China - Charms. CHINA: AE charm, CCH-480, Vol. II, 42mm, hong wu tong bao // "boy" riding ox, VF. In this case, the "boy" on the charm is actually Ming Emperor Tai Zu, who ruled as Hong Wu, who had a very humble early life and for a time was a shepherd boy. You will notice that the boy is playing a flute which has the connotation of a carefree life. The flute is an old Daoist (Taoist) symbol which is associated with the Daoist Immortal Lan Caihe. The flute is also an ancient Buddhist symbol used in meditation and is displayed on this charm to allude to the time when Emperor Tai Zu lived in a Buddhist monastery. This type of charm became popular with the Chinese people because it represented the hope that a person could become successful despite being born into a peasant family. This example was likely cast in the late Qing Dynasty or early Min Guo (Republic) period.
