CHINA: AE charm (17.97g), Semans-345a var., Yu Liuliang-108, 41mm openwork figural type, two people fighting above fish, VF, ex Jürgen M. Wilmes Collection. "Open-work" charms are one of the major types of ancient Chinese charms. They are referred to in Chinese as lou kong qian "hollowed out" money and ling long qian "elegant" money. Chinese open work charms have irregular shaped "openings" between their exquisite design elements. They are round and almost always have a round hole in the center. Openwork charms became very popular and were often worn for personal adornment during the Song, Yuan, and Ming dynasties.The fish, in this case, symbolizes a river where a battle is taking place. The scene is now believed by some experts to represent the war known as the Chu-Han Contention which took place during the years 206 BC to 202 BC between the armies of Chu and Han following the collapse of the Qin Dynasty. Xiang Yu, the Hegemon-King of Western Chu, and Liu Bang, the leader of Han, fought a decisive battle by the Wu River in 202 BC. Xiang Yu was defeated and, rather than returning home in disgrace, committed suicide by cutting his throat near the river. Liu Bang then proceeded to establish himself as Emperor Gaozu, the first emperor of the Han Dynasty. Traditionally, this charm was believed to portray a daily scene of people working with the hope of becoming prosperous.
