October 2nd, 2009 by admin

Over 2,000 years ago, Chinese people began making and using unique silver jewelry. Here are just a few of the items they made:

Silver bracelets

Bracelet styles and silver jewels in ancient China varied a lot. They were crafted with gold, silver, agate, or jade. Some bracelets were carved with lovely patterns like two dragons vying for a ball. Some bracelets were empty inside, and a traditional Chinese character was engraved on their surface: longevity, which meant a long healthy life.

Silver earrings

Earrings first appeared in China about 1,000 years ago. In ancient China, women usually wore earrings with a long pendants sporting round slices, little balls, or a few cones connected together.

Today, sterling silver jewelry and silver earrings are popular not only with Chinese women, but with some ethnic groups. In Hainan Island of southern China, the earrings the local women wear can reach 18 cm in diameter and fall all the way down to their shoulders. Some women wear over 10 earrings linked together at the same time.

Silver ornaments adorned onto the hats

In ancient times, when a child was born, the parents would prepare a new hat adorned with glistening silver flowers to wish the baby a happy life. When an aged women celebrated her birthday, her daughters would prepare her a new hat embellished with some silver pieces like chrysanthemums, birds, and butterflies to pray for a long life for her.

Silver buttons

In ancient China, buttons on a piece of clothing were usually made of cloth or silk. But people believed silver had a super power, so they wore silver buttons to pray for a happy, safe, and prosperous life.

Different designs on a silver button have different meanings: lotus flowers indicate righteousness, fish imply wealth, and peaches symbolize a long and healthy life.

Silverware

Silverware was mainly used by nobles and royal families. The beautiful silverware were highlighted with their various shapes and wonderful technique, including silver incense burners, plates, pots, and bowls.

There’s a lot more you should know about Chinese silver jewelry, especially the Miao unique silver jewelry, so click over to my website!