Silver hairpin in the shape of a monk’s staff. This ‘alarm-staff’ or ‘Hikele’ with its tinkling rings was used by roaming monks who, by tapping it on the ground, tried to warn small animals to prevent stepping on them as it is a Buddhist rule not to take the life of any creature. The hairpin is marked but we can’t read the characters. It dates from the end of the Qing Dynasty (1644 – 1912). Length 14.8 cm. Width 2.0 cm.