaltrek.com/gourd.html#small_gourd_charm" rel="nofollow">this one</a>.</p><p><br /></p><p>The Chinese inscription at the top is <i>chang ming fu gui</i> (長命富貴) which translates as &quot;longevity, wealth and honor&quot;.</p><p><br /></p><p>I cannot make out the lower portion but I think it is the same Daoist inscription as on the reverse side of your boy charm.</p><p><br /></p><p>The reverse side of the gourd charm has a <a href="http://primaltrek.com/buddhist.html" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://primaltrek.com/buddhist.html" rel="nofollow">Buddhist theme</a>.</p><p><br /></p><p>The inscription at the top is <i>a mi tuo fo</i> (阿弥陀佛) which is the Chinese pronunciation for the Sanskrit name of the Amitabha Buddha.&nbsp; The expression <a href="http://primaltrek.com/buddhist.html#a_mi_tuo_fo" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://primaltrek.com/buddhist.html#a_mi_tuo_fo" rel="nofollow"><i>a mi tuo fo</i></a> has the general meaning of &quot;may Buddha protect&quot;.</p><p><br /></p><p>The lower portion of the gourd charm shows the eight trigrams just like the obverse side of the boy charm.</p><p><br /></p><p>These charms are poorly cast and, while it is difficult to date from images, they do not appear to be particularly &quot;old&quot; by Chinese standards.</p><p><br /></p><p>Gary[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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