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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;manymore, post: 1163110, member: 17118&quot;]It is a <a href="http://primaltrek.com/daoist.html" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://primaltrek.com/daoist.html" rel="nofollow">Daoist (Taoist) charm</a> and actually has nothing to do with emperors, generals or governors.</p><p><br /></p><p>The bottom image shows on the right an &quot;immortal&quot; (&quot;halo&quot; circle around head) sitting under a <a href="http://primaltrek.com/impliedmeaning.html#pine" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://primaltrek.com/impliedmeaning.html#pine" rel="nofollow">pine</a> tree.&nbsp; In the sky is a <a href="http://primaltrek.com/impliedmeaning.html#moon" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://primaltrek.com/impliedmeaning.html#moon" rel="nofollow">moon</a> (circle beneath the hole) surrounded by clouds.</p><p><br /></p><p>Immediately to the left of the &quot;immortal&quot; is a four-legged incense burner or cauldron on a stand.</p><p><br /></p><p>To the left of the incense burner is a <a href="http://primaltrek.com/impliedmeaning.html#crane" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://primaltrek.com/impliedmeaning.html#crane" rel="nofollow">crane</a> with an open mouth.&nbsp; At the extreme left corner is a <a href="http://primaltrek.com/impliedmeaning.html#tortoise" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://primaltrek.com/impliedmeaning.html#tortoise" rel="nofollow">tortoise</a>.</p><p><br /></p><p>At the very bottom of the charm are leaves on a peach branch with a <a href="http://primaltrek.com/impliedmeaning.html#peach" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://primaltrek.com/impliedmeaning.html#peach" rel="nofollow">peach</a> at the very center.</p><p><br /></p><p>The symbols on this charm are all associated with &quot;longevity&quot;.&nbsp; The immortal, of course, is one who lives forever.&nbsp; The crane, tortoise, peach and pine tree are all symbols of longevity.</p><p><br /></p><p>The cauldron or incense burner alludes to the Daoist quest to find the &quot;elixir of immortality&quot;.&nbsp; The &quot;moon&quot; is related to the story of the <a href="http://primaltrek.com/auspicious.html#moon_hare" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://primaltrek.com/auspicious.html#moon_hare" rel="nofollow">&quot;Moon Hare&quot; (&quot;Jade Rabbit&quot;)</a> who pounds leaves of the cassia (cinnamon) tree with mortar and pestle in an attempt to make the &quot;pill of immortality&quot;.&nbsp; The <a href="http://primaltrek.com/gourd.html#alchemy" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://primaltrek.com/gourd.html#alchemy" rel="nofollow">Daoists believed in alchemy</a> and the incense burner or cauldron symbolizes their attempt to make the &quot;elixir of immortality&quot; from cinnabar.</p><p><br /></p><p>The &quot;peach&quot; is the food of the immortals.&nbsp; It is associated with the <a href="http://primaltrek.com/peach.html#peach_and_longevity" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://primaltrek.com/peach.html#peach_and_longevity" rel="nofollow">Queen Mother of the West</a> who had a peach orchard.&nbsp; Eating one of these peaches would allow a person to live 3,000 years.</p><p><br /></p><p>The reverse side (top image) of the charm has a large character written in what is known as <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 &quot;magic writing&quot; or &quot;magic script&quot;</a>.&nbsp; Unfortunately, with the possible exception of Daoist priests, the meaning of these characters remain unknown.</p><p><br /></p><p>However, this particular character is very similar to one on a Daoist charm of mine.&nbsp; Compare the character on your charm with <a href="http://primaltrek.com/daoist.html#fu_shou_yan_chang" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://primaltrek.com/daoist.html#fu_shou_yan_chang" rel="nofollow">the character at the left of the round hole on mine</a>.&nbsp; While the exact meaning of the character on my charm is unknown, it happens to be paired together with the Chinese character &quot;<i>chang</i>&quot; which means &quot;long&quot;.&nbsp; Again, it is unknown if this pairing has any relationship or not.</p><p><br /></p><p>Daoist charms of this type first appeared during the Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD) so the note accompanying your charm indicating &quot;about 1300 AD&quot; <u>could</u> be correct.&nbsp; However, later reproductions of these charms also exist.</p><p><br /></p><p>Gary[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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