China Coin Fantasy or Good Luck Item - Need ID

[Pocket Change]

China Coin Fantasy or Good Luck Item - Need Identification

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

DR.ÖTEK Metal Detector, Waterproof Gold Detector, Pinpoint & Terrain Modes, Professional Metal Detector - Grab it through Amazon!

[Joe-Dirt]

I’ve found 5 or 6 of those things, every time I try to ID them I get a blistering headache. Some one will ID it for you, they can be very old

 

[curiouscat]

https://www.tamarascottdesigns.com/...hinese-coin-pendant-antique-silver-quantity-1

 

[Yang Hao]

I believe what you have there is a Good luck item (A good luck token/coin) It doesn't have any characters regarding it coming from a dynasty such as 乾隆通宝 qianlong tongbao or 康熙通宝 kangxi tongbao. However I have information on what the coin says. The first idiom which is the second photo says 壽比南山 寿比南山 shou bi Nan Shan. Which translates into May you live as long as the Southern Mountains. This saying from from the book of songs 《诗经》a collection of poetry dating back to the Western Zhou dynasty (1046 BC - 771 BC). The poem is called 天保 Tian bao here is the part of the poem where it comes from (referenced in bold):

如月之恒、如日之升。
如南山之寿、不骞不崩。
如松柏之茂、无不尔或承。

Tian Bao:
Like the moon advancing to the full,
Like the sun ascending the heavens,
Like the age of the southern hills,
Never waning, never falling,
Like the luxuriance of the fir and the cypress; -
May such be thy succeeding line!

As for the first photo that is the idiom 福如東海 福如东海 fu ru dong hai which translates into May your happiness be as immense as the East Sea.
That idiom comes from a ming dynasty (1368 AD - 1644 AD) book of stories called 《清平山堂话本》qing ping shan tang hua ben. It was written by 洪楩 hong pian.

Those two idioms are usually together as in the following example:

祝您老人家福如东海，寿比南山！zhu nin lao ren jia fu ru dong hai, shou bi nan shan!
I wish you long life and happiness!

Congrats on the find!

 

[Red-Coat]

You're a very useful person to have around, Yang Hao!

Excellent job you've been doing on translations of older items that didn't get full responses too.

 

[Yang Hao]

You're a very useful person to have around, Yang Hao!

Excellent job you've been doing on translations of older items that didn't get full responses too.

Thank you very much for your kind words. I wish I had the extensive knowledge you have on historical items from many different cultures. You have helped a lot of people on this forum identify their treasure finds.