CHINA: AE charm (13.18g), CCH-833, 46mm, Eight Treasure Charm, phoenix and deer facing each other, both representing long life, auspicious symbols around // jin yù mân táng cháng mìng fù guì (enjoy long life and prosperity), surrounding the outer rim are eight treasures starting at the one oclock position and going clockwise are the pearl (flaming pearl), the silver ingot (sycee or yuan bao), the double lozenge, the coral, a single rhinoceros horn, the writing brush and Chinese ink, the precious mirror, and the scepter (rúyì), a well-cast example, VF. This is an example of rebus, or the use of images for their phonetic value, a common practice in China. When combined, phoenix (fèng) and deer (lù) are homophonous with the word for an officials salary, thereby expressing a wish for a top government office with a high salary. There are other examples on this charm of using symbols with hidden meanings. Just below the deers front hoof is an "upside down" bat. In Chinese, saying the words "an upside down bat" is pronounced exactly the same as saying the words "happiness has arrived". Another symbol with a hidden meaning is the crab depicted between the tree and the center hole, at about the 09:00 position. The Chinese word for crab and the Chinese word for harmony are both pronounced xie. Displaying a crab is therefore expressing a wish for harmony. Located at the bottom of the charm and near the tree is the lingzhi or "fungus of immortality". The deer is believed to be the only animal able to find this magical plant. This example was likely cast in the late Qing Dynasty.
