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BEAUTY OF KOREA |
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394 |
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BEAUTY OF KOREA |
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BEAUTY OF KOREA
Key Charm
Originally a simple device to hold keys, the key charm developed into an ornate work of elaborate craftsmanship. A key charm’s body often featured a kind of commemorative coin, or byeoljeon, which would be inscribed with symbols and characters associated with longevity and good luck. The coin body was adorned with colorful strings decorated with coin ornaments, fancy beads, or knots. The aristocratic class gave out such key charms as wedding gifts, which might be maintained as family heirlooms. Tradition called for including a key charm in a daughter’s dowry for the couple’s good fortune and prosperity.
This key charm was once a wedding gift. It includes a brass coin in the shape of a pear blossom with the Chinese character for “longevity” engraved in the center and a boy’s image on each side. This key charm is rather simple as compared with those that might have several dozen decorative coins. However, the coin’s design and craftsmanship are impressive. Shaped like a pear flower with five petals, a symbol of the Joseon Dynasty, its upper area is etched with the face of Cheoyong, a legendary figure who was said to be capable of fending off demons. People would carry a Cheoyong-face talisman to protect against smallpox. Along the rim, there is a mythical lion-dragon creature (baektaek), which appears in times of peace and prosperity.
The eight lotus fruits signify fecundity. Half gourd dippers in the shape of a peach, which represents marriage, are attached to the lower edge. They are crafted to fit together perfectly so as to symbolize marital bliss. Between the two gourds, there is a brass coin (yeopjeon) attached to a scimitar-shaped device used for cleaning the bowl of a tobacco pipe. The purple and red tassels are decorated with ivory beads. This key charm is part of the collection of the Lock Museum (www.lockmuseum.org), which maintains a variety of ancient Korean locks, latches, and key charms, and also conducts in-depth research on these items.
The ornate coins of key charms are often crafted into the shape of a lucky pouch, rather than a pear blossom, while others are brightly colored. These decorative coins and their unique symbolism reveal much about the culture and customs of earlier times.
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