[ **up: [[Material culture]]** | [[Social relationships]]** ] --- # Love tokens ## History ### Australia & Europe - [[Crooked coins (Love tokens)]] --- ### China #### Hair > “When people get married, tying a strand of the new couple’s hair together is a meaningful ceremony, meaning they would be connected forever.”[^1] #### Combs & hairpins - “the most ancient, historical token — hairpin/*zan*”[^1] > “Considering the hair’s importance in ancient Chinese culture, the comb is a necessary personal effect and romantic love token.”[^1] > When women turned 15, there would be a [Coming of Age Ceremony](https://www.chinafetching.com/coming-of-age) to put on hairpins, tie their hair up, and claim them as adults who were ready to get married.[^1] - “double stringed hairpin — *Chai.*”[^1] > “When a couple has to separate for a while, the woman usually splits her favorite Chai into two parts, each taking one part as a keepsake. > > They would then put these two parts back together when the couple reunites.”[^1] #### Rings > The circular ring has no starting or ending point, representing endless and eternal love.  > > The ring is a historical love token that is essential to a couple’s engagement gift in tradition. > > Unmarried women didn’t wear it in ancient history. > > Around a thousand years ago, the ring became a gift only sent from a man to a woman.[^1] #### Bracelets > The bracelet was initially used in sacrifice or sorcery in the history of China and later was used as a bond to keep a woman around. > > Gradually, it became a love token to show a couple’s wish to be together permanently.[^1] #### He Bao > He Bao is a pouch that can hang on the wrist or wear on the shoulders, in which people can put small or important things, like a handkerchief, coins, or seals. > > It was initially made of furs, then developed into a fancy fabric with exquisite embroideries.  > > However, the colors and image embroidery of He Bao needed to follow the hierarchy strictly in ancient times.[^1] #### Sichuan pepper > The odor of Sichuan Pepper was once believed could exorcise evil spirits; hence, in the history of China, royals used to mix it inside the coating to paint queen’sen’s walls.  > > Besides, Sichuan Pepper also contains many seeds that have the same pronunciation as kids in the Chinese language. > > Therefore, in Chinese culture, sending a bunch of Sichuan Pepper was an implicit way to express the wish to have children with someone. However, this is no longer used nowadays.[^1] #### Love bean/pea - *See:* [[Love beans]] > The Love Pea originated from a sad love legend in the history of China. > > Thousands of years ago, a woman’s husband was recruited to join the army and protect their country. Years later, other guys from her village came back, except her beloved husband. > > She couldn’t believe that her husband would never return to her again. Since then, she has been leaning on a big tree on a nearby mountain, facing the roadway her husband left, when her tears kept dropping into that tree.  > > Decades later, her tears turned red, and so did beans produced by that tree she leaned on every day. > > These red beans are heart-shaped, bright and firm, glittering and translucent, and would never fade or decompose.  > > Gradually, these red beans officially named the Love Pea, became representative of great love in Chinese culture; many accessories were made of those magical beans.  > > For a long time, at a traditional Chinese wedding, the bride would wear a Love Pea bracelet or necklace on her wedding day, wishing for a happy marriage filled with love and fortune.[^1] [^1]: ‘Love in Chinese Culture — Meaningful Love Tokens Other Than Words’, *China Fetching*, retrieved 16 April 2024, https://www.chinafetching.com/tradition-of-china-love-token.