CHINA: AE charm (22.51g), CCH-1807, 46mm, yi pin dang chao zhuang yuan ji di ([May you be] an official of the first degree at the imperial court and first rank at the examination for the Hanlin Academy) // Kuixing standing at right, wen xing gao zhao (May the Literary Star shine brightly), from old collection with embossed card made by the collector, crack in flan, VF, ex Charles Opitz Collection. This pendant charm displays Kuixing, who is known as the God of Examinations or the Star of Literature. He was believed to have been influential in assisting candidates to pass the imperial civil service examination. He is depicted as an ugly man with short horns. In his right hand he holds a writing brush. The short horns on his head represent "success" by alluding to the analogy of the carp fish jumping over the mythical Dragon Gate and becoming a dragon. Kuixing is shown standing on one leg on the head of a very large fish or a mythical turtle known as the "ao." The ancient Chinese believed that the earth was supported by this very large sea turtle.
