Small silver lock depicting two bearded gentlemen in a garden playing a game of Chinese chess called Xiangqi (象棋).. Chess is one of the ‘Four Scholarly Pursuits’. In ancient China a scholar was supposed to be accomplished in these four pursuits, playing the Qin (zither), reading books, painting and playing chess. Depicting a chess game therefore symbolizes a wish for high status. On the other side of the lock are the characters ‘Bai Jia Suo’ (百家锁) which mean ‘Protected by a hundred families’. When a child was about three months old, it was usually given a silver, gold or jade amulet in the shape of a lock in the hope that the lock would tie the child down to prevent abduction by evil spirits. In some areas of China money would be donated by a hundred families to purchase a silver lock and consequently the child would then have the protection of these hundred families. This is such a lock. It dates from the late Qing (1644 – 1912) to the early Republic period (1912 – 1947). Width 4.6 cm. Height 3.2 cm. Depth 1.5 cm. Weight 11.3 grams.